Revolutionary Love
“The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’There is no commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:31
On February 14th, we launch into two weeks of Revolutionary Love! This is an online event where we look to move in love, kindness and compassion to those around us. We believe this kind of love can literally change the world, that moving in kindness over and above the normal can be a catalyst for life change! If you want to get started be sure to Sign Up so you can stay up to date on the details of the event, and have Revolutionary Love cards sent to you. Our hope is that during this event you will move in extraordinary kindness and love at least once, and then come here and share the experience with others in the comments below.
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Tried to sign up but part of the page was missing
Hey Crystal – the form is modified enough for you to Sign up now!
Thank you Tony Got it now
Cool!
So excited to do this! My husband and I just moved into a new neighborhood, so there are so many opitons!!!! We'll keep you guys updated. Have a blessed day!
oooh, that is "ripe" with opportunity. We will be praying for you guys as you step in faith to love your new neighborhood!
We need the logo in "blog badge" or "widget" form so we can add it to blogs and have it be a clickable link to bring people to the site.
Click on resources – we have several options now for that very sort of thing!
awesome thanks tony. I already have them up a few places. check it out!
http://www.digitalmichael.wordpress.com
All signed up and SUPER HYPED about the Revolution! Can't wait for this to kick off and watch the world slowly change from the place it is now to the better world we once knew. [=
I love this idea….my husband, my best friend, and I already have this concept underway so it fits right into our plans. So far, we do random 'Starbucks Surprises' by paying for the order for the person behind us (an idea we got from the radio station we listen to). Also, with our recent power outtage, my best friend supplied many of the neighbors with flashlights, batteries, weather radios, and candles. We have also been utilizing the "Angel Food" ministry to buy food packs for families we know are in need. I can't wait to read more about what everyone is doing!
Today was Valentine's Day, and I got to see love in action and it was beautiful.
There was an apartment building that caught fire yesterday morning. As soon as we found out, we began making phone calls and forming a plan. Today, we delivered furniture, food, paper goods, electronics, cookware, dishes, gift cards, toys and a truck load of love to the 15 families who lost pretty much everything.
And it was contagious. We helped carry bags at the store, take boxes to the dumpster, take a hot meal to families, stop and listen to their stories, allow them to lean on our shoulders as we lifted them in prayer.
I took a couple of things away from today. 1) We have way too much. No matter how we slice it, we have way too much. It's easy to give away your ratty old tennis shoes you use to mow the lawn, but it's greater to give the shoes you have on your feet and walk around barefoot for the rest of the day. 2) This is how we should be living each and every day – not just in the midst of an emergency or part of a program. Jesus didn't call us to respond – He called us meet people where they are and be ready to meet whatever need they have, regardless of the cost. I can't wait until tomorrow and do it all over again.
Looking forward to shocking the love of Jesus right into those around my community! I loved the idea last year; in which one of my friends took my cards lol!
haha awesome Danny. And if you need cards this year you can check out the resources section. We have a PDF that you can download and then use to print off as many as you want!
Thanks Tony for making so many resources available to us this year! Things continue to improve!!
I cleaned up the paper towels on the floor in the bathroom at work. It's one less thing the cleaning crew needs to do tonight. Who said serving others was glamorous?
Wow these actions are awesome! I get so excited reading them. Love the practical of picking up trash and the provisional of providing food. Revolutionary Love has officially started. Thanks Karen, Crystal, and Sherri. Ready to hear from the men, me included!
I gave away two gallons of milk to two families that needed them. Also cleaned out my pantry and gave away 2 banana boxes of food away too to some families in need. I am Gonna do that at least once a month. Its an awesome feeling to know that even something so small to us is huge to someone else.
Today I pulled to dumpsters back up to the houses of my neighbors who hadn't gotten theirs yet!
Last December, I started carrying a bag of new gloves to hand out originally to homeless people. Then I realized there's a lot of people without gloves that aren't homeless, so now I carry winter gloves for men, women and kids as well as stocking caps to hand out everytime it starts getting cold… the homeless guy downtown, a homeless couple that showed up at church, several others, and even our postman when a cold front moved through and caught him off guard! Warm hands make even warmer hearts! Thanks God!
That is awesome Scott!
I bought a co-worker a juice today that they wanted but didn't have money for and also was able to speak a word of encouragement into someone's life; who after talking a bit, thought they were the only one going through the same things I was at that very time. Amazing how God uses our transparency to have an impact on someone else. Thank you Lord for using me to glorify YOU.
