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