A Tribute to a Legacy Leaver

What legacy are you going to leave? Several months back I asked that question on this blog, and I hope it was something you honestly wrestled with. Now I would like to share with you the story of the legacy of my dearest friend.

About five years ago, I was living in an apartment in Myrtle Beach. One day I was taking the water dog for a walk, and we met some new neighbors who had moved into the apartment below ours. Darcy thought Piper, their dog, was friendly, and I was impressed that Mary knew immediately who my male dog was named after. A few nights later, I went completely against my character and decided to take a risk on this potential friendship. I walked down to their apartment, knocked on the door, and asked if they'd like to hang out. From that moment on, Mary and I became practically inseparable. We only grew closer after Mary and her family moved to Savannah and then Alabama. I have had many great friends during my life but Mary was an especially precious gift. I can't remember a single fight we ever had. She always accepted me for who I am. She never hurt me. She taught me so much and helped me become more like who God wants me to be. And, I have never laughed as hard or been as happy as I was in her presence. Plus, I got her amazing and big hearted husband, Corey, and Darcy got his two best friends in the world, Piper and Bogie.

If you've followed this blog at all, you know Mary's name. Mary was the one sitting next to me at Catalyst when I heard God tell me to raise money for a well, fast for a month, and write this blog. When I turned to her and told her this, she immediately told me she believed in me and how could she help. I'd like to say that I would have gone forward with this project even if she had not been supportive but I know that would be a lie.

Mary didn't just support me in this project; she actively worked for its success. Every client she saw at her salon during those three months heard about the water project and the water situation in our world. She wore the charity:water bracelet every day and told whoever noticed it what it meant. She celebrated with me when donations were coming in, and she cried with me when they weren't. She encouraged me when people weren't supportive and questioned what I was doing. She listened to rough drafts of blog posts over the phone, and she let me talk out ideas I had with her. At the end of the campaign when it didn't look like the money was going to come in, she supported me in my big leap of faith and reminded me that she believed in me and in this project. My joy was her joy, my anger her anger, my tears her tears, and in the end, any success I can claim was also hers. I can honestly and without a doubt say that I could not have done what I did without her.

This past Sunday Mary was killed by a drunk driver at the age of 28. In one worlds destroying moment, Corey lost his beloved wife, a family lost their precious daughter, and I lost the Jonathan to my David. The last few days have been ones of deep pain and heart crushing brokenness.

I thought it only fitting that the well Mary worked so hard with me to build be built in her honor. So, yesterday I called charity:water and asked if this would be possible. And now, when our well is finished, there will be a plaque on it that reads "In Honor of Mary Whitfield."

Someday children will dance in the water of that well, the same children who are healthy and in school because of that clean water. Women will be safe from the dangers of walking miles to and from clean water sources. And, the economic situation of a community has the increased potential of improving because of access to clean water. I can think of no better tribute to one of the best people I ever known and one of the most precious people to my heart.

I won't see Mary again until she greets me at Heaven's gates but I find joy amidst all this pain in knowing that her legacy is continuing and the world is just that much better because of her. I see her smiling, joyful face in my mind and know that if I do nothing else in my life, I have done something to honor the best and truest friend I have ever had.

If you would like to contribute to Mary's growing legacy, please consider donating to charity:water at http://www.charitywater.org/donate/ or an anti-drunk driving organization of your choice.

Soli Deo Gloria

After two months of fasting, praying, listening, talking, writing, wrestling, crying, rejoicing, informing, and dreaming:

$5342 raised
70 donations
1 well funded


But, most importantly, 267 people now have clean water!


Forget the former things;
     do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
     Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
     and streams in the wasteland.
The wild animals honor me,
     the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the desert
     and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
     the people I formed for myself
     that they may proclaim my praise.
     - Isaiah 43:18-21

One Last Leap

These past few months have been all about me taking steps of faith. Among the many, a few were:

• That I could survive one month of eating only rice and beans
• That, yes, God really did want to use me and that I could trust Him to help me with this project
• That if I made myself vulnerable in my writings on this blog, those words would be of service to God and this cause. And, others would listen to them.

Well, now I am facing one last faith challenge. But this time I'm not taking a step - I'm leaping. 

Since the beginning of this project, I've planned on making my donation on the last day for whatever amount was needed to reach the $5000 goal. I set $500 as the highest amount I could possibly give. 

As I write this, $1122 still needs to be donated. That is obviously higher than what I had planned on giving, but my tax refund and some sacrificial giving could cover it. 

I've decided to take one great, final leap of faith instead. I'm going to donate the $500 I had planned on, and I'm going to do it right now with one full day left in the campaign. To do otherwise, would mean I took matters into my own hands instead of allowing God to demonstrate His power and receive the glory due Him.

I believe that God will cause the remaining $622 to be donated. And, if it isn't, I will know that it wasn't because of a lack of faith or obedience on my part. It was because not everyone who was supposed to listen listened and not everyone who was called to take a step or perhaps leap of faith took it.

God wants this well built and wells will be built, but He is leaving this one in our hands. 

We wait in hope for the Lord;

     he is our help and our shield.

In him our hearts rejoice,

     for we trust in his holy name.

May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord,

     even as we put our hope in you.

     - Psalm 33: 20-22

To donate, please go to http://mycharitywater.org/waters-rising

Listen (Love) Act

Last week at a Bible study I attend, the lecturer was talking about how listening (to God) leads to action (for God). In my notes, I wrote down:

listen ----> action
Something goes wrong in the middle.

