Tags
#doinggoodissimple, chris marlow, coffee, difference, do something, god, help one now, Jen Hatmaker, love, missions, move, Serve
When I heard about this book I thought, hmmm….wonder if this will be one of those books that guilts me into things. Far from that! You may come away feeling convicted. You may come away feeling motivated. But you’ll definitely come away feeling inspired.
Chris Marlow is a regular guy who had big dreams. He followed his Holy Spirit nudging and created Help One Now which has done an amazing amount of good for people in difficult situations. This book is about realizing that it truly is simple to do good for others. “We must have the conviction to take an action; we must do something.”
One of my favorite parts of this book was this:
“I’m a big fan of commitment. Popping into a country, doing a service project, and popping out will not make the impact necessary to see lasting change. Again, doing good is so much more than a seven-day trip or the occasional check. It’s hard to make a real impact if you’re not connected to real people. I can’t tell you how many times I have listened to stories from people who went on a mission trip. They talk about what they did as opposed to who they met.”
That section resonated with me because of my commitment to Guatemala. It was a good reminder to focus on the “who” rather than the “what”. The “what” is important, too…but the “who” is everlasting!
I’ve not read a book in a very long time where I have underlined and highlighted so many things. It’s an easy read and you really feel like you’re sitting down in a hipster coffee shop in Austin, Texas having a conversation with Chris Marlow. How cool is that?!
To end with another quote….”You need a willing heart and a clear understanding of why you exist and how you can help in big and small ways; you already have the gifts, now you just have to use them!”.
A good start would be to read this excellent book!!