My wife and I are going to make a bag of treats for our mail man…
We are also going to create "love packs" where we will buy a gift card to a restaurant, and include week 1's message of The Vow… we are hoping this will give a little spark to there marriage… they will be able to enjoy a date together and hopefully God will move in there hearts when they watch the message!
That is an awesome idea you guys….if I have the fundage I may 'borrow' it =)
This is an INCREDIBLE idea, Steve! Would you send me one of those love packs?!?
Today I picked up some of the discounted flowers today at the store and I gave sme to different people I saw around my complex, they were quite surprised.
Do wish my printer worked so I could of attached the cards to them. Havent recieved mine in the mail yet
I love it!
I am a licensed cosmetologist as well as a third grade teacher, so today, I decided to put out a list for my colleagues, offering to buy them name brand hair products at cost. I thought I might as well pass my savings along to them. We could all stand to save a buck or two!
I am sooo very excited to do this again this year! I did it by myself last year and this year my husband and stepdaughter are joining me in this awesome meaningfull adventure. Thank you LC….you totally rock!! Love you all….us Mainers (from Maine the State…just north of Tulsa..haha heheee!!)!!
My husband is a diabetic and we have a young neighbor who is a diabetic as well. He is not covered on insurance for his glucometer or the strips needed to test his blood sugar. My husband is giving him his extra meter and enough testing strips to last him a year in hopes that it will help him take better care of his health.
That is…REVOLUTIONARY! Wow having the presence of mind and the presence of Christ to meet someone's medical needs out of your "medicine". The creativity and sensitivity behind this are priceless!
The day was nearly done with no opportunity for spreading the Love. Then, as I got off the train this evening there was a lady who, whilst I have never spoke to her, I have seen her before and knew she lived about 5 minutes away from me. There she was perched at the empty taxi stand.
I offered her a ride which she accepted and when i dropped her at her door she offered me $10 for my trouble. I, of course declined to which she said she will give the “tenner” to the bush fire appeal.
Win/Win on that one
Bellman 3 down – 17 to go!!!
BMan-You are building momentum and it's spreading like those wildfires to us in the states! God bless you mate as you do it in Jesus name and influence the recipient of your kindness and those of us that are tracking with you!
Thanks for the encouragement Robert.
I have had a wow of a time doing these things and i have to honest and say that at least half of my acts probably would not have been performed had it not been the push that came from Revolutionary Love………..
I've signed up, and have signed up two others with me! I'll be back in a week to let you know what we did! Thanks for the great thing you're doing!
krissy knox
my main blog: http://sometimesithink-krissy.blogspot.com
follow me on twitter:
http://sometimesithink-krissy.blogspot.com
Double Love Friday
Number 1
I was coming out of a bookshop when I saw a lady approaching me with three coffees stacked up on top of each other and in full control. Five seconds later she was at the door of the hairdressers and the look of control drained from her face at the thought of how she would get the door open and keep the three coffees in tact.
I took a few steps back and opened the door and the delivery was made without the spill of one drop of coffee. I popped a Revolutionary Love card on the hairdressers counter and wished them well
Number 2
It is my sons 13th birthday today and he was allowed to invite a friend to a McDonalds outing. We were at the home of his friend and was about to leave when the friend’s younger brother appeared and he had a “wish i could come too” look on his face. My wife and i looked at each other we collectively nodded. Happy Meals are suppose to make you happy and this little fellow had a grin from ear to ear. I reckon him Mum enjoyed the bit of extra peace for the 2 hours we were gone…..
Bellman 5 down – 15 to go
My husband and I just had a new roof put on our house. Before the roofers showed up my husband went on the roof and removed everything that would be in their way. The first day they came we bought king size candy bars and water for them. The second day we took the whole crew out for lunch at a local Mexican Restaurant. The whole time they were here my husband was outside helping them doing whatever he could to make their job easier.He even went to the dump to unload the first load of old shingles. Needless to say, I don't think that they have ever been treated like that. I gave their boss 10 Rev. cards to pass out to them, because I just got them in the mail yesterday and they had already finished. Their boss told me he would give them the cards and that he was leaving on a mission trip to Mexico for the weekend. I highly recommend using Fox Lumber for roofing jobs, because I know their are more than a few people who work for them that serve on the mission field.
Great customer service to the company…now that's upside down and crazy. That's Revolutionary!
Today I finally got a chance to put out a card. I was at the college cafeteria getting my lunch. I handed the cashier a few extra dollars and a card and said, "Whoever comes after me, put this toward their bill and give them this card. Even if they get change back, give this money and card to them." The cashier looked at me funny and when I explained what we were doing, she said it sounds like a really great idea!