This simple diagram of mine has been bothering me all week. Specifically, what is it that is going wrong or lacking which causes the movement from listening to action from ever happening?

This evening as I was praying about whether God wanted me to write another post, I remembered a sermon I'd heard at church back in February which I had meant to write about. I dug through the papers and books on my coffee table and found the sermon notes. As I read them over, it all came together.

Love is what is missing. Love has to be where the arrow is drawn in my diagram.

Think of it this way: My dad asks me to do something. Maybe it doesn't make much sense to me. Maybe I'm tired. Maybe I have a to do list a mile long already. But, I go ahead and do what he's asked. Why? Because I love him. Love is why I act. Not because of what the action is but because of who asked.

We are prompted to action by love.

So, while listening to God, He tells me or leads me to some action. What causes me to make the jump from passive listening to active movement? Love of God. And, usually, when God tells or leads me to some action, it is for the benefit of someone else. So, not only am I acting because I love God but also because my love of God leads to a love of others. There is no love of God without love for others.

It all leads to a beautiful chain of action:
              I love God.
              Therefore, I want to glorify God.
              I glorify God by loving other people.
              Loving other people reminds of me of their Creator.
              My love for Creator God deepens.
The chain continues and grows.

I've done a lot of talking and writing in the past few months. And, a lot of people have listened to and read what I've presented. I'm hoping now for a movement to action. If all you get out of the past few months is knowledge of a significant problem in our world, that's good. I've on one level succeeded. But, I believe the purpose God had for this project is much bigger than that. I believe in a bigger God and a bigger you.

Will you allow yourself to experience a love which prompts action?



Gratitude for this post goes to an interesting assortment of sources which have been bouncing around in my head for a while now but have only just come together: Mica Pruitt's lecture at BSF. Chris Ward's sermon at Seacoast Vineyard. Francis Chan's talk at Passion.

Eavesdropping.

Hey, Puck!

Yeah, Darcy?

Had any good water today?

Yep. From the Brita!

Really? Wow. I get it from the faucet.

...

Mommy said I should be grateful. She said 1 in 8 people don't have clean water to drink!

I wonder how many dogs don't have clean water.

Me too! Mommy didn't know. And, I didn't learn math in school.

You didn't learn anything in obedience school. 

Hey!

We believe in clean water for all dogs. And, people too.

But, we're dogs and we have no money.

Will you help the dogs for us? Oh, and the people too?

Thanks!

On the Ground

I've learned, and there are studies which prove, that it is hard to reach people's hearts unless you can make a problem personal. Perhaps that is part of the reason why waking up people living in the U.S. to clean water issues is so difficult - we have very little understanding of what life without clean water would be like because it is so far from the reality we know and live.

In his book, The Big Thirst: A Tour of the Bitter Fights, Breathtaking Beauty, Relentless Innovation, and Big Business Driving the New Era of High-Stakes Water, Charles Fishman succinctly sums up this problem in regard to Americans: "Our very success with water has allowed us to become water illiterate."

I would like to share an email that my mom received from her precious friend Claire about a trip she recently took to Chad to work on literacy issues:

I witnessed with my own eyes how much people need more wells. There are villages that are further back off the main roads those people might have to walk a ways to get water. And in the big cities like Sahr, in the South of Chad, they installed running water but they used rusty pipes to save on money. People can't drink the water and if they can't afford to install a filter then they have to go and get water at a well and fill up plastic containers with water. I often though of Claire and what she did to help people. 
The kids were bringing home one jug of water that contained about 1 gallon. I am assuming someone else goes later in the day to get more water. They will use this water for the whole house hold, to drink, wash, wash clothes, dishes..... That is why I was so happy when I saw a well right in a village. It improves peoples lives so much.  Like in the capital where there is running water, I saw men who would have a bowl of water in front of them in their shop or at the market and they would poor water on their arms, legs to stay cool in the afternoon. 
There were signs up saying that World Vision had build a well for the children or other Christian organization have build wells.  And it helps reduce sickness. If people can wash their clothes, their food, their dishes, themselves it reduces germs.... People get parasites from drinking dirty water. With the heat then they really feel miserable. Clean water can extend the life expectancy of these people. 
I can say I saw what a difference it makes for so many people. If I wasn't involved in literacy I would focus on clean water but I will tell other people in the States how we need to help those in countries that don't have enough wells. 


Claire has caught the vision and is doing what she can to inform others about the water problem in our world. She has opened up her heart to the problem, allowed it to become personal, and is becoming part of the solution.

Will you dare to allow the problem of clean water to become personal to you? Will you have the courage to care?

Embrace the Interruptions

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.

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

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

Thank You!

One of my favorite parts of the Pauline epistles are the final verses of each letter where Paul addresses his supporters by name. I love this glimpse into Paul's life, which has always made him more of a real person to me.

While I would never claim to have reached Pauline heights of service, I would like to publicly acknowledge those who have played an integral role in my finishing this January project. Without their support and care, I would have faced a much more difficult 31 days.

Mary: You were there at the beginning. And, you wore the bracelet all month. You never wavered.

My spectacular prayer team and my posse: Amy, Belinda, Crystal, Katie H., Shannon, Mary, and Kim

Tracy: Before this water project was even close to being an idea in my head, you were teaching me how ordinary people can make a big difference. Thank you for clearing a path for me to follow.

Katie D. and Susan: Thank you for getting it.

Allyson, Elizabeth, and Ronda: Best coworkers ever. I forgive you for tempting me with donuts.

Seacoast Vineyard Church and Gateway Community Church: For prayers, support, and instruction.

