As the title suggests this next year everything changes. Because the past few months have been so challenging I am tired of just having a story that is there but I am ready to change my story and what happens in it. The first thing that is changing is what I am doing with my life. I am not leaving the ministry, I am not changing churches but I am going to be about something different. I am doing everything I can to bring attention to the issue of clean drinking water around the world and an organization I have joined called the Haiti Water Project. I just sent them a blog entry and it can be found at Haiti Water Project sometime in the future. Here is what I posted:
Why did I join the Haiti Water Project Cause on Facebook? And why have I been adamant about getting my teens and family to join as well? Those are a couple of questions that I have been asked by a few people close to me over the past couple of weeks and the answer is simple; God. In the past couple of months I felt God stirring me to do something more and to be part of something bigger than just my little world here in Carthage, MO. I had seen the stats in the past knew how much money it would take to provide clean drinking water to the world and it seemed to be a staggering number but one that we as Christians should and could do something about.
Right before the Advent season I was introduced to the Advent Conspiracy watched one of their videos and saw how much we will spend on Christmas this year and it literally hurt. I couldn't sleep or eat or get that number out of my head. At this time I was starting a series with my teens called "Storyline" and how to change their story. I was getting ready to talk about changing their plot and how if they would change their plot what they are about, what was happening it would change everything and in the message I was going to challenge them to discover a cause to get behind. I could not write the message. Here I was telling my teens that they needed to do something for the Kingdom of God to be a Christ follower who was not satisfied with just going to church and existing and I wasn't doing anything. As I began praying about what I should do, God brought back to mind water and the fact that more people die every day from lack of clean drinking water. How can they ever hear about the love of God if they die of lack of water before they ever get the chance? That did it. I decided that I was going to change at least one person's life in a very simple way and so I determined that I am going to make a very concentrated effort to raise as much money in 2010 for clean water.
So that evening I talked about changing their plot and then I shared with them what God had pressed on me to do and to hold myself accountable I told them my plan and invited them to join me. For the next year I am drinking water. That may not sound like much but instead of going out and spending money on soda, coffee, tea I am going to take that money and put it aside for clean water. When we go grocery shopping instead of buying cases of soda at $10 every couple of weeks I am putting that money in the bucket. If I order something other than water I have to put the exact same amount of money in the bucket. That might not sound like much but I truly believe that it will add up quickly and as I encourage my family and teens to join me I expect God to great things with what I am able to give.
I found Haiti Water Project through a very good pastor friend who had joined and donated his birthday to that cause in effort to raise money. I decided that this was the organization that I needed to partner with and give not just finances but my energy, time and attention to. I joined and then went about inviting my family, teens and volunteer staff to this cause. I am excited to see what happens in the lives of those that my money will go to help. I am excited to see how God challenges my teens to serve Him even more as they see their youth pastor sacrifice something so small and insignificant here so that someone can have something as simple as clean water to drink.
I plan on updating here how things are going and excited to see what I can do through the next year to help provide clean drinking water.
Some other things that I really want to do this next year are:
-Read at least one (1) book per week
Review and blog monthly what books I have read
-Blog at least once a week
-Lose 30 pounds
-Run a half marathon
-Draw closer to Christ and His plan for my life
-Raise as much money as possible for Haiti Water Project
-Expose my teens to the limitless love and power of God and see their lives transformed
-Minister better to the whole church
-Be a better husband and father as the spiritual leader in my home
Some of this has no real spiritual impact but I am excited about what this next year looks like. Besides I want some way of holding myself accountable, and hopefully this will be a great way to do that.
I am outie 5000,
Robb
