This past Saturday, I had five minutes before I needed to leave the house to meet Belinda and Amy for a day trip to Charleston. I was putting on my earrings when God reminded me of a blog post that I had sort of been working on a few weeks ago. I thought, "Thanks for the reminder, God!" and was ready to move on. But, I kept feeling God telling me to write it and knew I wouldn't get any peace until I did. So, now with only about four minutes left, I wrote and published the post.
As I dropped the water dog off at his grandparents' house for the day and laughingly mentioned this to Mom, she said, "Well, Claire, God has been teaching you about interruptions lately."
The more I thought about it, the more I realized the wisdom of Mom's words.
On the most basic level, God was constantly interrupting my daily routine during January. For almost all of my blog posts, He told me what to write as I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep each night. At first, I tried to handle this by writing down the general idea He had given me and putting the writing of the post off until morning but doing so gave my mind no peace or the ability to fall asleep. It wasn't until I finished writing the whole post that I could rest. By the end of the month, whenever God gave me a blog post to write, I got up immediately to do so.
On a slightly deeper level, God interrupted the plan I had for my life at the start of 2011. I never planned on January being devoted to fasting and raising money to build a well. If anything, January is usually a month of very little planning due to the busyness of December. Instead, God gave me a clear and particular purpose during the month, interrupting my plans all the way from what I are, to how I spent my time, to what I brought up in conversation.
But, most importantly, God has irrevocably interrupted my life. I'd never noticed before a deep passion within me for universal clean water but now my heart breaks over its issues and multitudes of victims. I have been changed from someone who sits back to someone who acts. I've become willing to ask people for money for this cause whereas I used to be uncomfortable asking anyone to do anything for me. I've handed over my life to Someone with a plan much bigger than anything I can dream up.
I used to laugh in January about God's nightly interruptions but now I feel a great gratitude for His invasion into my life and the detour He's pushed it to off the routine path I was walking along. I have learned to embrace interruptions as a chance to see and experience God at work.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Miracle time
There are 21 days left in our campaign to raise $5000 to build a well, and we currently have $2323 raised.
It is going to take a miracle to raise the rest of the money. And, honestly, that is just how I like it. From the beginning, this project has been about God, not me. So, why shouldn't it take an act of God to raise the $2677 left?
I have found that there really isn't much in life worth doing if it isn't going to be done for God's glory. And, I can't think of a better way to end this project than its success being because of a miracle, thus bringing glory to the only miracle maker.
I challenge you today to pray about whether God wants to use you in making this miracle a reality. Is He calling you to be part of something bigger than yourself? And, are you willing to listen?
Your ways, O God, are holy.
What god is so great as our God?
You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.
- Psalm 77: 13-14
It is going to take a miracle to raise the rest of the money. And, honestly, that is just how I like it. From the beginning, this project has been about God, not me. So, why shouldn't it take an act of God to raise the $2677 left?
I have found that there really isn't much in life worth doing if it isn't going to be done for God's glory. And, I can't think of a better way to end this project than its success being because of a miracle, thus bringing glory to the only miracle maker.
I challenge you today to pray about whether God wants to use you in making this miracle a reality. Is He calling you to be part of something bigger than yourself? And, are you willing to listen?
Your ways, O God, are holy.
What god is so great as our God?
You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.
- Psalm 77: 13-14
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Thanksgiving
It's been a few weeks since I ended the rice and beans part of this project. I'm now back to eating and drinking whatever I want.
Every time I think about having a meal or snack, I get excited. The possibilities are endless, and there is so much I am hungry to taste again. Foods that I wouldn't normally get excited about are like brand new, and every taste of something not rice or beans is special.
Perhaps because of this excitement and what I learned during January, I also can't approach a meal now without feeing incredibly thankful. Each bite is a reason for joy and a reminder of the One who provided it for me. He has given me the means to indulge any food craving I may have, and He has also shown me what a gift I have been given in regard to my ability to eat whatever I want. I haven't looked at food the same way since January ended, and I hope I never do.
Now, I only spent a month limiting my diet. Can you imagine the excitement someone who had no option in their food choices their entire life would feel if all of a sudden they were given access to what I've been taking for granted my whole life? What joy! And, what thanksgiving!
What if they had never had clean water, and we built a well in their community? Think about it.
And, for those of you who have been wondering, here's what I ate February 1st:
Breakfast: A big glass of juice
Christmas cookies (Thanks, Katie!)
Zucchini bread
Lunch: Grilled cheese sandwich
Chips
Donut
Dinner: Spaghetti and meatballs
More Christmas cookies
Every time I think about having a meal or snack, I get excited. The possibilities are endless, and there is so much I am hungry to taste again. Foods that I wouldn't normally get excited about are like brand new, and every taste of something not rice or beans is special.
Perhaps because of this excitement and what I learned during January, I also can't approach a meal now without feeing incredibly thankful. Each bite is a reason for joy and a reminder of the One who provided it for me. He has given me the means to indulge any food craving I may have, and He has also shown me what a gift I have been given in regard to my ability to eat whatever I want. I haven't looked at food the same way since January ended, and I hope I never do.
Now, I only spent a month limiting my diet. Can you imagine the excitement someone who had no option in their food choices their entire life would feel if all of a sudden they were given access to what I've been taking for granted my whole life? What joy! And, what thanksgiving!
What if they had never had clean water, and we built a well in their community? Think about it.
And, for those of you who have been wondering, here's what I ate February 1st:
Breakfast: A big glass of juice
Christmas cookies (Thanks, Katie!)
Zucchini bread
Lunch: Grilled cheese sandwich
Chips
Donut
Dinner: Spaghetti and meatballs
More Christmas cookies
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