We’ve all heard about that magical “gift that keeps on giving.” And, I definitely want to talk about those gifts today, but let’s put a pin in that for now and we’ll get back to it in a moment. First, as this holiday season gets into full swing, I want you to think about the gifts that keep on taking!

According to Time magazine, recent consumer surveys show that roughly half of shoppers would be hitting the malls on Black Friday, and over 1/3 of Americans would be out shopping on Thanksgiving Day. Is it because shopping is so much more exciting than spending quality time over a meal with family and friends?

Today, we’re living in a culture that is putting shopping ABOVE being grateful for what we’ve already got! I think this is kind of sad. Matt Walsh, blogger and radio host, wrote, “Will the Thanksgiving shopper carve a moment or two out of their busy bargain-hunting schedule to break bread with their family and friends? Will they make it all the way through grace before dashing out the door, trading in tradition and merriment for cheap electronics and kitchen appliances?”

It’s almost as if Thanksgiving has become a “speed bump” on the way to Black Friday… it’s a portrait of absolute greed. Do you realize that every year people actually DIE on Black Friday, trampled and stampeded for the sake of a “deal”? There’s even a website which tracks the deaths and injuries sustained as a result of the Black Friday shopping carnage: Black Friday Death Count

What is up with our culture? Who are we? We’re skipping right over the gratitude! We’re skipping right over the history. We’re skipping right over the character of those who sacrificed EVERYTHING to give us what we have. And we’re doing it for the chance to save 50% on some THING that retailers have probably marked up by 50% just to be able to mark it “down” for Black Friday!

Did you fall for this scam? And all that stress, all that chaos, all that money… all for a lie that has been fabricated by marketers! It is so disgusting what marketing and greed has done to take away from what should be powerful and meaningful times in our life. That’s right, Black Friday has been made up just to part you from your money!

And, every year it seems more and more people trade time with their loved ones for shopping…and I’m here to tell you that my family and I say “NO!” Instead, we’re going to try on “the garments of Thanksgiving” and do it differently than 98% of the population. I didn’t become a millionaire by doing what the majority do and you won’t either!

I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt, if you’re following the crowds and lining up like cattle at the trough of greed, is NOT the path to wealth, the trail blazed by that 2% of people who have achieved true financial independence and are actually living their dreams!

The first thing every one of this elite group learned is how to eliminate their debt. By participating in Black Friday and literally “buying” into that “sale” and “stuff” mindset, you’re just helping the all the wrong people get richer. It’s strategic; to get your money out of your pocket. And every year it’s getting worse and worse. Have we sunk so low that we could be manipulated like this?

It’s time for you to keep some of that money! We have to train our brains… you can train your brain to be adopt the mindset of a champion. Are you going to have a winner’s brain or you going to become part of the cattle shopping stampede? And, after all the frenzy and stress and chaos have passed and you’re ready to face a shiny New Year, what will you have to show? DEBT! Vacation bills, credit card bills, high-interest loans bring the crushing feeling of starting off yet another year with both old and new debt.

Now, let’s trade that idea of a true “gift that keeps on giving” I mentioned when we first started today for that debt that holds you hostage in 2014… and beyond! Years ago, surrounded by more “stuff” than my family and I could ever hope to use – and most certainly didn’t need – I asked a group of friends to join me in a bold experiment.

Instead of buying even more “stuff” what if we chose to give gifts that would have real meaning and to stop and remember the real reason for the season. So, we decided to feed orphans; and we’re not just talking about some “Third World” children, but kids that could be right in our own backyard. And, this idea has grown to the point where we now feed orphans around the world – yes, some are half a world away and others could be half an hour away!

I challenge you to think about this holiday season differently. Instead of digging yourself deeper and deeper into that black hole of debt, what if you shine a light of hope into the lives of orphans? Did you know there are 147 million orphans worldwide and 44,000 children become orphans every day? Every 90 seconds another orphan starves to death, sixty million orphans go to bed hungry every night and every two seconds another child becomes an orphan. This season, you could trade some gadget or gizmo for the opportunity to make a real difference by feeding a child for a whole year for $92!

Are you so busy thinking about those “deals” you might have gotten on Black Friday and all that stuff you’re giving – and getting – that you cannot focus on what you already have to be grateful for? Why not share in your bounty and gratitude and vow to put a stop to your mounting debt and make a donation that literally can give life for an entire year. Visit Kings Ransom Foundation and REALLY give the gift that keeps on giving!

If this seems like a much better alternative as we swing into the holidays, then share this idea with your friends, family, coworkers and social network. Then tell me below how you plan to celebrate the holidays this year. Remember that together, we can give the gifts of life! And don’t forget to join me this Wednesday evening for our Spiritual Equipping Broadcast at 8 pm ET/7 pm CT as we explore even more gifts of the spirit.

In great faith,

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