Helping others in need is such an important part of the American way of life that many high schools require their students to spend a certain number of hours volunteering in order to graduate.

Volunteering augments ministry and avails it of resources that otherwise would have been prohibitive or unavailable.

Volunteering helps people feel they make a difference — that they do have the power to change things for the better. When people depend on you, it can change the way you look at yourself. You can feel proud of the goals that you've achieved for an organization — whether it's helping to organize a funraiser to provide stipends for students or expand a library with solid literature.

Volunteering is also a great way to get a perspective on your own life. Sometimes it's easy to get consumed by worries. Sometimes it can be helpful to get some distance and think about other things. Volunteering lets you focus on others and see that your involvement in the world can be meaningful.

Volunteering can help save you from being bored — it gives you a place to be where you can have a good time and keep busy.

Finally, volunteering brings you closer to those brothers and sisters in Christ that are service the same God thousands of miles across the globe.

How can you volunteer?