This is Winner ^. Winner’s father passed away when Winner was 4 years old. His mother and siblings didn’t think they could stand life again– they were so affected that they did not know which way to turn. All their hope disappeared and their future looked dark. Thankfully, Winner was enrolled in Compassion’s Child Sponsorship Program, which gave them all hope again. (Image used with permission via Compassion International)

Need an idea of an organization to donate to on this GIVING TUESDAY? Sponsor a Child with Compassion International!

I know, the hustle of the holiday season has you overwhelmed. For the last week (and let’s be honest, for the past MONTH), you’ve been INUNDATED with sales and promos and ads and all the things telling you to, “Buy this!” “Buy that!” “Save money on this purchase!”

And it’s… exhausting. It feels like too much.

I am right there with you, dear friend.

I found myself just yesterday sitting down feeling that hot feeling in my chest thinking to myself, “This doesn’t feel right. All this stress over what gifts to get my kids, my husband, our families, my friends… it feels overwhelming and this isn’t what this season is about.” And I don’t mean that in a cliche way, I mean it in a really sincere way. I felt off.

Even while taking a social media sabbath on Sunday and staying completely off Instagram, I still felt… off.

The thing is, that over the years, I’ve gotten to the point where I can identify when I’m feeling like that, NAME IT and CLAIM IT, and then I can figure out what is going to be the next right step for me to get OUT of that funk frame of mind.

I was SO grateful that our 5th annual 25 days of random acts of Christmas kindness started on Sunday – because ANY time I find myself maybe creeping “into my feelings” as the kids say (are they still saying that?), all I need to do is focus OUTWARD. I focus on Jesus. I focus on serving someone else. I get out of my own head and into the lives of someone else.

Coincidentally, this week we received another letter from our sponsored child with Compassion International! (The above picture is not him) And I sat down and began to write a letter back to him and even got my kids in on drawing him a picture to send. It’s just that little shift in focus away from self that makes SO much of a difference.

So, I wanted to share this little story with you because I know that we have ALL been in that situation – we ALL feel this way sometimes. It’s a natural human response… but we don’t have to STAY there.

Today, on Giving Tuesday, my challenge to you is to make a donation to Compassion International… maybe a one-time donation if you can’t sponsor a child quite yet… OR, take that step and sponsor a child. Sponsoring a child has been one of the BEST decisions my family and I have made over the past 8 years. It’s changed OUR lives and it’s changed the lives of the children we have sponsored. Plus, it is the PERFECT thing to do to focus on giving this holiday season.

This is not lip service. It’s reality. Child sponsorship changes lives.

Don’t believe me? Listen to my interview with the CEO of Compassion, Santiago “Jimmy” Mellado, or read this post or that post. This life change is real. Very, very real.

I am also so excited to share (more details to come!) that I am going BACK to my second home, Kenya, in January! And while I am there, I am going to get to meet our sponsored child with Compassion! I’m so excited!!

So, take that step. Make a donation or sponsor a child. It will change you and the child you sponsor in so many amazing ways.