40 Days

To prepare his heart for the coming of Christ, Paul has always given something up - soda, certain foods, media. Though he's not part of a denomination that would observe Lent, he has chosen to sacrifice something as a means to draw closer to Jesus.

I have never given anything up. Ever. That's his thing. Till now.

In no uncertain terms, God has been pursuing me about this. In particular, about giving up coffee for a season. My first reaction? God, you have got to be joking. I am so not going to sacrifice like my favorite thing ever. I live on coffee. It is my necessity. I depend on it.

His response: It is not your necessity. It is your luxury.

Clean water is a necessity. And yet people are dying without it. Walking for miles to drink water with all sorts of junk infesting it. Mothers giving thirsty children water that they know will make them sick. But their kids are crying. And there's nothing else to give them.

So for the next 40 days, I'm going to be participating in Blood Water Mission's 40 Day Challenge. I will make water my only drink. I will keep track of the money I would have spent on coffee, tea, milk, whatever. At the end of the 40, I will donate that money to give clean water.

I pray that this fast draws me closer to my Savior. I pray that I'm not the most miserable person on the face of this earth. (And if I am, slap me.) And I pray that someone will join me. Anyone?