Another thing I did – our college has pay-to-play pool tables in our student center. It's really the only activity there for the students. So I put in the quarters needed to play a game and laid a card on top. I have no idea who will find it or when, but someone's getting a free game of pool!
This is a great idea Amanda, so good that I copied it. We were at Timezone with two of our kids yesterday evening and i noticed the pool table empty. So my son and i did just as Amanda had done and popped $2 into the pool table and set it up for whoever came by. I walked passed about 5 minutes later and there they were, 3 x 10yo boys crowded around the pool table and most importantly, they were talking to each other and not lost in a solo video game.
BTW – the Revolutionary Love card had been placed respectively by the young lads on the top of the queue rack.
Bellman 6 down – 14 to go……
Wish my daughter went to your college Amanda so she could rub shoulders with you and be exposed to someone who the Revolutionary Love of Jesus is running all through their college veins.
Aw, Robert, that is so nice of you. I've come across Jesus-loving folks in colleges all over the country – here in the South I think we're more common, though.
Some people just do not want to be loved…..
We were entering the Westfield shopping centre in Geelong today and a older gentleman and his wife were trying to drive out the exit boom gate and did not realise that you have to prepay inside before exiting or use a credit card at the boom gate to exit.
I walked over passed the three cars that were now banked up behind him to explain how it worked. “Credit Card” he said, I am not putting my F*#@ing credit card in there. I pulled out my wallet to use mine to which he said “You aren’t going to put your F*#@ing credit card in there either. The wife can go and F*#@ing pay inside”
So this slightly shocked Revolutionary Lover headed inside the shopping centre and as I passed his wife she apologised for her husband and paid for her ticket. I said to her that I was sorry I couldn’t have helped and wished her a Good Afternoon. I then slipped a Revolutionary love card into her hand
Bellman 7 down – 13 to go….
Hope I'm not to late for this. I'm pumped.
Oh no Webbie…in many ways we are just getting started! Be sure and let us hear about your Revolutionary Love inspiration. You guys are rock'n it!
Tonight I left a "Love Bundle" in the mailbox for our mail carrier to find tomorrow. It is a package of home made triple fudge brownies with a Rev. Love card and a note saying "Enjoy"! Man, that made me feel good =)
Ok so I have this one coworker – she is the one who really makes it difficult for me at my job. Well I bought her favorite candybar and left it on her desk with a card. For me, it's harder to do this kind of stuff for people you don't get along with than to do it for friends, family or even strangers.
I taped a card on a box of girl scout cookies and left it with the campus bookstore clerk, with instructions to give it to the next person who entered, no questions asked. She didn't even give me a strange look!
I was standing on the platform this evening when a young guy was wrestling with the vending maching trying to work out how to get his bottle of orange juice out of the dispenser. They are new machines and I new the trick so offered to help. We had the drink out in a few seconds and the guys face went from Mr Cranky to Mr Happy!!!
He offered to buy me one however I already had a drink for the trip. i told him to "pay it forward". Hopefully with a little bit of understanding of Revolutionary Love and my simple deed, someone else is going to get loved by this guy.
Bellman 8 down – 12 to go
As I walked passed a coffee shop this morning I noticed a young lady putting up the first of three cafe umbrellas. She was quite petite and not particularly tall. She managed to get the first umbrella to spread its wings however she was battling on tippy toes to slip a pin into the top to hold the umbrella in place.
I, being the revolutionary Lover that I am, offered to help and at 6ft 3inches tall. I was able to fit the pin with ease. We put up the other two and I was on my way……….
Bellman 9 down – 11 to go
I tried to pay for someone behind me in the McDonalds drive through but the cashier got confused and disorientated so I moved on.
On a more positive note Paula and I identified a need in our family for someone who doesn't have an internet connection. We purchased them a wireless router and a wireless adaptor, paid for the installation and commited to pay the access fee for 6 months. It's been a blessing to give beyond what we normally would. What it's done in my heart has encouraged me to give more.
It's been very simple but good opportunities for me this week – for example, stopping and putting down my packages to help an employee at our local street market when the produce fell and began rolling onto the road. It really blessed me because it was the first person all morning who looked me in the eye. It was nice making that contact.
We're co-hosting a neighborhood tea with our landlord this weekend. 7 Kids at their home to bake and play, 12 adults in our home for tea and conversation. Some of the attendees are people whose families don't have time or money allowing the parents any adult interaction without the kids. Looking forward to it!
So, the other nite I was walking back from my fav coffee and cupcake spot, and found myself in the direct path of a homeless man…. like a tractor beam he was locked into my specific coordinates and the next thing I know he is introducing himself and starting in on a long story of why he was without a home wandering the streets of Oklahoma City.
