Serve 16

This blog is dedicated to an amazing young lady who is turning 16. While most soon-to-be 16 year olds would be planning a Sweet 16 bash, shopping for new clothes, and picking out their future car, this young girl has assembled an initiative to serve others 16 times during the month of November in honor of her birthday. I've known this young girl for several years. She is kind, smart, and has a very big heart. I am in awe of her love for Jesus and desire to serve others at such a young age.  She is setting an amazing example for others young and old! My family will definitely be participating in her project.

Her project is called Serve 16! You can buy very cool Tshirts and the proceeds benefit a great cause. And you can read through her 16 ideas for serving others and create a plan for yourself and your family to serve others during the month of November!!  November is a month that many people recognize as a time to give thanks and to serve others. What can you do to get yourself out of your own way in the spirit of serving others?? Read her ideas below!!!

Serve16 is both a challenge and an invitation to see a need and to meet it. YOU are invited to join US in serving your community 16 times through the month of November. Let's get out there and see what awesome things God has in store as we are Jesus' hands and feet!

Here's the story...

As I was thinking about my Sweet 16 birthday party this year I wanted to incorporate the things that I love most...and I realized that one of my favorite things is to serve people! So why not do THAT instead of a party? That's how Serve16 was created! We decided to find 16 different ways to serve, help, and demonstrate Jesus' love to people in our area. 

Buying a t-shirt helps spread the word about Serve16 and becomes your first act of service! Proceeds from the sale will be given to Calvary Christian Church's One for One ministry. Each week the church finds someone in the Bellevue, NE area struggling financially...and blesses them with a monetary gift.

Where do you begin? First, check out the list of 16 projects we're doing in November. Second, open your eyes and see the needs all around you. Third, ACT.

Here are 16 ideas to get you started!

1. Buy a shirt! (www.booster.com/serve16)

2. Serve at least once at your church.

3. Take a meal to someone who needs it.

4. Choose one person to pray for for a week. Then tell that person what you're doing.

5. Take away someone's loneliness. Visit someone in a nursing home or hospital.

6. Do a job around the house that nobody else wants to do (mow the grass, organize the closet, clean the toilets).

7. Give up part of the big day and go serve Thanksgiving dinner at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen.

8. Spend 30mins with a younger sibling. Let THEM choose the activity!

9. Meet and talk to a new person at school, youth group or work.

10. Do yard work (mow grass, rake leaves, shovel the driveway) for one of your neighbors, especially if they can't do it themselves.

11. Write an encouraging note to a family member, friend, coworker, teacher or boss. Include some scripture you enjoy.

12. Volunteer at your local homeless shelter or soup kitchen.

13. Write a thank you note to a veteran.

14. Walk a neighbor's dog.

15. Introduce yourself to a neighbor you haven't met (take cookies. Cookies make everything better).

16. Clean out your closets and donate the old clothes you don't use anymore to a homeless shelter.

Whether you do one of these projects or you find your own, be sure to add your stories to this page. Together we can BE Jesus' hands and feet in November!


Join me in supporting this young lady and her amazing idea!!!

Love and Prayers,
Sondra