Every day, close to 1 billion people wake up to another day without safe drinking water. Children are sick and weak. There is a constant struggle to find the most basic of human needs. Generations of poverty grip millions and won’t let go. The lack of safe water and adequate sanitation worldwide is a crisis.
Water Missions International (WMI) is a nonprofit Christian engineering ministry providing sustainable safe water solutions to people in developing and devastated countries. WMI implements safe water projects in 9 countries: Haiti, Honduras, Belize, Mexico, Peru, Malawi, Uganda, Kenya and Indonesia.
The Problem
Approximately 884 million people around the world lack access to safe water. Waterborne illnesses result in the deaths of nearly 1.5 million children every year. By partnering with WMI, Mars Hill Baptist Church will be a part of the solution.
Our Response
On Sunday, January 13, 2013, we’re challenging you to skip your regularly purchased beverages and have water instead. And then for four weeks, take the money that you would normally spend on soda, coffee, tea, etc. and put it in one of these water bottles labeled “Water Mission Sunday.”
Should you decide to partner with us, the water bottles will be provided by Mars Hill. Please be sure to pick one up on the day of our launch, returning it on Sunday, February 10th filled with your sacrificial offering of at least $10.
This endeavor will help us fulfill one of our 2013 goals, Global Outreach. As well, it will fall in line with our Year End Special Offering.
Mark your calendars, “WATER MISSION SUNDAY”, launching Sunday, January 13th and continuing on through Sunday, February 10th. Please join us in this great endeavor! Your sacrifice will provide one person safe water for life!
Today’s TV shows don’t compare to “old-school” TV shows. If you were to search the gazillion cable channels, what you will find are reality shows depicting sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
Growing up, one of my favorite “old school” TV shows was the Lone Ranger. He was a fictional character, a masked ex-Texas Ranger who, with his Native American companion, Tonto, fights injustice in the American Old West. Although I loved the show, I was somewhat puzzled by the show’s title – The Lone Ranger. He wasn’t alone he had Tonto.
Go figure.
If the Lone Ranger had Tonto assisting him, why do most people try to figure out life’s problems on their own? Why do some insist on taking the “Lone Ranger” approach to solving life’s most difficult challenges? Since life’s filled with many twists and turns, it’s wise to recruit other wise people to help you conquer life’s challenges.
Wise People Never Attack Difficult Problems Alone
One of the greatest resources we have is the people God places in our lives. If you ask around, I’d be willing to suggest that someone in your circle has “been there, done that.” I can’t imagine going after a problem without the advice of the wise men & women God has placed around me. The next time you’re faced with a difficult problem, don’t attempt to solve it alone. Instead, ask: “Who can I recruit to help me solve this problem.
Quick! What do the following statements have in common?
“Spare the rod, spoil the child”
“This too shall pass”
“God helps those who help themselves”
Give up? They cannot be found anywhere in the Bible. If you don’t believe me, go ahead and find the verse that corresponds to the aforementioned statements. Trust me, you can’t.
God Helps Those Who Help Themselves…Really?
Although it sounds great, it’s not in the Bible. No matter how good it sounds, if we demonstrate some effort to improve, God will give us a little push in that direction. So we decide to make it by sheer willpower and discipline. The problem is, we run out of steam.
This year, millions will make and break resolutions because they’re trying to solve a spiritual problem through earthly means. The challenge we all face is that we want to be transformed. However, we tend to look within ourselves for the solution. The solution resides outside of ourselves. The solution is God.
Transformation is a problem that we cannot solve. That’s why God sent Jesus! Apart from him, we can do absolutely nothing! In Galatians 3:3, Paul reminds the Galatians that God has given them His Spirit and with this – combined with their faith, they can make it.
Who Does God Help?
God doesn’t help those with themselves. God helps those who abide with Him and those who walk with Him in faith (John 15:1-5). Our efforts were never the impetus for God’s transforming grace. Nor will they be the impetus for our changed hearts.
The Bible says that we are justified by faith. We don’t need willpower or self-effort as much as we need faith that God will accomplish in us and for us what we can’t do ourselves. He is the source of what we long for and need. Willpower and self-effort can only take us so far in our desire to change.
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to read David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done. Above all, his book taught how yesterday’s methods just don’t work. We now live in an information society and are constantly bombarded with new information.
In order to be more effective in 2013, we must work smarter… not harder. Allen’s premise is simple:
Our productivity is directly proportional to our ability to relax. Only when our minds are clear and all thoughts are organized can we achieve effective productivity and unleash our creative potential.
Although I read the book a few years ago, I ran across this video and it gave me a refresher on how to be more productive in 2013.
Thank you TEDx for providing this talk about “Stress-Free Productivity.”
How many times have you said, this year will be different? As you prepare for your New Year’s Resolutions, I thought you might enjoy knowing about them according to the University of Scranton, Journal of Clinical Psychology.
New Year’s Resolution Statistics
Percentage of Americans who usually make New Year’s resolutions: 45%
Percentage of Americans who never make New Year’s resolutions: 38%
Percentage of Americans who are successful in achieving New Year’s Resolutions: 8%
People in their 20’s who achieve the resolutions: 39%
People over 50 who achieve their resolutions: 14%
What’s The Point
People make New Year’s Resolutions are 10 times more likely to achieve their goals than those who don’t make any resolutions. In 2013, let’s try something radical – don’t make a New Year’s Resolution!
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Best regards,
Clarence E. Stowers, Jr.