Mom and Dad: You taught me to listen for the Spirit and to obey. Thank you for a firm foundation. And, thanks for Friday night rice and bean meals.

Peter: I couldn't ask for a better brother. Thanks for making me laugh.

Darcy: Thanks for being so cute. Best mascot ever.

And, thanks to all of you who have sent me encouraging emails directly or via my mom and friends. Your words have strengthened me and helped keep me motivated.

But above all and in the words of Paul,

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
          - Ephesians 3:20-21

What now?

Maybe this water project didn't stir you. Maybe the problem of clean water isn't the issue that breaks your heart or makes you mad. Even so, I hope this month's project has woken up the vision within you to be part of the change that our world needs.

If so, here are other great organizations worth considering partnering with as you look to make a difference:

Compassion 
A child advocacy organization through which you can sponsor a child, providing for their physical, spiritual, economic, and social needs. All with the goal of breaking the cycle of poverty.

World Relief
With the mission of standing for the vulnerable, World Relief provides humanitarian aid and is involved in community and economic development.

Operation Christmas Child
It's so simple: a shoe box filled with gifts sent to a needy child who wouldn't otherwise get anything for Christmas. Love in action.

The Traveling Team
Sharing God's love of the world with college students and providing them with the resources they need to change that same world.

The A21 Campaign
Join the fight against human trafficking.

To Write Love on Her Arms
A nonprofit dedicated to helping those struggling with depression, suicide, self-injury, and addiction.

Women for Women International
Sponsor a woman who has survived war rebuild her life by providing financial and emotional support.

beremedy
Connects those with immediate needs with those who want to give via social media.

Kiva
A microfinance organization which connects people through lending to help end poverty.

Changing the world can be as simple as shopping at a different place. For those of you who wish to add value to the money you spend, here are some sites where your purchases mean more than just an exchange of goods:

Toms Shoes
For every pair of shoes purchased, a pair of shoes will be donated to a child in need. One for one.

WorldCrafts
A fair trade nonprofit which supports artisans around the world so that they can thus support their families.

Out of Print
Love classic literature? Love clothes? For every piece of clothing purchased, a book will be donated to a child in Africa. (My Pride and Prejudice shirt is delightful!) 

And, of course, if you want to contribute to our water project, visit: http://mycharitywater.org/waters-rising

Anger

Earlier this month I wrote a post revolving around the question of what breaks your heart. In the past few days, I've been thinking a lot about another question that forces me to look deeply into my own heart - what makes me angry? Just as the things that break our hearts reveal a lot about us and our God-given passions, so do the triggers for our anger.

Now, I am not talking about the day to day things that frustrate us like horrible drivers, long lines at the grocery store, or the ref making a bad call. I'm talking about a righteous anger that we should feel when faced with injustice, needless pain, our failings, and the hurt in this world. This is the kind of anger that David exhibited in the Psalms, Isaiah declared to his failing nation, and Jesus felt towards the money-changers.

I am learning this month that my heart breaks for the people in this world without access to clean water. But, I am angry about the lack of response from those of us who could make a difference. Bringing clean water to the world isn't an impossible goal. It's amazingly doable and so simple. The fact that we are doing precious little to achieve this goal is what maddens me.

Of course, maybe the water problem doesn't make you angry. Maybe it is orphaned children, or human trafficking, or homelessness, or AIDS victims, or some other injustice. Whatever it is, I challenge you to get mad enough about it that you do something to become part of the solution to the problem.

None of these problems are ever going to better until we decide we are going to make them better.

Listen

I made a bold statement in one of my first blog posts that God told me to pursue this water project. This statement was made with a great sense of awe for a few reasons. First, God wants to use me? And, second, knowing how to hear from God has always been a part of my faith walk that I have struggled with.

I have learned and finally accepted that hearing from God is not always about hearing an audible voice. That definitely was not how I heard from Him in Atlanta when He gave me this project to do. I have discovered that God speaks to everyone in different ways. And I am learning to trust that even though I may want to hear definitive words from his mouth, He feels this is not the best thing for me.

God speaks to everyone in different ways: an audible voice, scripture, nature, dreams, visions, creative activities, journaling, "coincidences," and more. None of these are intrinsically better than the other. Just as God loves each of us as the individual that we are, He also speaks to us individually. But, knowing how to listen is not quite so unique. With that in mind, here are some questions to think about as you wait on God's voice and leading.

What distracts you?
If I call you and in the background I can hear a TV, the clicking of your fingers on a keyboard, the interruptions you make to speak to someone else, and your chewing, I know that you are not really listening to me. My words aren't getting through. The same is true for the voice of God. If I spend my time in and fill my brain with things and people that cause Him grief and ignore His word and church, He knows I am not open to listening to Him. His words aren't getting through.

Who else are you listening to?
One of the most common ways that I have heard from God is through other people. My friends have at times said exactly the words of comfort I needed to hear or have affirmed a decision I was praying on. They have quoted scripture to me that has opened up new ways of thinking or deeply challenged me. Often, they do this with no prompting from me but out of their own relying on the Spirit. I have followed God's lead on who my closest friends are and when they speak to me, I listen. On the other hand, if I fill my life with people who don't know God, He can still speak to me through them. But, it will happen much less frequently and the influence they have over me would probably block a lot of His words from getting through, especially if they are actively against my faith.

