Baby Dedication

This past week was a whirlwind...

• Class Tuesday night 6-9pm following a full day of work 
• Traveled to Pittsburgh, PA for work Wednesday through Friday afternoon
• Attended my Psych/Mental Health Nursing clinical Friday night
• Worked on clinical paperwork Friday until after midnight
• Arrived back at the clinical spot at 8am Saturday until 6pm
• Attended a Connecting Point get together with Mr. McGoo Saturday night
• Traveled to Nashville and back on Sunday and tackled school to dos in route

However, the highlight of the week was the reason Mr. McGoo and I traveled to Nashville. We went for our nephew's baby dedication at my sister and brother in law's church. We are honored to be Fisher's God parents and were happy to be able to attend.

The celebration was great. We started with a family lunch at my sister and brother in law's casa. We enjoyed some yummy eats and time with my parents, my sister and brother in law, Fisher, and lots of my brother in law's family. Unfortunately the youngest Wilson girl was not able to join us due to work obligations, but she was there in spirit!

From there we headed to the church to be a part of Fisher's baby dedication celebration. This was a time for Fisher's parents, my sister and brother in law to dedicate Fisher's life to God. They shared publicly their desire to see him grow to be a man of God that knows the Lord and follows daily after Jesus Christ. And they invited us to join them in this pursuit, asking us to play a role in pointing Fisher to Jesus as he grows.

I have no doubt my sis will post about the big day on her blog, so I'll leave most of the details for her to share. In the meantime, here is a picture of the adorable family, and the "life verse" they picked for Fisher:

The Kees

 "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago." Ephesians 2:10

Fun pics from our visit in Nashville

I'm looking forward to spending more time with the little guy and the rest of my family in the next couple of weeks!

As for me, Psalm 71

I was reading the Word yesterday and came upon this awesome nugget... my heart began to cry out with excitement, "I want that to be me!" But then conviction set in about how far from this I really am on a daily hourly basis... oh, how thankful I am for God's grace, because I fall so short!

Lord help me, that I may praise, tell, proclaim, and declare for You each day!

As for me, I will always have hope;
    I will praise you more and more.

My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,
    of your saving acts all day long—
    though I know not how to relate them all.
I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord;
    I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
    and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.

Even when I am old and gray,
    do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
    your mighty acts to all who are to come.

Psalm 71:14-18

TFC Blog: I Can Advocate!

In the fall of 2009, the Lord began to truly open my eyes and break my heart  to the reality that many children in this world are without the most pivotal of needs: LOVE.

God solidified this ache within me to “do something” for the least of these in June, 2010. He allowed me the opportunity and provided for my husband and me to go on a short-term mission trip with our church. We went to Ethiopia to support and serve the ministry of our homegrown missionaries, Joe & Karyn Bridges. The ministry was The Forsaken Children, and the Ethiopian partner ministry we worked with was Onesimus. My life has never been the same since that journey, and I have not been able to ignore the numerous mentions in God’s word regarding our responsibility as believers to love and care for the least of these.

I have not returned to Ethiopia since my two trips in 2010. Although I’ve yearned to go back, [. . .]

  

[ Finish reading my blog post at The Forsaken Children Blog ]

It's Okay

The first week of May was the beginning of a new school trimester and the most recent full emotional breakdown by Mrs. McGoo. The first Thursday and Friday of the month were some hard days. Feeling inadequate, incapable, unable, tired, worn out, dragged, beaten, and OVER this journey called full time work and nursing school... I was broken in a way that I haven't been in awhile.

Sure I have random, but regular crying moments here and there when I'm worn out and emotional, but this "full emotional breakdown" almost left me in a stand still. I prayed and prayed for peace and comfort through the verses I so regularly turn to - Philippians 4:6-7 and Matthew 6:25-34.

But thankfully I have an amazing husband that can read those emotions from me and not run out of the room, but instead pray with me, encourage me, and call on women in my life to support me when I'm down. Right when I absolutely needed it, I was flooded with texts and emails that reminded me of God's truths and His ability to strengthen me. Reminders that I didn't have to do it on my own and wasn't really called to do it that way either.

Mom and Dad even surprised me with flowers at work Friday afternoon, which overwhelmed me with emotion and sweet reminders of their unconditional love for crazy me.

So by Saturday morning... the load was lighter and the sun was brighter. He provided as usual! He even provided through others.

This sweet email spoke straight to the heart of the matter I needed to hear that day. I love that! I have a feeling I'll be reading through this more than once over the next 15months.

