We are needed.

www.charitywater.org/projects/fromthefield/bangladesh.ph

Go to this website and watch the video.

How do you feel? Does this surprise you? Does it bore you?

Living here in the US poses a problem for us. It seems like we are bombarded with so many stories, so much information about a hurting world, that eventually we get so used to it and just ignore it. Or maybe we will watch it, but we won't let the message break our hearts. Why? Is it our selfishness? Our helplessness? Or maybe its our fear... we don't want to be so deeply ruined and affected by that problem because God might just ask us to do something about it.

A friend shared her opinion with me not too long ago. She questioned why so many Americans will spend all their money traveling around and helping those in other countries, when so many here are in need. I calmly agreed with her. But I must ask... have you ever seen the need in other places? Have you walked the muddied streets that stink with sewer and trash? Now let me ask you this: have you ever seen that in America? Yes, people are homeless. Yes, some people live in horrible conditions, but not to this extent.

I have decided to do something tangible to help. I pray often for hurting people around the world. I even weep for them. But listen to this passage: James 2:14-17, "Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?"

We must do more. Jesus said that the poor will always be among us, but that is no excuse to not help them. I like how Shane Claiborne interpreted those words-- Jesus was revealing the church's true identity; to be close with the hurting and the hopeless. It is our mission, it is the love of Christ, to act on His words. "Go and proclaim the Good News to everyone." Sometimes that doesn't mean preaching or teaching. Sometimes it means meeting a practical need. Like clean water.

I am asking for you help. Will you join me in raising $5,000 this Christmas to build ONE well for people in need of clean drinking water? All you have to do is go to www.mycharitywater.org/candicemae. Click on "Donate to my campaign" and enter your credit card info. Choose the amount you want to give- it can be anything! I challenged my friends and family to give however much they would normally spend on my presents. So however you feel led, whether that's $10 or $150, please give. My campaign ends in February, and I fully believe that we can raise the entire $5,000, if not more!

You'll see more about this in the coming weeks. I'll post pictures and stories from people that have been changed by this project.

Thank you for your help. I pray that God would speak to you clearly and personally about how you can change this world, your world. Be blessed!

"It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone."

Ephesians 1:11-12

If we have not love, it is nothing.

Phew, bare with me people. I've got a lot to say tonight!

After seeing the I-heart film, We're All in this Together, I was so broken, moved, challenged, enlightened, convicted, angry, speechless, encouraged... so many emotions. So much injustice. So little it seems that we can do for people. I really like what Joel said: "I've come to find out that I don't know much about anything, except the ONE thing." Love. And the film was turned from the hunger, the hopeless, the ignorant, and spoke of the One whose love has saved us all. Beautiful. Mother Teresa also said it well: "Jesus didn't tell us to love the whole world; he told us to love one another." Which of course means that if we would start loving everyone we come in contact with, the whole world would be changed. Can you imagine?

What is love? It's not easy. It's not about how much we enjoy something, and so therefore, we "love" it. I hate when I use that word so freely, for it is a name of a holy God. Love. In it's right definition found in 1 Corinthians 13, it's a hard thing to attain. I've found that true love can only be lived out through the nature of the One who IS love. Makes sense. Everything in those few verses that define it are completely against human nature. Unselfish, patient, completely kind, is not provoked, does not envy, suffers long, is not conceited. I can think of countless times when I have done each one of those. It's harder to think of times when I have really loved-- when I haven't been in it for myself, when I haven't shown impatience, or when I have been able to suffer long. Something from the film that really got to my heart was when they interviewed a man who worked with AIDS victims in Africa. Speaking about loving, he compared a story that he experiences all the time... when you reach out to a single mom who is infected with HIV and has 4 kids, and she breaks the rules, lets you down, what do you do? You keep loving. You keep helping. You suffer long with her. That's love. It never fails.

Mother Teresa also said, "Following Jesus is simple, but not easy. Love until it hurts, and then love more." Eventually, you know what will happen...? Love will override any hurt. Or as the Bible says, Love covers a multitude of sins. Wow, what great love has been shown to us. Such great, extravagant love.

I'm going to throw this in here: if you haven't read The Irresistible Revolution, get it now. But not unless you want your comfortable life completely ruined and gone forever. If you want to stay ignorant to the innocent dying, starving, and hopeless, then stay in your world. You will be fine. And you know what? You will most likely still make it to heaven. But man, will you miss out. There is much benefit in choosing to participate in the sufferings of Christ. For me, as an American, I will not be stoned to death if I wanted to preach on the streets. But that's not the only way to suffer. For me, a much greater suffering is that of the heart. What you will see... what you will have to turn your face away from... when you choose to go wherever He goes; it's unexplainable what some people live through. And when you put yourself in their place... that will change you forever. To think that so easily you could have been born in their skin. You can be an orphan in Africa because your mother was raped and died from AIDS. Or you could be the child of a prostitute in India. We have no control. But what we do control is our will and our choice. Now that you have the life that you have, what will you do with it? "The best thing to do with the best things in life is to give them away." Have you ever felt that? The extreme joy that comes when you give someone a gift that will be with them forever? I so desire that. I would literally give away everything I have if that was love. But sometimes that isn't. Sometimes the best love is just a smile. Or a hug. Or maybe it's $3,000. Or a conversation. Or a blanket. Or to offer your shower and a warm meal to someone with no home. Whatever it is, it can all be done with the motive to give that which always believes, always hopes, always trusts, and always endures... Love.