Are you actively pursuing a relationship with God?
When we are in relationship, we talk, listen, invest time, love, and care about what the other person cares about. In any relationship, if we don't do the above, the relationship is going to slowly die. The same is true with God. If I am not actively pursuing a relationship with Him, He is not going to continue speaking to me. Am I spending time in prayer or having a conversation with God? Am I blatantly doing things that hurt God's heart? Do I show a lack of love for Him by being embarrassed to talk about Him?

Do you really want to hear from God?
Seriously. I think we often talk about how much we want to hear from God but then betray by our actions that we aren't really interested in what He would say. When I listen to God, I have the potential of hearing that He wants to completely change my life, that He wants to give me a task that scares me, that He wants to use me in some way. If I'm not willing to do what He may ask of me, why should I even ask Him to speak? I'm just going to reject His words anyway.

Play Offense

I grew up in a football watching family. Over my thirty years, I've seen way too many games, know way too much useless info, listened to way too much commentary, and been disappointed by UGA way too many times. One thing I can remember hearing over and over again from commentators is: Defense wins games, not offense.

The other day I was reading a book review at work for Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won by Tobias Moskowitz and L. Jon Wertheim. According to the authors' research, statistics prove the opposite of what all those commentators have been saying: Offense wins games more often than defense does.

For many years I have played defense with my life. I think out every possible scenario and try to prepare for each one. I'm hardly ever spontaneous, and I love my routines. I make a list for each day, and I follow it. I avoid things that hurt to the degree that situations where they might occur are also avoided. I pray for easy solutions and simple answers. I dream small.

But, I have found that this type of living leaves me unsatisfied. The things my heart was breaking over weren't getting fixed. The causes I was giving to financially weren't really touching my heart, just my wallet. Each day was the same, and the skills I found within me and desires I knew in my heart had no outlet. I didn't feel peace.

I decided it was time to play offense. I heard about an after school literacy program and instead of donating money, I donated time. I decreased the amount of time I spent gaining knowledge and increased the amount of time I spent helping people. I began looking for ways that God could use me, and I prayed the terrifying prayer of surrender to whatever and where ever His will.

I'm still pretty new at this. My introvert personality still balks at talking with people and sending these posts out into the void which is the internet. I still feel a minute of fear whenever I sit down with one of the kids I read with after school because my plans for our session may not last beyond the next minute. I don't know where I'll be living, what I'll be doing, or who I'll be with in the future. But, I feel more peace. My ability to deal with the annoyances and difficulties of every day life has increased, and I'm happy.

God calls us forward. He doesn't tell us to sit at home and wait for the world to come knocking on our door. He doesn't tell us to be known for what we're against, but to be known for what we are for. He commissions us to go out in the world and make it a better place. After all, He is the ultimate player of offense - He sent His only son into our world. Jesus' whole game plan was offense, and it didn't end when He sacrificed Himself for us. He is still pursuing each one of us. And, He calls us to continue His work.

I don't regret the decision to play offense with my life. My life now has purpose and is bigger than me. I'm sure I'll slide into defense mode every once and while. But, now that I've tasted what it means to truly live, I won't be staying there long.

So, are you willing to switch from defense to offense?

(Oh and if you happen to be a member of the UGA football team, please ignore this post. Playing some defense next year would be a huge improvement!)

Note: This post is indebted to Mark Batterson's In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day. I'm just passing his challenge along.

The Water Dog

This is Darcy.

This is Darcy's garden where he gets his favorite treats: carrots!

Darcy's garden receives part of the less than 1% of the world's clean water that is readily available for direct human use.

Obligatory Librarian Post

There's no way I could have a blog and not have a post related to books at some point! It's actually pretty impressive I've lasted until this week...

Anyway, here are the books and sites that have been influencing me in the past month.

Anything by Mark Batterson
I started reading In a Pit with A Lion on a Snowy Day right after attending Catalyst. Wild Goose Chase followed soon after, and I finished Primal during the first week of January. I feel like Batterson's books prepared me for what I'm doing now. And, I'm very thankful for the nudging my precious friend Katie received and obeyed about recommending them to me.

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas
Dietrich Bonhoeffer is one of my hero guides. His life and writings have always influenced me, and I started this biography in the months leading up to January. What I am doing is so small compared to what he did but I like to think it's a step in the right direction.

Like a Rock: Becoming a Person of Character by Andy Stanley
The words God gave Andy Stanley at Catalyst on appetites changed my life. I can feel this book having the power to continue that good work.

Rees Howell, Intercessor by Norman Grubb
Sandy, a great family friend, suggested I read this book after hearing about our water project. It has left me with a lot to think about in regard to prayer and listening to the Spirit.

Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado
What a challenge the book of Acts is to the lives we Christians live today! I appreciated Lucado's introduction to it and valued his always helpful practical applications.

Websites:
The blog of charity:water
The Catalyst website and blog
Donald Miller's blog
Mark Batterson's blog

And here are some of the books I have lined up for late January, early February:
Soulprint: Discovering Your Divine Destiny by Mark Batterson
Zealous Love: A Practical Guide to Social Justice by Mike and Danae Yankoski

Dry Bones

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the Freedom Reader's One Year Anniversary celebration at Christ Community Church. My amazing friend Tracy, who I've mentioned before in this blog, gave a rousing sermon on Ezekiel 37:1-14.

As I listened, I felt God telling me to share this part of scripture with all of you. Its words of restoring life to dry bones apply so beautifully to our water project, literally and figuratively. Remember, as you read it, that Christ came to give you and all people abundant life (John 10:10). Feel your dry bones come alive!