Thinking of you and praying for you today. 

You are a super woman! But you know that you don't always have to be strong and hold everything together. It's okay to feel overwhelmed, stressed and emotional. It doesn't mean you're weak or unable. It's just a reminder that God wants us to rely on Him. 

Praying that you will cast everything on Him today knowing that He loves & cares for you.

We love and care for you too! Praying you through this semester and season of life!

So for those that need to hear it today... it's okay!

Compassions Never Fail

A dear friend is praying over me with this verse this week. So thankful and such a beautiful reminder I need daily, hourly, all the time! The Lord is MY portion... He IS ENOUGH! Even when it is hard. Even when it feels overwhelming. He gives me all I need, I just gotta tap into Him!

Lamentations 3:21-26 (NIV)

21 Yet this I call to mind
    and therefore I have hope:

22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.

24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
    to the one who seeks him;

26 it is good to wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.

I've got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy...

I shared with a dear friend the other day that while I'm in school I have been struggling with JOY. I desire JOY to be an expression I regularly behold, showing Christ to others by having joy in situations that are seemingly not joyful, but I find that during the craziness of juggling school, work, and life in between, I often let that slip and fall away from me. I asked for prayer regarding JOY...

Yesterday, my friend shared with me the following verse:

Psalm 16:11

"You make known to me the path of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

I love it! What hit me most was the "in your presence" portion of the verse... God will FILL ME with joy when I'm IN HIS PRESENCE. That's key... He's waiting for me to meet with Him, and the filling will begin. Time to spend some extra time with my Jesus... that's where the JOY is going to come frame. Of course! What a great reminder and a perfect way to begin my next season of nursing school. Thanks TK!

Recognize & Proclaim

The concluding line to The Meaning of Life post by Kelly Levatino is resonating in me and with me today! Lord help me! A constant reminder that it is NOT about me!

"Recognize His power, and proclaim His name.  This is the meaning of life."

Follow the links above to the full blog post - it's definitely worth a read.

What about Today?

It's so easy to get caught up in the constant look ahead mindset, the anxious await of the "next step". So easy to let your my heart ask "what's next?", "when this", "when then", in a way that has me looking past today and only looking at tomorrow - or often even further down the road. Too often we as Americans I find myself on the "next step" thought process of life to the degree that it causes me to miss the current place and space God has me in.

Our Father knew we I would do this... He put verses within in His Word that speak directly to this tendency of my heart and mind. (Matthew 6:25-34, Philippians 4:6-7 are just a few off the top of my head). Verses that remind us me to not worry, to not be anxious, and to stay within today in my thought process not looking too far ahead in a way that causes me to miss what He has for me today!

He wants to do something in me, through me today! In this place. In this space. Right now. Wherever I am. Not when the next phase of life begins. Not when the next step arrives, because my heart will then jump into the phase after that. He has something for me in this time. Right now.

You know the thought process... You've heard it or had it asked in your own mind or heart. I know I have been there. Some examples... You're single and you think or others ask "when will you date someone?" Then you date someone and your heart or others ask "when wil ya'll get engaged?". Then "when will you get married", then "when will you have kids", "when will you retire", "when will you....". Or the other terminology for the same questions, "When I do this" or "When I do that" then I'll really will be where I want to be, I will have what I need, etc.

Does that make sense?

As a nursing school student, it is really easy right now to look ahead in a way that causes me to miss the awesomeness He has for me right now! I can look at my graduation date 22 months in the future (I hope!) in a way that is unhealthy and causes me to miss the current moment. Although reminding myself that the end date of school is tangible can be encouraging to me, making that my only focus causes me to miss the now and what I can do in the current moment for His kingdom! What does God want me to see, do, and experience now in this current place?

Similarly, I have a heart and passion for The Forsaken Children ministry in Ethiopia. I'm blessed to have an opportunity to serve the organization currently as a board member, but there is part of my that longs for my next return to Ethiopia to serve on the ground, to get dirty, and to encourage my fellow Ethiopian brothers and sisters. But instead of constantly thinking "when is my next journey" or "what's my next step with Ethiopia", I should recognize that the Lord has me here, at home, in Memphis for a purpose - regardless of how long it is until my next journey to Ethiopia. The questions should be, how does He want me to advance the ministry and His kingdom here, in this place?

