Emily Massey

I have debated on deactivating my Facebook account many times over the years, and sometimes I was brave enough to take the plunge, yet it always seems to suck me back into it's time-wasting vortex.

EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

I have started to ask myself why this is. 

With the invention of smart phones and these (often anti) social media apps , we now can be distracted and ignore the reality in front of our faces at any given moment of every single day. 

Many have lost the art of communication because there really is no need to actually TALK (aloud) to people anymore. 

It's all about these black letters on white background.

We text instead of call. We use emojis instead of an emotional face-to-face conversation. We post "insta" updates like engagements or the birth of a new baby instead of waiting to share that news in person, especially to close friends and family members. I hate finding out important things through Facebook first, don't you?

We can't even sit in a 20 minutes car ride without grabbing for that block of distraction. My husband knows how guilty I am of this one!

Y'all, I have been hiding behind my social media platforms ignoring that there is a deeper rooted issue going on. 

I've been lonely. 

Social media somehow makes me feel like I'm connected to people, but why I am still left feeling lonely?

It's because I'm longing for a deeper connection. Instead of sharing an article or funny meme, I want to share actual life experiences with others.

And recently I discovered that existing behind my keyboard hasn't just affected my relationships with people, but with God.

My prayer life has been so silent and not because I have taken the time to be still and listen. 

I just have stopped talking to God in general. 

Wow. Writing that out just seems to make me sound like such a horrible Christian. 

But it's true. 

I have to wonder if living a communicative existence of only black letters on white background is the huge reason my prayer life is on life support.

You can't text God. 

You have to talk out loud sometimes. Just like my husband and I's relationship is affected by verbal communication., I'm forming my relationship with the Lord with every conversation I have with Him. 

I can't say that I'm strong enough to cut social media and time on my cell phone cold turkey, but I know this has been a major stumbling block for me and I don't like that it has.

The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. 

Well, I can say I'm finally being honest about that fact. 

And now I need to manage my time more wisely and limit my exposure to this social media thing. That looks different for everyone, but for me it is deleting the apps from my phone and signing out of my web browsers. Deactivating my profile hasn't proved much help for me since you use Facebook to sign on to other sites and I hate remembering passwords for every single website. 

I have also found it helpful to leave my phone on the charger in my bedroom during the day so it's not constantly with me in every room I'm in. I also put it on airplane mode at night so I'm not tempted to look at notifications. 

So here's to mending my prayer life as I work on this anti-social media experiment once again. I'm hoping for a stronger connection up above. 

I hear ya, God, I hear ya.

One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord,
And He will repay him for his [l]good deed (Proverbs 19:17, NASB).

Like I talked about in my last post, Red Nose Day is quickly approaching! This campaign is such a great opportunity as believers to support a cause that is so near to the Lord's heart, as we find in Proverbs 19, being gracious and lending a hand to the poor and needy, not for our name's sake but for His.

The organization behind Red Nose Day is Comic Relief Inc. Although Comic Relief is not a faith-based organization, plenty of faith-based and Christian organizations are partnering with them, longing to do their part to see child poverty erased. Comic Relief's strategy to make this goal a reality is to provide grants to organizations that keep children healthy, safe and educated in the USA and around the world such as Save the Children, Boys & Girls Club, and Children’s Health Fund.

I had the privilege of chatting with Comic Relief's Vice President of Grants and Philanthropy in the United States, Rick Scott, last week. I was able to hear a little more about his journey with the organization, which started in the UK over 20 years ago, and his mission to see Red Nose Day expand in the US.

Since Red Nose Day launched in the US in 2015, they have seen growth in the involvement and awareness by at least 60%.  In Comic Relief Inc.’s first two years in the United States, they have raised over $60 million. Globally, Red Nose Day has raised over $1 billion since its launch in the UK in 1988! I love seeing that kind of money put to a great cause such as helping children!

Between the funds of the red noses that you can purchase at Walgreens or Duane Reade and the donations and grants of organizations, Comic Relief is seeing more and more people, both regular Joe's and major influential people such as Bill Gates, join the cause behind Red Nose Day. 

One of the reasons I believe Comic Relief's clever idea behind Red Nose Day is catching momentum around the world is the mere fact that comedy is a universal language. Everyone smiles and laughs, no matter what age you are, what part of the world you are from, or how much money you have in your pocket.

"When you put on a red nose, you get a reaction (a laugh) and people want to know more," Scott said. 

You put on this red nose, the walls come down, and we can now start a conversation about the heartbeat behind "the nose," helping children trapped in poverty. 

And since we are all created in the image of God, I don't think many can escape the great tug on your heart when you see someone in need, especially a child. 

So will you join me in bringing awareness- whether that is promoting this great organization so that those who are able to give, find the perfect place for their money, or if you don't have thousands of  dollars at your disposal that you are able to donate, consider at least buying a red nose at your local Walgreens or Duaine Reade?

Consider it a loan to the Lord. It will not go unnoticed to Him.

And most importantly, don't forget to tune in on Thursday May 25 at 8/7c for a night of Red Nose Day — only on NBC.

You may see me wearing a red nose in the next few days.  I’m wearing it proudly to support a cause called Red Nose Day which is on Thursday, May 25.

Red Nose Day is about ending child poverty here in the U.S. and around the world, “one nose at a time.”

My family and I have been tremendously blessed.  A day doesn’t go by when I’m not thankful for all we have, but we also pray and do our best for those in need, especially children.  

We’ve learned that:

• 1 out of 5 children in the U.S. live in poverty.
• Every Year, More Than 2 Million Kids in America Will Face a Period of Homelessness.
• 57% of homeless kids spend at least one day every month without food.

These are heartbreaking numbers!  Homeless children and youth in our streets are also in constant danger of human traffickers – something I know so many of our churches and organizations fight against.  

Hopefully, you too can join me for Red Nose Day!  There are so many easy ways you too can be a part of this including:

• Wear your own Red Nose and post on your social channels to raise awareness.  Red Noses are available at all Walgreens locations.  Don’t forget to hashtag #rednoseday
• Watch A Special Night of TV:  On May 25, NBC will be celebrating Red Nose Day with a three-hour primetime program block that will both entertain viewers and give them an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of kids in need.
• Visit the Red Nose Day website:  https://rednoseday.org/ for additional fun ideas and info.

Some of the charities that will benefit include:  Save The Children, Feeding American, Boys and Girls Club and these two Christian-based charities - Covenant House and charity: water.  All of these organizations work tireless to make a difference here at home in the U.S. and around the world.

Whenever, I pray with gratitude, I also think of this passage below:

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).

I believe that we can all raise awareness, support Red Nose Day, and end child poverty – one nose at a time.