          The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
          I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”
          Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
          So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
          Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
          Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

Life with Rice and Beans

I think it's probably time for another glimpse into my rice and beans life. Here are some of my favorite and/or most challenging moments from the past week...

At the start of the week, I was at risk of running out of rice cakes. So, I ventured into a grocery store. Thankfully, it wasn't as difficult as I expected it to be. Granted, I made sure to stay far away from the produce, bakery, and meat sections. I stocked up on rice cakes and got out of there as quickly as possible. Those M&Ms in the check out aisle sure were tempting though...

The water dog was running out of kibble so a trip to Petsmart became necessary. While there, I noticed that there is such a thing as rice kibble made by Science Diet, Darcy's favorite brand. I thought about buying it but when I saw its high price, I decided the water dog was already doing enough for the project and didn't need to fast as well...

For those of you who don't know, I work for our county library system. About 80% of my job involves ordering materials for our ten branches. Now, there are a lot of books published each year but we obviously can't buy everything. (Especially right now with the dismal budget we're dealing with...) I have learned to be very discerning in what I order. This week unfortunately I ran into a problem. Every single cookbook I read reviews on looked fantastic! I could feel my mouth watering as I read about recipes and looked at book covers. An order had to be made so I was forced to make a decision. Hopefully, the choices I pushed myself to make were the right ones. I fear though that this month's batch of new cookbooks will be predominately about deserts...

On Thursday I had a two and a half hour meeting at work. An hour and half of it involved a chocolate cake sitting on the table right in front of me. What a wonderful smell! I think I'll be adding chocolate cake to my list of items I will be eating on February 1st.

My amazing friend Crystal cooked me dinner this week. She has wanted to do this since the beginning of my fast, and it finally worked out with our schedules. Crystal is a vegetarian so I didn't feel guilty letting her cook for me because she's content eating rice and beans. We had a great chili made only with beans. I didn't even miss tomatoes. My favorite moment came when Crystal said, "You have to have desert!" and we started experimenting with rice cereal.

My hands down favorite moment of the week though had to be when donations towards our well passed $1000! God is on the move, and I am so excited to see what happens next.

Have Faith

When I was in graduate school, my precious friend Shannon felt led to spend six months in India serving God. She asked me to be her contact person in the U.S. while she was gone. Mostly this meant I sent emails on her behalf to her supporters and put together a monthly newsletter for her.

A few months into her stay in India, Shannon felt God telling her that six months wasn't enough time. He wanted her there a whole year. Now Shannon had only raised support for six months. This change meant that she needed to raise another $9,000 very quickly. But, being out of the country, it wasn't possible to raise the funds on her own. She asked me to lead the effort here in the States.

It did not go smoothly or easily. For the few months I had to raise the money, the first couple of them saw minimal donations coming in. I prayed; I asked other people to pray; I sent mailings; I spoke at our church; I contacted other churches. It didn't look good but Shannon and I never gave up our faith that God would raise the funds to support the task He had given her.

At what seemed like the last minute, we received our miracle. All the funds Shannon needed came in within a week and a half period. Shannon was able to stay in India the full year, and I learned an awe-inspiring lesson in what faith in God's provision looks like.

So, here we are with 49 days left in our campaign and $3631 left to raise towards our $5000 goal. Is this an insurmountable goal? Of course not. Jesus promises us that with Him all things are possible. But, will it happen? I don't know.

What I do know is that whether the money is raised or not, my faith will not flounder. A whole community may not receive clean water but so far at least 68 people will. Even if that number was only one, this project would be a success. And, I would still be praising God for His faithfulness.

Please join me in prayer that the final money towards our $5000 goal would be raised but only after first worshipping God for His great faithfulness.

Captives Freed

Not surprisingly, as I've undergone my rice and beans fast this month, I've been thinking a lot about hunger. As I've mentioned before, questions of when am I going to eat next, what am I going to eat next, how can I make rice and beans in a different way, and the like have been common. Sometimes I feel like my time is marked by the answering of these questions... But, I've also been thinking about hunger as a lifestyle for many people.

I'm only experiencing hunger on a low level. This current fast is a choice I've made; I could end it at any time. I'm limited to rice and beans, but I have the means to purchase as much of these two types of food as I want. Plus, I'm supplementing what I'm eating with vitamins.

Physically, I'm also only experiencing hunger at its least intensive level. The headaches, for example, lasted for only two days. I am noticing a lack of energy and for a few days my memory seemed to have completely disappeared, but as I take vitamins and don't push myself so hard, I can get through the day just fine.

All this has made me think about how we seem to expect people who are chronically hungry to be able to pull themselves out of poverty. Without even considering issues of economics, race, gender, and geography, we forget all they are up against:
Lack of energy
Decreased memory and mental alertness
Health issues
Distraction (Food becomes their sole focus)

Could you function during your day with these realities?

So, how do we help people who live in hunger and poverty climb out from those prisons? Well, maybe if we start by meeting their dietary and health needs, the rest will follow. Call me naive or optimistic, but it seems to me that if a person feels better, their chances of succeeding increases. I'm not calling for handouts; I'm calling for empowerment. And, providing clean drinking water seems like a great first step.

I can't change people's geographic location or economic condition. Nor can I quickly change prejudices they are up against. But, I can help make their bodies strong, their minds quick, and their attitudes expectant. So, that is where I will start and I will pray over the rest.


Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."
                        - John 6:35

Going further

From the beginning of this project, it was my hope that this wouldn't be MY project. Instead, I hoped that it would become OUR project. My dream was to see my friends, family, my friends' friends, and more come together to build a well.