So I don't know if this thought process resonates with you, but I'm being reminded that God has me here for a reason. For His glory and for my drawing near to Him. He is more concerned with my today than my tomorrow. I should follow suit, He'll take care of the rest. "And who knows but that you have come to [this place] royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14

What does God want to do with your today?! Are you asking Him?

2 Chronicles 20:12

"We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

On Mission

The other day I was asked if I have some feedback on primary myths that many church people have concerning missions.

For example:
    Missions is just about reaching people overseas in Africa.
    Only certain people are called to missions.

I focused mostly on the second example myth that "only certain people are called to missions" when I answered. Here is what I was thinking:

Often times when people use the wording "I'm not called" they are really saying in churchy wording "I don't FEEL like it". Throughout the Bible the Lord tells us to be self-controlled, this includes our emotions... they are not truth, they are often our fleshly reaction to something rather than a Biblical response.

With that in mind, just because we do not FEEL like doing something doesn't mean we're not supposed to do it. God says to GO (Matthew 28), and therefore we should obey and go. It's not about going overseas or not, although some will gain a burden for people groups outside of their own. It's more about obedience and serving the least of these (Matthew 25), serving and loving our neighbors (Matthew 22), serving and loving our enemies (Matthew 5), and obeying what God has commanded us to do. Out of our love for Jesus and in following Him we should imitate His walk in these areas.

The question isn't about do you feel like doing missions or not. The real question is "are we serving and loving and sharing Christ to those around us"? Just because you don't feel like it (aka. aren't called) doesn't mean the command doesn't apply to you and to me. By not doing it and using our own emotions as the reason, we're being disobedient.

By definition "missions" means a group of people taking part in an assignment. God has given us an assignment (quite a few actually) within His word. Are we obeying? Am I obeying?

"Missions" does not strictly mean going overseas and living in a hut. "Missions" does not strictly mean giving up everything you have here for a life in a third world country. Or whatever the first thought is that comes to your mind. "Missions" is about right here, right now, everyday. God calls us to be "on mission" as Christ followers. Am I being obedient to the assignment given to me? Are you? Am I sharing Christ with those around me? Are you?

Maybe that's part of it all... people's hesitance and/or resistance of being involved in missions both locally and overseas - the wording. People have categorized the churchy wording associated with missions to mean something it is not and therefore brush it off, saying that's not for me, I'm not "called", or I don't feel like it, and therefore might be allowing the enemy to use this as a reason/excuse to not obey something God is calling us to do.

So after answering, I find myself asking how can I be "on mission" more regularly and constantly in my life? How can I truly share the love and hope of Christ with those around me today?

Such a time as this?

Something I have been thinking about for the last several days...

"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” 

Esther 4:14

Bend Low

Praying that you take the time to read this today. That you are taken a bit out of your comfort zone and yet encouraged that we have a Savior that calls us out to serve those around us and He gives you the power, ability, and strength to do it! How can you serve today? How can I?

From the blog of Katie Davis, a Nashville area young woman that lives in Uganda and is serving daily just where she is. We can too...

Around here, we live bent low.

Tuesday morning ladies from Masese stream through my front door. We have moved our weekly meeting from the slum of Masese to my living room because I have been up all night with new foster baby and can’t imagine getting all 14 of these little people out of the house. Excited about a change of pace and my sweet friends in my home, I enlist the help of darling Tamara and 13 eager little girls to give these ladies pedicures. We wash and we rub and we paint. I rub lotion into old scarred feet and think of the journeys they have traveled. I whisper thanks for the ways they have blessed me and the things they have taught me, and here in a puddle on the hard tile floor, Joy overflows.

It is on this same cold, smooth tile that I kneel hours later, [. . .]

Crawfish Boil & BBQ for a Cause

At the beginning of May, Mr. McGoo and I - along with the help of MANY - put together our 2nd Annual Crawfish Boil & BBQ for a Cause. Using the casa of friends, we welcomed any and all to come enjoy all you can eat crawfish and bbq for $20 each or $30 per couple (kids eat free!) to raise funds for worldwide missions.

Last year we raised $1500 for missions and this year was even better! I captured quite a few photos this year but here are just a few to give you the gist...

Mr. & Mrs. McGoo - hosting the event

Brother McGoo - fellow Crawfish cooker with Mr. McGoo

Kiddos playing with some of the live mud bugs

Some of the fabulous ladies helping work the "ticket" table

Our fab BBQ chef and his beautiful wife

Even the little ones enjoyed some good eats

Lessons were given to crawfish newbies

And the eats were delish!

With the help of so many and because of the 118 adults that attended the event, we were able to raise 

$2400 for worldwide missions!

