Nearly there! (40 Days day 38)

Well this is it. I’m nearly there. Only two days of my 40 Days of Water challenge remain. Two more days until I can drink what I like, when I like. Freedom.

Except.

Part of me is sad it’s going to finish. I know once it is over and I can resort to morning coffees I will feel differently, but I genuinely feel it’s been quite an impactful journey to have been on.

***

I don’t want to use the classic cliches that could be applied here – “It’s changed my life”, “Now I realise whow much I take for granted”, “I’ll never look at a glass of water the same way again” – because that would be, well, cliche.

But the truth is, I think the last few weeks have changed me. They’ve made me realise how fortunate I am to live in a corner of the world where water is available at the turn of a tap. I’ve come to be grateful and thankful for the water I use – particularly to drink – rather than going through the motions. Above all, hopefully the money I’ve raised can make a difference for communities who don’t have clean water.

As far as sacrifices go, it’s not been the most difficult. I’ve not gone without anything I need, just without some things I’ve wanted. But the shift in my perspective has been significant, and something which I don’t think I’ll forget in a hurry.

Blood:water Mission are an amazing organisation who do amazing things, and I’m proud to support them and have been part of the 40 Days of Water blogging team. One community at a time, they are spreading God’s love and showing compassion to God’s people.

Whether it’s Lent or not, that is a challenge which we should all rise to and be inspired by.

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To learn more about blood:water mission visit their website, and to learn more about 40 Days of Water visit the campaign page. You can also follow #40days on Twitter.

A sense of perspective (40 Days day 30)

It’s been a while since I blogged about how my Forty Days of Water challenge has been going. Things at work have been very busy – which is partly why the last few weeks have been so hard.

No conference is complete without copious amounts of coffee at every turn. So the fact the last couple of weeks have revolved around conferences has meant there’s been coffee galore. More than that, because I’ve been helping to run the conferences I’ve had early starts, late nights and lots of times when coffee would honestly have been incredible.

But I’ve made it though unscathed and decaffeinated. I haven’t had anything but water – despite my tiredness, despite my desperate desire for coffee.

***

At the back of my mind every time I’ve craved a coffee has been the knowledge that I’m so lucky it’s even an option for me. For so many, clean water is a day’s walk away. For communities around the world, clean water is something people dream of.

That knowledge puts my desires for coffee (and other drinks) into perspective. Yes, it’s difficult having only water. Yes, it’s frustrating and yes, there have been times when I’d give a lot for a coffee. But each time I’ve thought that, I’ve remembered why I’m doing this.

And if that’s how I change during these weeks, that’s fine by me.

***

To learn more about blood:water mission visit their website, and to learn more about 40 Days of Water visit the campaign page. You can also follow #40days on Twitter.

No, coffee company! (40 Days day 16)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I got an email from a coffee shop chain today saying they were “missing me”. The message went on to say that they’d noticed I hadn’t been buying their coffee for a while, and wouldn’t it be nice if I changed that.

It’s a strange world we live in where coffee companies email us to encourage us to buy their drinks. Let’s be honest, they haven’t really missed my custom. In many communities, the idea of emailing people to encourage them to drink coffee would be, quite frankly, bizzare. Yet for us it’s a normal thing. It’s almost expected.

The last few days have been pleasantly easy drinks wise. I’m slipping into a pattern of going automatically for water first, not coffee or anything else. What’s more, each time I grab some water, it makes me think of how fortunate I am and how simple it is to help those who don’t have access to clean water.

Long may that continue.

The beauty of a new day

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A while ago, someone I follow on Twitter posted this image. I love it, even though I have no idea where it is from. I think it’s great.

One of the reasons I love it so much is because it reminds me of one of the most amazing characteristics of God – that His mercies are new every morning.

So often, I find myself worrying about things for a prolonged period, carrying burdens around and letting them get me down. Sometimes these are genuine concerns, things that it’s OK to be worried about. And sometimes, they are things which really I should not worry about.

But what’s amazing is that with God, every day is a new day. Every day is a chance to start again, to wake up cleansed by His love and grace and free to live in Him.

For me, that’s one of the things I love most about God. In a world which seems to remember everything I’ve done wrong, to keep a record of all my mistakes and all my failings, it’s amazing to know that God takes my brokenness and makes it beautiful, every day.

More than the morning coffee, that’s the best way to kick-start my day.