One of the biggest encouragements this month has thus been watching others grab onto this project and make it their own. Here are some of their stories.

B and M have committed to giving $20 every month to see another person receive clean water for 20 years. I remember speaking with B right after the 20/20 special aired, which included a segment on charity:water. B said to me "$20 for 20 years? How could I not want to keep giving to that? We can do $20!"

M has decided that she is going to give up her 2011 birthday to raise money for charity:water. Instead of getting cards, presents, and her favorite: TV on DVD sets, M will be asking her friends and family to donate the money that they would have spent on her to charity:water.

M also wears a charity:water wristband every day. Whenever clients ask her about it, she tells them all about the clean water problem in our world and lets them know what they can do to help. An appointment with M is no longer just a hair cut; it's an education in compassion.

K has decided that instead of enjoying her once a month guilt free fried chicken day or vending machine treats during the work day, she will donate the money she would have spent on those treats to charity:water. She has committed to doing this for the next year and will be giving at least $84. That's four more people who will have clean water all because of K and J's sacrifice.

A is working towards a goal of getting ten people to donate $20 each to our campaign. When she is successful, ten more people will get clean drinking water for 20 years.

T didn't know me until a few weeks ago. She doesn't even live in the same state as me. But, she found out about the water project through a mutual friend and listened to God telling her to pay attention. She has since spread the call for clean water for all people to her church in Savannah.

My forever friends K and S have consistently used their Facebook statuses to highlight our water project. They are getting the word out to their friends in Connecticut and New Hampshire.


If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
                          - 2 Chronicles 7:14

The Water Dog

This is Darcy.

This is Darcy's mom's old cell phone.

More people in the world have cell phones than a toilet.

Pond Water

When I was in college, I had to take two semesters of science courses. (Yes, I'm still bitter that the Earth Science class I suffered through in high school didn't count.) I decided on biology for one of the semesters. I don't remember all that much from the class except a field trip we went on. Interestingly, about the only thing I remember from my geology class which I also took in college was again a field trip...

Anyway, our college shared its property with a seminary and next to the seminary was a pond which was rather uncreatively called the Sem Pond. One sunny day, my class took portable microscopes and went to the Sem Pond to look at its water up close.

(Credit: Tim Ellens, 2010)                                                   

The Sem Pond was just a normal pond like any other in the US. It sat on a beautiful college campus and had no pipes dumping waste into it. The most pollution it ever got was the annual Cold Knight Club jump in February.

But when we looked at drops of its water under the microscope, all sorts of miniscule creatures and bits of matter appeared. This seemingly innocent pond was full of things that made me cringe at the thought of drinking from it. And, I highly doubt that anyone else would have drunk from it except under the most dire of circumstances.

It makes me wonder... Why is it okay for Africans and Haitians to drink diseased, unsanitary water?

Here are some images of what they're drinking:

Cholera (Credit: CDC)

E. Coli (Credit: AP)

Typhoid Fever (Credit: A.D.A.M., MedlinePlus)

Hepatitis (Credit: CDC)

In the United States, we rarely drink water directly from the faucet anymore. We have our Brita filters and buy bottled water. We make sure to bring water purification products with us camping. I wonder why our concern over clean water does not go much beyond our country's borders...

Midway Inspiration

Wow. I can't believe it but January is halfway over.

I thought that at the midway point I would share with you some of the things that have been inspiring me this past month. When you're in the middle of things, it's easy to lose momentum. The goal seems far off and yet approaching too quickly. Instead of giving in to the pressure, it's best to remind yourself why you're in this anyways. So, for me and for you, here are some of the things that inspire me to keep going.

I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, there is no hurt, but only more love.
                    - Mother Teresa

If you can't feed 100 people, just feed one.
                    - Mother Teresa

The poor and needy search for water,
          but there is none;
          their tongues are parched with thirst.
But I the Lord will answer them;
          I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
I will make rivers flow on barren heights,
          and springs within the valleys.
I will turn the desert into pools of water,
          and the parched ground into springs.
I will put in the desert
          the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.
I will set pines in the wasteland,
          the fir and the cypress together,
so that people may see and know,
          may consider and understand,
that the hand of the Lord has done this,
          that the Holy One of Israel has created it.
                    - Isaiah 41:17-20

Haiti

This week marked the one year anniversary of the horrific earthquake in Haiti. During the past year, millions of people stepped forward to donate, build, pray, and do whatever else they could to help this broken nation.

I want to take the anniversary of this tragedy to demonstrate, through charity:water's efforts in Haiti, what you are capable of doing by opening your heart up to people in need.

Here is the video that charity:water created at the beginning of their Unshaken campaign for Haiti in March 2010:

Nine months later:
More than 1 million dollars has been raised
10 wells have been built
More than 30,000 people now have access to clean water

All of this was accomplished by people like you!

In a previous post, I wrote about the value your money has. As the above campaign proves, your money has the power to give hope and strength to struggling people. You can build wells. You can bring life. All it takes is you opening up your heart.

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
                 - Matthew 9:36

To learn more about charity:water's efforts in Haiti, visit:
Haiti: One Year Later
Unshaken

Overwhelmed

A lot of people who I tell about our January project and my heart for clean water ask me if I'm overwhelmed by it all. I can see why they'd ask this: The problem is big. Rice and beans aren't the most exciting month long diet. $5000 is a lot of money. Writing a blog post a day is a lot of work. And, Darcy's new celebrity ego is borderline out of control.

I never really know how to respond to this question though. Of course, I'm overwhelmed. But, I've never felt during this month like that isn't a good thing. The word has a negative connotation that isn't relevant to my situation but yet it does apply.