That's $900 more than last year and many more folks attending than last! God definitely blessed the event!!! With the funds raised, we were able to donate to mission trips from our church going to Aqua Viva Children's Home in Guatemala this summer ($900+), help support an entire family's mission trip from our church to Uruguay this summer to love and support missionaries on the ground there ($1000), and donate to the organization that is very close to Mr. McGoo and my heart, The Forsaken Children ($400+).

We couldn't have done it without everyone's help, those who attended, the generosity of those involved, and God's blessing! 

We're looking forward to next year. What a fun way to enjoy a festive atmosphere, get some good eats, time with friends and family, and raise money for a great cause or two! Until next year...


Ps. Each of the "causes" I listed could always use additional support, even if only $10. Feel free to click on any of the links and donate if you feel led. 

To Be Used by God

Although they have not yet become intimate friends, I imagine that it will happen as we continue to pray for them regularly and advocate for the ministry God is using them to accomplish in Uruguay. It seems to happen that way - when you partner with someone you cannot help but begin to learn more about them and the way God uses them and respect, honor, and love them through that process!

Our friends, Matt and Toni Daniels (and their children) are living in Uruguay as full time missionaries. They have been there a long time and the Lord is blessing their ministry but also growing their faith about His provision and His timing.

Today Matt posted a BEAUTIFUL blog post about that topic and I wanted to share it with you. Please take a moment to read it. If you've ever had a moment when you had to choose between faith that God is going to come through and provide for you or be consumed by fear and bout, you will be spoken to through this post...

The rain is already there…
by Matt on May 20, 2011

I am not prone to wild charismatic experiences, but this one blows my mind, and I think it will put a smile on your face.

I went out to the San Geronimo house last week to pay the last of my operating fund to a local guy that helps out with the property.  A pang went through my heart when I signed the paystub and said, “I’ll call you when there is more funding.”

I loaded up the broken lawn tractor in the back of my station wagon (picture half a lawn tractor hanging out the back, going down the highway), and wept my fear and trepidation all the way to the next town where the shop was.  I dropped off the tractor for repairs, and wept and cried out my fear and trepidation all the way home, variously yelling and whispering, “Help, Papa.  Help, Papa.”

I am open to be used by God to see miracles happen, but this earthsuit I walk around in has a hard time living in the gap between “no you don’t see Him” and “now you do.”  I’m like a 12 month old.  If God walks out of my sight for just a second, part of me fails to believe He exists.

I get home with tear tracks still on my face, [. . .]

Click on the title or the [. . .] link to finish the post - it's definitely WORTH IT!

Mr. McGoo and I joined the Daniels in their ministry this week by signing up to be a part of their "100 Holding and Helping". I wasn't aware of the need or the idea until I came upon their website by direction of our church's Facebook page and Twitter account. Matt had written an incredible blog post about how God is using their ministry (you can find that post here). After reading the post and being encouraged by their ministry and what God is doing through them, I was led me to their "100 Holding and Helping" campaign as I continued to look around their website.

I'm inviting you to do the same - to join the team of 100 folks that God is going to use to encourage, equip, and love the Daniels and their ministry! 

Here's the deal, but you can find more on their website - they are looking for 100 people that will commit to giving $10 a month to them for 2 years. Seriously $10 - a MONTH - piece of cake... but 100 people joining together can begin to make a significant difference.

Will YOU be one of those 100?

Check out their website here: http://www.mattandtoni.org/?page_id=127 and find out how to join the team today.

Not all of us are called to serve in another country. Not everyone is spurred by God to travel to Uruguay, Ethiopia, or even the next state to spread the Gospel... but EVERYONE is called to serve and advance the Kingdom of God where they are. Even from home, wherever that may be, we have opportunities daily to be used by God. He's another invitation to do just that!

More info about one of their specific projects - the vision, the goal, the need:

Reach. Innovate. Multiply.  Geronimo! from Matthew Daniels on Vimeo.

Being a Wife Is All About Jesus

"Being a godly wife flows from being a committed daughter."

I came upon this great article about being a Godly wife. We spoke in Sunday School /our Connecting Point class at church this Sunday about the role of man and wife in a marriage. We split up into guys and girls and began studying God's word about the matter and discussing what it means, how we go about accomplishing what it calls us to be, and beyond.

I love how this article points to the basis of it all... JESUS. Without Jesus I'm incapable of being a good wife, let along a Godly one. Lord help me.

