Today is a day referred to as Giving Tuesday. It’s a rather recent tradition and some people aren’t even aware that it exists. It began in 2012 as a response to the commercialization and consumerism of the post-Thanksgiving season. It provides a nice bookend to the past five days.

We start off with Thanksgiving, a holiday where we get together with family and friends and give thanks for all that we have. We watch parades, eat more than we should and then take naps, watch or play football, and end the day with holiday movies or other family traditions. Then it happens. All sale breaks loose. Black Friday. When I was younger this did not happen until the day after Thanksgiving, actually a Friday, but now it happens on Thanksgiving evening. People seem to forget that hours before they were saying thanks for all that they have because now it’s time to get more. And the more you buy, the more you save, right?

That leads us into what has become known as Cyber Monday. Didn’t want to run the gauntlet at the local retail outlet? Just sit on your butt behind your computer and get good deals from the comfort of your home or office or anywhere really as long as you have a smartphone and didn’t reach your data limit this month. You don’t even have to interact with someone in person. Millennials for the win!

Now enter Giving Tuesday. In case you have any money left, or more accurately any space under your credit limit, then why not do something for someone else? Ok, don’t get me wrong here, I know a lot of people who don’t follow this model and many of you are reading this right now. But this stereotype of how we as Americans behave during this time of year is based on more truth than we would like to admit. And with this as the backdrop for what is going on all around us I have to think about something I have heard all my life: it is more blessed to give than to receive.

This is a truth found in the Bible, Acts 20:35 to be specific. And I can tell you one other truth I know is true: you can’t out give God. God has really blessed us at the English Connection, so much that sometimes in the course of the work we do we find opportunities to pay it forward. And here is the story of how we helped in one specific situation in Ukraine last year. Follow the link to see how we were able to join in on a fund-raising effort to provide a van to help with orphan ministry.

We could not do what we do without the generosity of people like you. Thank you for all the support you give us and if you’re looking for a place to make a donation this Giving Tuesday then please consider the English Connection. We look forward to sharing more stories of all we are able to do because of people like you who give sacrificially, not just today but all year long.