One of my favorite past times is giving back to my community, my university, my church, and my family. I find that when most people think of “giving back” they automatically assume it requires digging into their pockets! Don’t be alarmed; there are ways to give back without spending a dime. You just have to be creative and willing to try new things! Here are five ways I think you will enjoy:

#5 Share your food!
As Americans, we eat large portions. Many of us make a huge pot of spaghetti, a huge roast with potatoes, or a massive amount of chicken wings and fries. What happens to those leftovers? I grew up in a house where after a day or so, nobody ate the leftovers. Wouldn’t it be nice to share your food with someone in need? Now, I know there are soup kitchens that supposedly take care of these types of things, but should we depend on them? As I drove to Detroit from Houghton to visit my family, when I reached downtown, I saw a man standing on the corner with a sign (very common in downtown Detroit). There are hundreds of men, women, and children like him who are hungry, and all it takes is a small sacrifice on our part. We are a wasteful society. God gives us plenty! Share it with others!

#4 Volunteer at Your Local Library.
Here is a secret…librarians do a lot of work and make little money! If you have extra time in your schedule it would help them out a lot if you volunteered. There are a ton of things you can do. Most libraries offer some type of summer reading program. There are plenty of other programs as well that you can help out with, or start your own! At my local library I brought in a speaker (Dr. Sharnnia Artis-www.beingextra.com) to give a presentation for students who are homeschooled on how they can apply to college. The turnout was amazing and the attendees were very grateful. You can also donate books, cd’s and dvd’s to the library as well. Visit your local library and find out how you can help.

#3 Mentor Someone
Another secret: You do not have to be a Fortune 500 Company employee to mentor someone. When you think about it, whether you like it or not, you are always mentoring someone. There will always be someone looking up to you, watching your every move, the decisions you make, and how you react to different situations. Why not make a positive influence in someone’s life? I make it my personal duty to mentor at least 5 people at any given time, and I instruct my mentees/proteges to mentor someone as well. It does not take hundreds of hours of your time a year. It can be as simple as sending a friendly and encouraging email, making sure they stay on task (academic, personal, spiritual, physical), hanging out once a month, etc. People need people. I appreciate my mentors and would not be where I am today had it not been for them. Can someone say that about you?

P.S. If you need a mentor, I am available:)

#2 Use Your Talents.
God has given us all talents that he wants for us to use for His glory. Some of us can sing very well, some write, some tell stories, some paint, some speak publicly, etc. Whatever your talents are, share them with others. I often sing at different church functions, athletic events, silent auctions, etc. God has given me a nice voice (I actually do not think it is the greatest, but others do!) and I want to share my talent with the world. What are your talents and how will you use them to help someone else?

#1 Pray.
What does the bible say about prayer? I’ll tell you.

Luke 18:1 
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.

James 5:16
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 
Pray without ceasing.

I could go on…

The best thing you can do for your family, your community, your church, your place of employment, or your school, is to pray. God honors prayers. It is our way of communicating with Him. Prayer does not cost you anything but time and sincerity. One of my favorite scriptures is 2 Chronicles 7:14-If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Be humble and pray…it is the best way to give back.

Have you found other ways to give back that work for you? Post them in the comments section! Have a great day and help someone today:)

KB