Christmas [is] Changing the World....

Do you tell yourself "You're just a fool, just a fool to believe you can change the world?"

- Carrie Underwood, "Change".



Yesterday at church we watched a video about the amazing things that are being done through Living Water International. Every time we see one of these videos, I usually end up bawling my eyes out. Sometimes I get so choked up I can barely take a breath. It's a mix of emotions....complete joy because of the people who are being helped, but sadness over the ones who still need it.

A representative from Living Water came this weekend to accept a check for the money my church had raised during Advent Conspiracy. First, let me say how insanely proud I am to be part of a church who is so passionate about helping people around the world. My church was one of the founders of Advent Conspiracy 4 years ago, and now the thing has gone global. It's insane...aboslutely insane....how many people have jumped on this bandwagon. I can hardly believe it. It makes me proud to know that people CARE and want to help!

In our pastor's message this weekend, we talked about the Macedonians who, even in a time of great poverty and economic crisis, pulled together and took up a collection to send to the persecuted church in Israel. These people went above and beyond, trusting God to provide for them, and giving what little they had. Of course most of us in the congregation could make the connection, because our country is in this crazy economic crisis, people are losing their jobs left and right....and yet we pulled together over the Christmas season and GAVE!

$425,000.00

Yep. Four hundred, twenty five thousand dollars. That doesn't even include the money collected throughout the year. It doesn't include the money that over 200 people are collecting as they get ready to run a half marathon for Living Water. It doesn't include the money from the HUNDREDS of other churches around the world who are participating in this.

I'm EXCITED! I can't wait to hear more stories of the lives this is going to change. And I hope that within the next year I will get to experience this firsthand and go on a mission trip with Living Water.