It's the most wonderful time of the year! Is there a better time to spread around a little hope and joy? Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year, maybe really THE favorite. I love making cookies (and eating them), decorating the house, singing carols, and spending time with my family. However, it can also be a little stressful! Shopping for the perfect gifts, getting the Christmas cards done in time, running from one event to the next... that's probably why some people don't really like Christmas very much at all. I think that Create Hope Challenge cards would be an awesome way to spread some Christmas cheer and remind each other about the hope and promise that came with Christ's birth.
I'm thrilled that more and more people continue to accept our challenge and send out notes of hope and encouragement. We're up to almost 1100! WOW, is all I have to say about that. Thank you for being such encouragers!
Keep it up! And Merry Christmas to YOU!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Yee Haw!
We're over the half way point! Way to go YOU.
It is pretty awesome thinking that collectively you've sent over 1000 notes! That's over 1000 smiles as people reached into their mailboxes and pulled out something that wasn't a bill. Over 1000 positive messages. Over 1000 little lights going out into the world and making a difference in someone's day.
I know we'll be able to get through the next 1000 too! As I mentioned before, all God's timing. Here's part of an email I received about just that:
Thanks, Susan, for taking the challenge and spreading more Hope out to the world. And, thanks to everyone for all of those awesome notes you've written! Keep it up!
It is pretty awesome thinking that collectively you've sent over 1000 notes! That's over 1000 smiles as people reached into their mailboxes and pulled out something that wasn't a bill. Over 1000 positive messages. Over 1000 little lights going out into the world and making a difference in someone's day.
I know we'll be able to get through the next 1000 too! As I mentioned before, all God's timing. Here's part of an email I received about just that:
I am going to accept the challenge and send four notes of encouragement. I'm not sure what took me so long to do this...I had planned to when it first started. However, as you say, everything in God's time! I was looking at the map of receivers. I actually have a friend in Montana to send a card of hope too, as well as a friend in Poland (who really needs hope right now!) - Susan from Texas
Thanks, Susan, for taking the challenge and spreading more Hope out to the world. And, thanks to everyone for all of those awesome notes you've written! Keep it up!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
half way to half way
So, last month at this time we were 14 senders away from 1/2 way to our goal, and now we're only 7 senders away! So, we're half way to half way to our goal. Woo hoo!
I'm again questioning my sanity at setting the goal of 2000 notes, but you know what? We didn't set a time limit. So, it's all God's timing, right? It's a huge relief to realize that. I know that if we just keep on doing what we're doing and keep on spreading the word, God will get us there. I really love to believe that I'm the one in control, and that what I want and plan for is the best thing. Funny how when I give up, and finally shout out for God's help everything seems to fall into place (usually in a totally different place than I thought it should).
So, one step at a time. 7 more senders and we're half way there. Then I can't even begin to think about how we're going to find 250 more! I do believe that it will happen... eventually. And, that when those 250 people send out their notes, it's going to be the PERFECT timing for the receivers.
With that said, tell everyone you know about the Create Hope Challenge! Or at least everyone you know that you think might like to send out notes to their friends and family.
I'm again questioning my sanity at setting the goal of 2000 notes, but you know what? We didn't set a time limit. So, it's all God's timing, right? It's a huge relief to realize that. I know that if we just keep on doing what we're doing and keep on spreading the word, God will get us there. I really love to believe that I'm the one in control, and that what I want and plan for is the best thing. Funny how when I give up, and finally shout out for God's help everything seems to fall into place (usually in a totally different place than I thought it should).
So, one step at a time. 7 more senders and we're half way there. Then I can't even begin to think about how we're going to find 250 more! I do believe that it will happen... eventually. And, that when those 250 people send out their notes, it's going to be the PERFECT timing for the receivers.
With that said, tell everyone you know about the Create Hope Challenge! Or at least everyone you know that you think might like to send out notes to their friends and family.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
a l m o s t . . . s o c l o s e . . .
It is only fitting that at the beginning of our 6th month of the Create Hope Challenge we're almost half way there. Only 14 more hope note senders until you have sent 1000 messages of encouragement!
I have to admit that I'm the one who decided 2000 was a good number, and I'm starting to question what on earth I was thinking! However, 2000 receivers is "only" 500 senders, and just think, if each person who has participated in our little project so far just encouraged one other person to pick up a pen and write 4 notes to 4 people we'd be there! Trust me, I know the thought of writing 4 notes when email and texting is so much easier (and faster too) is a bit unappealing, but think about the last time you pulled a hand written note from your mailbox. How fun was that?!
Here are some suggested uses for the 4 FREE cards we'll send to you or your friend who is up for the task:
- Birthday Cards: "It's not a birthday card" you say? It will be after you write "Happy Birthday" in it. Go for it, I promise, the birthday boy/girl will be glad you did.