First thing I noticed was the smell… daggum! For this reason alone I don't think I could be homeless, as I really enjoy NOT smelling like BO, but to each there own. Anyway back to the story, I patiently listened for a good 10 minutes as he laid out the reasons why I should give him the $6 in my front left pocket (which is odd… because I never carry cash and the moment he approached me my hand was in my pocket touching said Lincoln and Washington). His reasoning of why I should give him money was somewhat suspect as he mentioned he had a cancerous tumor on his pituitary gland but had no signs of gigantism or for that matter any other symptoms of this terrible affliction, besides some jitters akin to something drug addicts have during withdrawals. Nevertheless, I gave him the benefit of the doubt as he told me story upon story, of how he needs $17 to buy this prescription drug from Walgreen's… Now, at this point I am praying, "God, what do you want me to do here… I know if I give him any cash he is more than likely going to spend it on booze or drugs, but I also want to show some semblance of love to him, and if he is telling the truth… Well, I want to help him. God… What do I do?"
After shooting up this prayer, I felt a peace about giving him the $6… I know everyone who has worked with Homeless people are now frustrated because you should never give money to a homeless man with the jitters… but I had a peace about it, so there.So, I gave him the cash, with a preface that he should not spend the money on anything but the prescription drug for his cancer and/or food. Then I prayed with him, asking God to reveal himself to David, as well as for healing of his cancer, and comfort in his pain. He said thank you and then turned and walked directly toward another person walking along the sidewalk nearby.
As I walked home I had another conversation with God… I asked him that if David used the money for drugs or alcohol, that they wouldn't work. That the crack cocaine he injected or the liquor he ingested would turn into saline solution, and that God would show up in a mighty way that evening to a homeless man who needs some "Revolutionary Love" in his life!
Gave an extra big tip at local restaurant with card. Gave a card to a seeker that wouldn't go to a brick-and-mortar church. He found his fiancée online.
On February 25, 2008, I paid for the person's meal behind me at Buger King. I paid with cash. I explained to the cashier, I wanted to pay for the person behind me meal, and to please give them this. card. The cashier I first didn't quite understand, why I had given her so much cash. I keep explain the extra cash was to cover the person behind me meal. Eventually the cashier understood, and said that was nice. It took a little perseverance, but I completed the challenge.
Revolutionary Love Snow Day – VA finally has a decent amount of snow (4 inches or so). Got to work 15 minutes early and used the extra time to clean off the car of a night shift worker who would be getting off in an hour. Also did one with my daughter this afternoon… Shoveled the snow off the sidewalk and stairs at both entrances to our apartment building. Didn't really have a way to leave a card with that one, but I feel better knowing that no one will be slipping and falling in the AM.
I have enjoyed reading all of the ways that many followed the daily pursuit of Revolutionary Love. This is a life choice that we each make, moment by moment.
People’s lives are changed in the second that give the gift of Love.
I chose to help some of the poorest children in Manila, Philippines. It is easy to see that these Children need basic school supplies. I asked if others in my office would also like to become part of the Revolution. Three others joined in; we purchased a large amount of basic school supplies, enough for 30 children. On the next trip to our office in Manila, we took the supplies as checked luggage. Two of our Philippine Leaders had contacted the school, and they took the supplies. The school has no walls, only a few desks, but these children, and the teachers, were very blessed. We have photos of the little faces. They each drew pictures of what they would like to be when they finish school. The students also did a traditional Philippine dance for us.
Several of us that engaged in the daily walk of Revolutionary Love, were truly blessed when the Children also gave us a gift of Revolutionary Love in return.
Faith McGary
Last Tuesday, I was going to meet some of my friends at one of our favorite restaurants, Chelino's, to have a couple (7) beers before the Lakers/Thunder game. I had brought a Revolutionary Love card with me with the intention of buying someone's lunch for them. Well, I had to stop at the convenient store first, and the lady in front of me didn't have enough money on her to pay for her stuff. While she ran out to her truck for some more dough, I told the guy to put the difference on my debit card. When she came in, her draw literally dropped. So when I got to Chelino's, I was scoping out the crowd, trying to decide who I would buy lunch for.
I went to meet some of my friends at one of our favorite restaurants, Chelinos, for a couple (7) beers before the Lakers/Thunder game. I went specifically with the intention of buying someone's lunch. When I finally decided on who, I approached their table. It was an elderly couple with what was probably their daughter. I explained that I had already paid for their lunch and why. I thought the daughter was going to burst into tears! Praise God, and Lifechurch for this great idea.