So, I've found myself answering that yes, I'm overwhelmed but it's a good thing! Of course, that response causes blank stares so maybe I need to explain myself a little more clearly. There are three ways I'm experiencing being overwhelmed as a good thing.

First, I feel fully alive. As I pray and think during this month, my brain is bombarded with all sorts of ideas, plans, and hopes which I know are from the Holy Spirit. My brain is full and moving fast. But, instead of giving me a headache or making me feel out of control, it is incredibly energizing. I know that I am doing what God wants, and He is filling my thoughts with ways I can better obey Him. My brain is overwhelmed but it is also energized and excited.

Second, we usually associate being overwhelmed with having too much of a negative thing in our lives.  For example, too much pain, too much debt, too much stress, or too much hurt to deal with. But, what about when the thing overwhelming us is a positive thing? Something we would always want more of. For example, too much love, too much joy, or too much excitement. During this month, I am reaching levels of joy and contentment that I have only ever reached sporadically during my life and never for more than a few days at a time. Yes, these emotions are overwhelming but would I want them to end? Of course not.

Third, yes, I do have a lot going on. Living out this project while also trying to do my job and be a good friend, daughter, sister, coworker, church member, and random stranger is hard. It is tiring and makes for very busy days. But, it also makes my life very full. And, it isn't the kind of fullness I remember feeling during college when I was overwhelmed with my social and educational life and trying to merge the two. This fullness is from a sense of purpose. I am living right now with a conviction that I am doing God's will. Yes, it is overwhelming but it is also the best feeling ever. My life is full and has meaning. That can never be a bad thing.

I think too often we strive for lives that are calm and peaceful all the time. But, I have been learning that there is such a thing as holy stress and holy busyness. I pray we won't accept the lie that the goal of our life should be easiness and meaningless simplicity.

Take a risk; be overwhelmed. Or, if you still can't accept the word: be energized, consumed, and fully alive. See what God can do.

For a picture of what I think holy overwhelmedness looks like:

$ + Meaning = Value

I was reading an article the other day about how pennies and nickels are becoming less and less practical. It actually is more expensive for the US mint to make a penny or nickel than for us to use one: 1.79 cents for a penny and 9.22 cents for a nickel.

What exactly is your money worth?

When it comes to money, the value printed on our currency does not really convey what its true value is. For example, if I am struggling to make ends meet, a $1 bill is worth a lot more to me than to someone who has a high paying job and no debt. And, if I'm spending my money to buy a beloved family member a gift, the dollar price on that gift does not adequately convey the value that I have added to the item because of who I am giving it to. A $1 bill isn't always worth just $1.

So, what does $20 mean to you?

At its lowest level, $20 is to me:
Not even half of my phone bill, cable/internet bill, or electric bill
About two and a half bags of dog food for Darcy
Four times I meet my friends for coffee and only buy one drink
Less than what I'll need to buy a hardcover book

But what if we take that same $20 and give it more value by using it for something much more important that my wireless internet, overpriced coffee, or another book that I should have just gotten from the library?

$20 can give one person clean water for 20 years. Think of how much value that $20 now has. An adult or child no longer has to walk miles every day to access clean water. The threat of violence in that individual's life has now decreased because they are not spending so much time on the road. A child can now consistently attend school. Another child is no longer at as high a risk for illness. An adult can focus on working to raise money to support their family rather than worry about how they are going to provide clean water for them.

That's an awful lot of value added to one $20 bill. Does your money have any value?

The Dog Park Pond

By now you've all see pictures of the most philanthropic dog in the world, Darcy. Just in case you need to be reminded:

Darcy is a very active dog. Definitely more so than I can ever keep up with. When he was a puppy, his favorite thing was to go to the dog park and run around like a maniac for hours.

It's been years though since Darcy has gone to the dog park. Unfortunately, a few years ago a dog died from drinking contaminated water from the pond at the park and now I won't risk taking Darcy there. He isn't just called the water dog because of his dedication to the clean water cause after all.

In the United States when a dog dies from diseased water at a dog park, we shut the whole park down. We bring in a team to decontaminate the whole park. And then we send out press releases informing the community that the park is now safe and encourage them to return. Of course, there are some people, like me, who never will because the risk seems too high. (How exactly do you decontaminate an entire dog park and keep it safe anyway?)

Now I love dogs. There can't possibly be any question about that. But, don't you think there's something wrong when we're more concerned about the cleanliness of the pond at our dog park than the water our fellow human beings drink?

Darcy deserves clean water, and it is my responsibility to provide him with it. Maybe it is also part of my responsibility to help my brothers and sisters in other countries have the same. After all, it is only through God's mercy that I was born in Connecticut, not Uganda.

The Water Dog

This is Darcy.

This Darcy getting a bath.

Darcy's bathtub holds approximately 151 L of water.
Someone living in a slum may get only 30 L a day for all their water needs.

What's your God idea?

So, we all have good ideas, right? They can be about anything, happen at any time, and always cause interesting dinner conversations.

Good ideas are things like:
Maybe I should turn one side of my two car garage into a workout area
Maybe I should take my dog to dog school for the third time (Sorry, Darcy!)


But what about the ideas we have which are actually God ideas? Have you ever had one of those ideas that won't leave you alone? It comes across your mind one day, and all of a sudden, everywhere you go, things keep happening that relate to it. Every conversation seems to apply in some way. You start running into people who know something about some aspect of the idea. You're visiting a random blog on the internet, and your heart perks up at something the author wrote which applies to your idea. Sermons at church keep speaking to your idea. Or, the idea keeps coming back into your mind every time you pray.

