Mission Trip Fundraising Ideas using Facebook, Twitter & other Social Media

So our family has been on quite the journey over the last 6 years. We would have never in our wildest of dreams imagined that by 2013 we would have traveled to Africa 6 times, that 4 out of 6 of our family members would have gone multiple times and that we would have forever heartstrings with so many living there.

 And yet, here we are finding ourselves in just such a position. How on earth have we accomplished this? This is something we still frequently try to wrap our brains around. The first trip was a stretch in itself - sending off two of our precious cargo. The following year 3 of us would make the trip. The next trip we would make would have a total of 4 from our family packing our bags. As you can imagine these trips are not cheap, in fact they are VERY expensive. For each team member the cost is about $3,000. YOWZA!

Every step of the way God's fingerprints are ALL over it! I tell you, the impossible is possible if you are willing to step forward in faith. So that is Step #1 - seek God and ask where he wants you to move forward. Then comes the fun of seeing him show off!

Our family has done a variety of fundraising events:

• Garage Sales, Garage Sales & more Garage Sales
• Dance 4) Africa: Dance Lessons, Dessert & Silent Auction
• Coffee Bean & Cocoa Sales from 963 Coffee Project
• Car Washes
• Worship Night & Dessert
• Jewelry
• Handcrafted Bags
• Freezer Meals
• Scrapbooking Night

Recently my friend found this site and used it for her fundraising towards another mission trip. It popped up on my newsfeed on Facebook. Totally intrigued me, so I checked it out today. SO EASY!!!

Our family is down to the wire now - we still need to raise $2,500 in just 10 days (deep breath)  - so we really needed to find a quick and easy method to get the word out. This is perfect. GoFundMe.com created a way for us to share our story and need while they provide an online payment method with a minimal fee. Payment is available real time. You simply set up your account and they will post it to your social media and send it out to the email addresses you enter.

The amount of time it took for me to check it out and research it was more then it took me to set it up and have it posted on my Facebook account. If I had twitter and others that I currently used it would quickly link and promote on those as well.

Here is our account we set up with them: http://www.gofundme.com/3cnk9g

Check it out! And if you want to donate, we will take that too! :)

-Simply Sublime

Blogging & Graphic Design Help: Free Fonts

Kristen over at Simply Klassic DIY has some FABULOUS  FREE FONT links available on her blog today. See those beauties pictured above? Give 'em a click and head on over.  If you are looking to add a little ZIP &  FUN into your HO-HUM you will for sure want to check it out!

-Simply Sublime

Stuck in the Muck or Moving?

MUD...MUCK...MIRE 

• Sometimes we find ourselves losing our footing and slipping in it. 
• Often after coming into contact with it we find remnants of it stuck to us. 
• Yet other times we get temporarily stuck, pulling, prodding, grasping at ways to get out of it. 
• If deep enough sometimes the grip it has on us holds tight enough we can actually lose a piece of ourselves in it.  

Avoiding it is nearly impossible - at some point we are all touched by it. Heck - not only can we walk into it  - we can pick it up and toss it at others. It looks messy, feels messy...it IS MESSY. No matter how hard we may try every single person will be splattered by it. 

So would we change the route that led us to the mud pit? Hmmm - a question we probably all think about at times. I have a few pits I know I would want to avoid now looking back. Although I have to say - I developed some muscles and wisdom in the exit strategy. 

I have also FINALLY learned a bit about the mud removal process. I have learned the quickest way out is to reach up - grab God's loving hand - climb out (or be lifted out) and stand tall. 

I have spent SO MUCH of my past crawling out and staying in a crouched position, head bowed. I was left feeling relieved to be out of the pit but unworthy, undeserving, ashamed. It wasn't until recently that I learned the JOY of my loving Father. Oh - I have known him for a long time. I accepted him as a wee one and have had an up and down relationship with him until my late 20's. A couple years ago I finally began to grasp the depth of his LOVE though. A love so deep and kind. A love that chooses not to see the past because it has truly been forgiven. 

My Abba Father draws me lovingly out of the muck and mire, wipes every spot of the mud from my grubby little face and kisses my cheek with a BIG "I LOVE YOU MY CHILD!" 

You know, the more I think about the muck and the mire  - the more I fall in love with Him. His love is unconditional. He gets me. He thinks I am adorable as I am trying for something... He can foresee the mess ahead - but He gets that I can't. 

He knew my foresight would be limited, so he made sure to have me covered. He arranged a way ahead that would guarantee I could wallow in the mud and find a way out unstained by it. He took his own precious Son, Jesus Christ, to live in the mud for awhile - to experience what we do here on this planet. He then, after living here, chose to die on the cross for me - so my mud could be washed off. All so I could spend eternity in relationship with my Abba Father, in a loving relationship FOREVER with him... AMAZING!

Let's not take the mud for granted - let's not take the process of cleaning it up for granted either. Without getting dirty we don't understand the need for getting clean. Without getting bound up and stuck we don't understand the need to be free. The way out is easy... it is one simple reach towards your Loving Father. He is just waiting oh so patiently - he knows, he understands and he has it all covered.

He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.    -Psalm 40:2 esv

I hope the next time you tromp into a little mud, or wash your kiddos grubby little face it brings a smile to your heart. 

-Simply Sublime