- Thank You Notes: Um... 4 free thank you notes? Your mom would be proud! You'll get your thank you's out and save $$ at the same time!
- Speaking of Mom... when was the last time you sent your mom a note? Don't even try to tell me she wouldn't LOVE it! (or Dad for that matter).
That's all I've got for now. I'll work on some more totally awesome uses for Create Hope Challenge cards and will definitely keep you posted. In the meantime, get signed up to take part in the Create Hope Challenge. If you've already done it, I bet you know someone else who could, so pass it on!
I have to admit that I'm the one who decided 2000 was a good number, and I'm starting to question what on earth I was thinking! However, 2000 receivers is "only" 500 senders, and just think, if each person who has participated in our little project so far just encouraged one other person to pick up a pen and write 4 notes to 4 people we'd be there! Trust me, I know the thought of writing 4 notes when email and texting is so much easier (and faster too) is a bit unappealing, but think about the last time you pulled a hand written note from your mailbox. How fun was that?!
Here are some suggested uses for the 4 FREE cards we'll send to you or your friend who is up for the task:
- Birthday Cards: "It's not a birthday card" you say? It will be after you write "Happy Birthday" in it. Go for it, I promise, the birthday boy/girl will be glad you did.
- Thank You Notes: Um... 4 free thank you notes? Your mom would be proud! You'll get your thank you's out and save $$ at the same time!
- Speaking of Mom... when was the last time you sent your mom a note? Don't even try to tell me she wouldn't LOVE it! (or Dad for that matter).
That's all I've got for now. I'll work on some more totally awesome uses for Create Hope Challenge cards and will definitely keep you posted. In the meantime, get signed up to take part in the Create Hope Challenge. If you've already done it, I bet you know someone else who could, so pass it on!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
inch by inch...
We're up to 900 receivers! I feel like that's a pretty huge milestone. Not only that, but we're only 25 senders away from being half way to our goal. That seems really doable to me. If we just keep on going, inch by inch, one day at a time, I know we'll get there. Sometimes I have a really hard time looking at what we've accomplished today because I'm so worried about how we're going to get to our goal, but seriously, 900 is amazing! So, keep up the good work and please spread the word so we can keep on truckin'. Thanks for all of the wonderful notes you've written
Monday, July 20, 2009
Another fancy map...
I've recently returned from the International Christian Retail Show which just happened to be in Denver, CO this year. This was awesome for so many reasons, probably the biggest one being that I got to spend some QT with my sister and my sweet niece. One of the cool things about ICRS moving around each year is that you get to meet a whole new crowd of fabulous Christian stores and wonderful store owners and other vendors too. Of course we also saw some familiar faces and got to catch up on the latest and greatest from the past year.
Before we headed to ICRS I was feeling like maybe we had set this goal a little too over our heads, because 2000 is a lot of cards for a small company like ours. Being in Denver and sharing the challenge with a whole new group of people gave some new energy to our project. The enthusiasm from all of you new participants gave me HOPE that we could reach our goal, so thank you for that. The other thing that I realized as I was making the list of new hope creators, is that they were from all over the map (and globe)... so I got all nerdy again and made another map for you to check out. This time of senders.
Inch by inch we're getting closer to 2000. We couldn't do it without your willingness to write the notes, so thank you!!!
Before we headed to ICRS I was feeling like maybe we had set this goal a little too over our heads, because 2000 is a lot of cards for a small company like ours. Being in Denver and sharing the challenge with a whole new group of people gave some new energy to our project. The enthusiasm from all of you new participants gave me HOPE that we could reach our goal, so thank you for that. The other thing that I realized as I was making the list of new hope creators, is that they were from all over the map (and globe)... so I got all nerdy again and made another map for you to check out. This time of senders.
Inch by inch we're getting closer to 2000. We couldn't do it without your willingness to write the notes, so thank you!!!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
does anyone have a friend in Idaho?
... or Rhode Island? Seriously though, we're only 4 states away, count them 1-2-3-4, yep, FOUR. If my math is correct, you've sent hope to 46 states. Woo hoo! You are a seriously connected group of people and I LOVE how far you've been spreading your hope notes. Way to go YOU!
With that said, our note writing is at a bit of a standstill. We're doing great, but we've still got over 1000 more notes to write. So, use those connections and help us get the word out about our little challenge. We would really appreciate it and I know that the 1272 people who have yet to receive a little hope in their mail box will to!
With that said, our note writing is at a bit of a standstill. We're doing great, but we've still got over 1000 more notes to write. So, use those connections and help us get the word out about our little challenge. We would really appreciate it and I know that the 1272 people who have yet to receive a little hope in their mail box will to!
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