God ideas are things like:
Starting an after school literacy program for at risk kids
Running a marathon to raise money for an important cause
Asking Oprah to use her O to raise money for clean water

The question isn't if you are going to get God ideas. It is what you are going to do once you get them.

To read two more eloquent and detailed descriptions of good vs. God ideas, please visit:
One God Idea by Mark Batterson
Good Idea or God Idea? by Scott Greene

Leave a legacy

Recently I heard a talk given by Louie Giglio in which he discussed how each of us preach our own funeral service. My life is the sermon given at the service.

Thinking about these words made me stop and consider what the legacy of my life will be. How do I want to be remembered? How do you? If you don't have any idea of how to answer this question, do you really know what you're living for?

Maybe you are living for your job and the money it provides you with. Being able to buy what you want, when you want it, drives you. Will your legacy be to leave wealth and/or possessions to your children or friends?

Maybe you are living for happiness. As long as you are happy, no price is too high and nothing can slow you down. Will your legacy be friends with happy memories of late nights and crazy days with you?

Maybe you are living for safety and being comfortable. You don't adventure too far from the town you live in, maybe not even the couch you sit on. Anything that has even the potential of being dangerous is better avoided. Will your legacy be one town that knows your name?

None of these are wrong in and of themselves. But, don't you think you might be selling yourself short? Could you possibly be capable of so much more?

Where there is no vision, the people perish.
     - Proverbs 29:18

Food Update

So, it's been a week and I figured it was probably time to share how I am doing with my rice and beans fast.

Breakfast is the hardest. I'm not much of a breakfast eater to begin with so finding something that I was able to eat at 5:30 AM which didn't nauseate me was pretty tough. After some prayer, God gave me the idea of rice cakes. So far, so good! And, thankfully there are plenty of varieties of rice cakes so I should be able to last the whole month having them for breakfast each day. This does mean I'll need to venture into a grocery store next week but I'm actually looking forward to the challenge.

Dinner has become a fun experiment, combining items and spices. And, so far, everything has been edible! I'm very thankful that there are so many varieties of rice and beans.

I've been really surprised at how easily I've given up drinking milk. For those of you who don't know me, I am a huge milk drinker. Milk is to me what coffee or soda is to other people. Thankfully, my body seems to be handling the lack of it just fine.

Other than the first two days when I had really bad headaches, I've been feeling fine. My energy level has been down but I'm not sure if that is because of the fast or because this was my first week back at work after vacation.

I am hungry all the time though. I never feel like I'm full, and I'm always thinking of what I can eat next. It's been a really good lesson for me to see how much time I'm currently devoting to thinking about food, preparing food, wanting food, and eating food. Yesterday I was reading Matthew 6:25-27 and was reminded of how God reigns over this fast I am in. Hopefully, in this new week, I'll spend less time in thought about food and more time in service.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

Despite some of the difficulties I mentioned above, I refuse to complain. I may be restricted to rice and beans but I have the means to have as much of those two things as I want. And, I, of course, have all the clean water I could want.

But more important than all of the above... 21 people now have clean water because of your donations! My restricted diet is a small price to pay for providing water to many more. I can't wait to see what happens next week.


(Thanks to Mom, Amy, Kim, and Allyson for cooking for me and/or providing recipes!)

A child shall lead them

This project began in large part because of the story of a little girl named Riley who challenged me into action. Now I'd like to challenge you with the story of another child, Bridger, who had a big idea and even gave up his Christmas to make it a reality.

I'm still young, and my generation is still young. While I'm incredibly excited about these kids from the generation after mine who are planning to change the world, I'm not ready to give up on my own generation. I refuse to believe that it's too late for us to change the world.

For more information on Bridger, visit All he wants for Christmas is water.

What breaks your heart?

I'm definitely someone who tries to avoid negative, painful things in my life. This means I rarely watch the news. Somehow it is so much easier to deal with in word form. I rarely watch sad movies or message movies. (Yes, this does mean that I have no chance in Oscar pools anymore.) And, I never read the books Oprah recommends. 

But lately I keep getting challenged to take a long hard look at what breaks my heart. 

The more I read and hear, the more I've begun to think that asking what causes my heart to ache doesn't necessarily have to be a painful question to answer or a question I'd rather to avoid. What if we were able to redeem the question? Perhaps the things that break our hearts are also the things that cause the greatest passion within us, the things that lead us to action.

My precious friend Tracy is heartbroken by the literacy problem among disadvantaged children in our county. She believes that literacy is one of the most important steps towards being successful in life, and it destroys her to think that there are children who don't get this chance. Now, she could have felt the pain that comes with knowing there are children like this in our nation and pushed it down because who really wants to dwell in thoughts about kids who can't read, live in poverty, and have very little hope of a successful future? Instead, she embraced this pain and decided to use it. Tracy has created a nonprofit organization which is actively involved in the fight to make sure all children, no matter their gender, race, or economic status, have the chance at a successful future through their ability to read. Now, one of Tracy's greatest pains has become one of her greatest joys. You can't look into the face of one of her Freedom Readers and not think that embracing this pain wasn't one of the best things Tracy ever did. 

So, what breaks your heart? And, what are you going to do with the passion it has awakened within you? Asking these questions will change your life, just like it has Tracy's and mine. But, I promise you it will be worth it.

For more information on Freedom Readers, visit: http://www.freedomreaders.org/