The 30 Day Giving Challenge: Teaching Your Children to Serve During the Month of November

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday season, it’s the perfect time of year to focus our hearts on gratitude.  Gratitude and service to others go hand-in-hand.  We are grateful when we recognize who God is and all that He has done in our lives, and service to Him flows naturally out of a grateful heart.

This year, I am glad to be a part of the 30 Day Giving Challenge as a way to be intentional about giving to others during the month of November.  This challenge will be hosted by a fabulous group of bloggers, and you can find more details at the 30 Day Giving Challenge site. The challenge is simple – find a way to give every day in November.  The giving doesn’t have to be monetary, although monetary giving is fine.  You can also give by serving others and giving of your time and energy.

I will be posting a few times this month with ideas for including kids in giving and serving others.  Here’s a quick idea that we did today:

Make and Send Leaf Rubbing Cards

Receiving real mail is such a treat in our digital world.  We made these card by cutting out leaf rubbings and gluing them onto construction paper cards.  The boys wrote letters, and we’ll be mailing them out to people in our family.

Other Ideas for Giving and Serving with Kids:

• Go through toys and choose gently used items to donate.
• Fill a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child.
• Ask your church if there is a way that you and your kids can help out – wash windows, work in the flower beds, or help in the office.
• Take a meal to a family going through a difficult time.
• Visit an elderly church member or friend.  It may help to prepare something specific to do on your visit – maybe the children can sing or play an instrument, bring handmade drawings (or cookies) to give, or bring along a game to play together.
• Reach out by inviting a family to your home from your neighborhood or church that you don’t know very well.

I hope you’ll consider joining us for this challenge!  I can’t wait to see how God will use the generosity of many for His glory!  Check out the 30 Day Giving Challenge Pinterest board for more ideas and inspiration.