"Poverty was not created by God, but by you and me, because we have not learned to love our neighbors as ourselves."

Do you feel the truth and conviction in that statement? I was thinking last night about all the things I do without purpose. Like spending $8.50 on a movie that will simply entertain me and not benefit me at all. Or checking out in front of the tv instead of seeking God's face and praying for someone who is lost and hurting. Does that sound extreme? I agree with Francis Chan when he says that the church is in the position that it's in, bad reputation and all, because it has thought some things to be "too extreme." Look at Jesus!! Just look at his life. Don't be offended, just take it to Him. What does He say? To me He says to freely give because it has been freely given to me. To me He says give Me time, worship Me, seek Me, I am the life that you long for. To me He asks, "To be handsome, rich, and wise, is that really what you want?" No... I want Him. Whatever that looks like. Whether it be blaring Kim Walker in a convertible BMW or singing my lungs out on a bike in the villages of Rwanda. Honestly, I prefer Rwanda.

Another great book, Searching for God Knows What, proclaims that there is no formula, no 5-step equation that will bring everyone's life into peace, prosperity, and purpose. It's different. Find YOUR rhythm, YOUR steps, and then dance so passionately and sing your life-song so loudly that it draws others to the brokenness and surrender of choosing to let the Creator create whatever He will from their pieces, too.

So what now? There are many different things God might move you to do. Repent. Get rid of some stuff. Set aside an hour just for Him. Fast from food or shopping. Build a relationship with that person at work. What is it? ASK. Ask and it will be given to you, according to His will. God, I want more of You. I want more opportunities to love. I want to be able to be a blessing to others. Can I have those things, Lord? Will you change me so I can change my world?

I think I know what the answer is.

Upendo ni jibu.

Liebe ist die Antwort.

รักคือคำตอบ.

L'amour est la réponse.

愛の答えです.

Love is the answer.

Fat & Plentiful!

Just something on my heart...

I was watching Craig Groeschel's newest series on the Holy Spirit, and he mentioned this verse that happens to be the source of greatest encouragement to me lately:

Isaiah 30:21, "Your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, 'this is the way, walk in it.'" Another version talks about specific direction, either to the right or to the left. To be in a season such as I, not knowing much about what the next few months will hold, a verse like that speaks volumes to my soul. I will hear His voice, if I keep myself sensitive to Him, and He will let me know.

And of course, Oswald never fails me. This was in yesterday's devotion (from My Utmost for His Highest):

"If through a broken heart God ca bring His purposes to pass in the world, then thank Him for breaking your heart."

And in todays...

"We have to obey Him out of oneness of spirit. That is why whenever our Lord talked about discipleship He prefaced it with an IF… the Lord does not give me rules, He makes His standard very clear, and if my relationship with Him is that of love, I will do what He says without any hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone else in competition with Him- myself… I must obey Him & when I do, I fulfill my spiritual destiny… when I stand face to face with God I will discover that through my obedience thousands were blessed. When once God’s Redemption comes to the point of obedience in a human soul, it always creates. If I obey Jesus Christ, the Redemption of God will rush through me to other lives, because behind the deed of obedience is the Reality of Almighty God."

Just let that swirl around in your brain a bit. It's so rich and deep.

THEN, reading on in Isaiah 30, verse 23 says that He will give rain to your seed with which you sow the ground... it will be fat and plentiful.

I always love when God's Word talks about rain. It's this freaky prophetic thing I learned in YWAM. Rain is a sign of blessing and abundance. I get a little choked up now when I read about sowing, planting, and harvesting. It's a beautiful concept. So often the seeds I have sown into my own life have been watered with tears. And Jesus says I will reap eternal joy! Hallelujah! But it's a very strenuous, draining process to sow something, especially into another person's life. Never forget that promise: that the seed you sow will come to fruition, not matter how long it takes. Name it and claim it! Continue to pray that the Lord would make it FAT and PLENTIFUL in the lives of those you've planted. Take tender care of those seeds, and wait patiently, but not lazily, for the harvest. I have found that expectation is a huge factor of faith. Expect much, receive much more!

As Pastor Craig said, we can live supernatural lives in this natural world. Let the voice of the Spirit, who is like the wind, guide you-- whether to the right, to the left, or to the other end of the world. Obedience is a step towards the fulfillment of your destiny.

Enjoy every second of this unpredictable journey :)

Peace & Bless-angs.