Check out the article. It's a goodie - http://theresurgence.com/2011/05/10/being-a-wife-is-all-about-jesus

National Day of Prayer

Today is National Day of Prayer. Today marks the 60th annual event and this year's theme is "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" from Psalm 91:2, which states: "I will say to the Lord, my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust."

 

Remember today to take some time to pray for our family, friends, coworkers, country, leadership, other countries around the world, etc. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (pray without ceasing)!

 

Here is a great article from Ernie Frey (my church pastor) about why we need National Day of Prayer: http://faithinmemphis.com/2011/05/02/frey-would-the-real-church-please-kneel/ 

 

It really resonated with me.

 

 

“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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 

Spaze

The other day I was sitting on the back patio of our house, enjoying the warmer spring like weather (which by the way has quickly turned back to cold and dreary days... figures, I live in Memphis).

I sat on our patio in a chair with my laptop and a cup of Chai Latte, working on some things as I enjoyed the warm breeze and the sounds of the outdoors while my furbabies piddled around in the backyard looking for something to get into.

After some time, Kodi Bear came onto the patio and laid down beside my chair, seemingly taking in the nice weather, warm sunshine, and special time with his momma. Dexter however, the crazy Husky fur pup that he is NEVER ONCE SAT DOWN on his one.

As Dexter ran to and fro, all over our backyard, up and down from the patio, and all around, I began to get distracted and annoyed by his constant go. I asked him to sit down next to me, he obeyed. I asked him to lay down, he obeyed. Yet, less than a minute later he was back to his pacing to and fro, running from here to there and back again, and constantly jumping up to the patio and down again.

I watched him for awhile, wondering how long he would keep this insanity going. It continued...And then I went from annoyed to highly annoyed, completely distracted, and wished that Dexter would just sit, rest, and enjoy the day with me for awhile.

- - -


Funny thing is, a few hours after we came back into the house and I was thinking over my afternoon with our furbabies, I felt God telling me that often, I am like Dexter.

I am like my fur pup that is constantly on the go, running from here to there without a stop to rest, relax, and enjoy the day with my Maker without prodding.

Sure, I'll obey when I hear God say "sit" or "lay down", but like Dexter, my obedience is short lived... rather than resting in the sitting or laying down with the Lord for any length of time, I'm up again running. Just like I became annoyed by Dexter's constant unrest, I imagine that the Lord often shakes His head at me, thinking, when will you ever just come to me on your own and rest? I'm waiting. I'm here. Are you coming?

Talk about a realization.

So in keeping with the personalities of my two furbabies, I want to work to be more like our furbaby, Kodi, enjoying the blessings of my Papa and resting in Him being nearby!

Stretched & Out of Comfort

The more I come to know the Lord in a personal way, the more I realize He's in the business of stretching people and taking us past our own limits. Past our own abilities. Past our comfort zone. He's about using lay people, normal, everyday, don't really fit the right mold for the job kind of people.

The Bible is full of stories of the Lord using the common man to do extraordinary things through Him. From Moses, who had a speech impediment, leading His people out of Israel and approaching Pharaoh on a regular basis to request that he "Let my (God's) people go!" to Esther, who was an unlikely queen and fit to save the Jewish people, to Paul, who killed Christians prior to being converted and spreading the Gospel... the Bible is full of God using unlikely people to do His work.

I'm certain God made it that way on purpose... He called the "simple" people to be His disciples (developing from fishermen to fishers of men), and constantly uses those who are lacking to reveal His glory and His provision. By calling people out of their comfort zone, God gets all the glory... we no longer can boast.

"Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”^" - 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 

I was able to experience this process last night - - -  being stretched by the Lord and called to do something totally outside of my comfort zone and gifting. I was invited to speak at my church's Girls Night Out event (something hosted monthly for ladies by the Women's Ministry). The theme of the night was "Gifts and Giving Back" and I was asked to be one of two featured speakers to talk about what God has shown me through our mission trips to Ethiopia. To say that this was out of my comfort zone and gifting is an understatement... but the Lord provided, as always.

I was amazed and so blessed by the level of support, encouragement, and lifted prayer on my behalf for the night. I was showered with words of affirmation and encouragement and sent reminders that I was being prayed for by my sisters in Christ leading all the way up to the moment I stepped on the "stage" to speak for my ten minute window!

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11

The kingdom of God and being in community with believers is such a beautiful blessing!!!! I'm so thankful for my church family and the fellowship of believers I'm blessed to have! This life is not to be lived and walked through alone! Praise God for that!

