40acts: The Lent Generosity ChallengeSample

Blood appears often in the Bible both physically and symbolically, and none more significantly than Jesus shedding His lifeblood for us, to save us from death. For us, giving blood may seem like something fairly minor or even too much hassle, but that generosity can be a lifeline. As we share the gospel message and pray for those who don’t yet know Jesus, let’s also put words into action and look after the physical needs of others. Twice a year for 35 years, I sat down in a chair, extended my arm and invited a complete stranger to stick a needle into it and take some of my blood. ‘Why would you do that, Linda?’ I hear you ask. Let me take you back to when I was in my mid-teens and I heard God prompting me to give something I had in abundance to those who needed it. I started giving blood at the age of 18 when I went to university in Southampton and I’ve never looked back. Five years ago, I got my Gold Award. I gave blood continuously for 35 years, only taking breaks when I was having my children. To me, giving blood is a wonderful way to show generosity. It can be the difference between life and death for someone you’ll never meet. ______ Find more about today’s 40acts challenge on our blog: [ https://40acts.org.uk/ act-8-bring-life / ](https://40acts.org.uk/act-8-bring-life/)