There isn't a single person in the United States of America who doesn't have a possession that goes unused for a year. Every one of us has extra STUFF. Martha and I made a rule when we got married 35 years ago that if anything went unused in our home over the period of a year, we would give it away. And guess what, there's only been a few times I've given away something I wish I hadn't. The reality is that we all have things that go unused, whether they are possessions, talents, giftings, or resources.

We interviewed a Californian the other day who had a similar idea. Her name is Tammy Vallejo and you can listen to the whole interview HERE. In her community, there was a homeless problem, but there was also a solution.

Tammy gathered together a group of church and community leaders to discuss how they could help solve the homelessness crisis in their area. What they discovered was that there was an awful lot of church-owned land in the community that was going unused. So, they determined to put it to use by creating this thing called Compassion Village. This group created tiny home villages with a central community square by using fallow land the churches already owned. The village is a place for those struggling with homelessness to get off the street, gain job skills, and learn how to live in community again. All this was done on land that was just sitting there vacant, doing nothing.

Now, most of you reading this probably don't have any vacant land that you could put to use for a tiny home village, but what do you have? Do you have an extra car that goes unused, or a spare bike, or some nice clothes, or an extra TV or computer, or even an old cell phone? So many of us have things that clutter our homes, apartments, condos, or townhouses. Instead of letting them collect dust, let's put them to use and bless our neighbors!

Or maybe for you, it's not stuff, but it's a talent. Maybe you have house repair skills, or cleaning skills, or singing skills – and they all go unused! How can you engage your talents for the benefit of those around you? If you can't think of anything, ask the Lord to tell you what you have that you can give away or put into action for the Kingdom. You might be surprised at what you find.

God loves it when we use our possessions and gifts for the Kingdom - it's called being a good steward! 1 Peter 4:10 says,

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."

God wants to use you, your stuff, your finances, and the unique giftings of His Holy Spirit to bless those around you. So, what are you waiting for?

Jim