I'll share more about what I felt led to speak about on another post... [stay tuned]...

Broken Road - What do you really want?

On of my besties (we've known each other since we were 14) posted a blog post recently that really resonated with me and I believe will resonate with most - if we're willing to be vulnerable and quiet enough to be convicted by the Spirit.

I want to share it with you...

What Do You REALLY Want?

from Calculating Grace

Most of the time, when God is trying to teach me something by allowing me to experience pain, I sit around and complain.  I tell Him that I hate what He's doing, and I want Him to stop.  I tell Him I want out of whatever particular circumstance is grieving me at the moment.

And He reminds me that the point of the pain is to help me rely on Him more, know Him better, and, ultimately, reflect Christ more accurately to others. [...]

Continue reading by clicking the [...] at the end there or clicking the title above, "What Do You REALLY Want?"

For One

I've been reading The Hole in Our Gospel off and on for awhile now. Although I have "enjoyed" it in the sense that I definitely recommend it for others to read, it's impossible to "enjoy" this book in the typical book reading way. It's a hard book. A hard read, not in verse or wording, but a heard truth. It has a heaviness of content and the conviction, questions, and re-evaluation of your life it can bring is not without its own uncomfortableness. It can leave you restless and unable to sleep at night if you allow the reality of it all to penetrate your heart... it definitely has that affect on me.

However, I think it is important that we, especially believers in Christ know the realities of the world around us. The struggle of our brothers and sisters. The famine. The poverty. The disease. The thirst. The depravity of those around us, whether in our city or in a continent half across the world.

This book does an excellent job of painting that picture in the rawness of the pain and suffering the world at large is experiencing, yet sharing the HOPE that comes through Jesus Christ alone. The HOPE that comes because of the LIVING WATER of life (John 6:35 - "Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.") and the HOPE we can share as believers by being the hands and feet of Jesus to the world around us (Ephesians 5:1 "Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children."). We can make a difference and God often invites us to be a part of the solution and help he wants to give to our neighbor.

The other night this section from the book really resonated with me...

"I can imagine my own life without many of the so-called necessities that I have. You can take away my car and I would find a way to compensate by using public transportation or carpooling with a friend. You could take away my computer and my Internet access, my television, stereo, and radio, and I could still have a full and prosperous life. You could reduce the size of my house and my income by half, and even take away my education and I could survive and perhaps even thrive. But if you take away water and sanitation, you take away my health and that of my children. If you take away my health, you have taken away my energy and my industry. If you take away my energy and ability to support my family, you have taken away my dignity; and if you take away my dignity, you have taken away hope- for the future, for my children, for a better life. This is the harsh reality of the more than one billion people in the world who live without access to clean, safe water."

(pg. 139 - The Whole in Our Gospel)

Let that sink in for a little while...

....

....

....

....


And once you become a bit uncomfortable with that reality, desiring to turn away a little bit, to squirm, and maybe even begin to think, "why does that matter - I cannot really make a difference anyway for one billion people?"... I share the next quote that puts into words what God has been constantly revealing to me in the last year or so...

"Bob Pierce once said, 'Don't fail to do something just because you can't do everything.' These are wise words to anyone overwhelmed with the magnitude of human suffering in the world. We are not asked to help all of them at once, just one at a time." (pg.152 - The Hole in Our Gospel)

And last but not least, I leave you this story:

"One early morning, after a fierce storm had hit the coast, I strolled to the beach for my morning walk. Horrified, I saw that tens of thousands of starfish had been washed up on the beach by the winds and waves. I was saddened by the realization that all of them would die, stranded on the shore, away from the life-giving water. Despairing that there was nothing I could do, I sat down on the sand and put my head in my hands.

But then I heard a sound, and I lifted my eyes. There, in the distance, I saw a man bending down and then standing up, bending down and standing up. Curious, I rose and walked toward him. I saw that he was picking up the starfish, one at a time, and throwing them back into the sea.

"What are you doing?" I yelled.

"Saving the starfish," he replied.

"But don't you see, man, that there are tens of thousands of them?" I asked, incredulous. "Nothing you can do will make a difference."

He did not answer me but instead bent down, picked up another starfish, and cast it back into the water. Then he smiled, looked me in the eye, and said, "It made a difference to that one!"

(pg. 162 - The Hole in Our Gospel)

I'm so thankful that God has called us to something greater than ourselves. I want to be a part of the big picture and sharing the hope I have because of Jesus.