Giving doesn't always have to include going somewhere, buying something and giving it to someone. Every day we are able to give of ourselves to others in various ways; giving of our time & talents, and sometimes we will include giving of our resources & funds. Whatever the case, we should do our best to make giving a part of our everyday lives--a lifelong habit--not just a once a year occasion.

That being said, as our Valentine's Day gift to you, we've put together a month-by-month guide for giving the whole year long. Feel free to use ours each month, or just for inspiration! Give it a try....we've got a ton of links to choose from.

• February :: This month, pay homage to Valentine's Day and try choosing something or someone that is near & dear to your heart or maybe the American Heart Association.
• March :: Christ gave His blood for us, how about we do the same and find an organization such as the Red Cross that hosts a blood drive.
• April :: Earth Day is April 22, so pick something eco-friendly. What about choosing your local school, park or beach and spend the day cleaning up what others have left behind?
• May :: Memorial Day gives us all the opportunity to honor troops that have served to keep our country what it is. We suggest supporting a local Veterans Assn. or Wounded Warriors Project.
• June :: We will be traveling to Guatemala 6/17-25; join us on the trip or help support our cause as we sponsor total village transformations with Hope of Life International.
• July :: Back to School supplies are in the stores, get 2 (or 3) of everything your child needs and donate the extras to groups such as Giving Children Hope that organize backpack donation drives.
• August :: Adopt or Sponsor a Child. For those who think an actual adoption is not an option, you can always sponsor a child and communicate long distance with letters. We have several through Compassion and Gospel for Asia, and we love receiving the letters they send us.
• September :: Shoes are something we very much take for granted. There's lots of groups like Soles for Souls or Sole Hope that help put shoes on feet around the world.
• October :: Missions & Food Banks are getting ready for Thanksgiving meals next month. Donate food for the events or better yet, donate your time and help serve at a local event. So worth it!
• November :: Samaritan's Purse helps us send thousands of shoeboxes full of goodies (via Operation Christmas Child) to underprivileged children worldwide so they'll have a Merry Christmas. The kids love to help packing these : )
• December :: When it comes to Christmas shopping for your own family; keep it simple. Something they want. Something they need. Something to wear. And something to read.