THE REVEAL

As you may know, I have been feeling a huge nudge from God to do something BIG and BOLD....something more. I have felt a nudge for over a year now, but it wasn't until I read "The Hole In Our Gospel" that I actually knew He was speaking to me and telling me to get ready for something big. Before that I kept thinking....I am only one person....how can I come up with $10 billion to provide clean water for the earth? I have talked with my pastors, prayed, read, researched, talked with my pastors, prayed some more, listened, and prayed some more. Today at 3:00 we had a meeting in our church. It was a meeting for anyone who has been feeling the call, the nudge, the stirring, the anxiousness, the uncomfortableness, the itch to do something more. I walked into a room full of people....most of whom I knew....some who I didn't....who were all there for the same reason as I. It began with a little introduction and a lot of encouragement to throw out any ideas....big or small....of what we can do to serve, to help, to answer the call. It was basically a brain storming session, and there were so many great ideas, dreams, visions, and mostly PASSION! I listened diligently and contemplated if I should say something like...."Hi, I'm Lorie; and I want to figure out how to provide clean water to the entire world. Anyone else feel that call?" I kept playing it over in my mind....what I was going to say....then it happened. Tim, a fellow member, and really kind man stood up and said something like this....When I read the book, the thing that really struck me was all of the children who are dying; because they don't have clean water. The chills literally ran up my spine. Then he said, I have done some research and even called World Vision and tried to talk with Rich Stearns (President of World Vision and author of "The Hole In Our Gospel"); but I didn't actually get him on the phone....Tim chuckled a little. Then the tears began to fill my eyes. Then he said something like....I found these reverse osmosis straws, and if we could get them to the kids/people who don't have access to clean water; they can drink out of any stream, river, etc. ....no matter what the condition of the water... and get purified clean water. Tim explained a few more details about how the straws work, how long they last (9 months to a year), how much they cost, etc. As he sat down, I was fighting back the tears; and my heart was pounding. Then for the next few minutes, I didn't hear a thing, I just prayed silently....thanking God and asking Him to continue to reveal. Then another man, Phil, also a church member and very kind man stood up and began speaking about the prospect of being able to provide the manpower, money, etc. to dig wells where there is no clean water to provide clean water.....the straws would be a short term solution....the wells would be a long time solution. Different kinds of pumps, filters, and other ideas were shared as well. There were a lot of other great ideas shared....some in our local community and some in 3rd world countries.....and many of them are things that I am very interested in helping with, but I truly know....without a doubt....that I am suppose to help with whatever it is that Tim and Phil and whoever else do with providing clean water to whomever we can whether it be with straws, wells, or something else. I'm a dreamer, and I know that this is BIG; and I also know that it's not going to happen overnight. It is going to cost $10 billion to provide clean water for the entire world....there are millions, maybe billions, of people dying without clean water.....one every 15 seconds as a matter of fact. Towards the end of our meeting, Pastor Ken, our Senior Pastor stood up and spoke. He said that he wants our church to continue to be an outreaching church, he wants serving others to be ingrained in us, he also believes that we.....as a church.....should serve the people next door as well as the people across the world. Ken said, there are people in this room, who are feeling led to serve right here in our city or and people who feel led to serve across the world....our church can do both! Then Ken said.....as far as money goes (that was part of the discussion as well....how much these things would cost).....DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT! There will be enough.....if it's good and done with the right motives and hearts.....there will be enough money. Ken said that our church received money from outside sources, for some of our ministries, because people....who aren't church members....feel led to give financially to something they believe is making a difference in the lives of others. I'll be coming back to the blog with more details and how you can help provide clean water if you are NUDGED!