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Archive for February, 2010
I woke up from my sleep with something very heavy on my heart. I tried to simply turn over and go back to sleep, but I could not. I felt a sudden urgency in me. One that would probably better serve me during the day when I could do more, but the thought was this: I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. Even if at almost 4 a.m. all I can really do is write a blog, I have to do something.
A little over 5 months ago I made a pretty significant shift in the direction my life was taking. Actually, it was more like a sudden stop. In the midst of this I jumped on a business opportunity with a company called Enlyten. My parents, who have been very successful in many different venues of the business world, introduced me to it. What caught my eye was its cutting edge strip technology as a delivery system of a variety of products such as energy and antioxidants to the body. You see, I have always had trouble with pills. I have a terrible gag reflex that makes it very difficult. The melatonin strips helped me to experience a restful night sleep, which I don’t ever remember having before. But I shortly learned something about the company that really caught my attention and made it clear that what I was apart of was much bigger than finding a source of income or a product that boosted my energy levels.
At a company launch in Dallas I learned that Enlyten had partnered with a Christian non-profit humanitarian organization called JAM (Joint Aid Management), which had discovered an effective way to meet the nutritional needs of children in Africa and had been seeing tremendous results over their 25 year presence there. Their research shows that every 8 seconds a child dies for reasons connected to lack of nutrition. That should be sobering and unacceptable to us, but unfortunately too many people read that, think nothing of it, and do nothing about it. I pray that you are not one of those people who can hear about the reality of suffering and return to life as usual. Now, I am not suggesting that everyone sell all their possessions and give everything they have to the poor and suffering, I am just saying we can, should, and must do something! I have found my way through Enlyten‘s partnership with JAM. A percentage of all I earn goes to the feeding of children in Africa. This partnership was one of the main selling points for me, because they not only feed help feed them, but we also provide Antioxidant strips to the children which delivers much needed vitamin and immune support to their bodies.
As I said, there is an urgency surging through me to do more. I want to be part of changing the destiny of these kids. I am in the process of developing some innovative concepts and events to raise support for JAM and to make people aware of the need and vision they represent, as well as the involvement and partnership of Enlyten (specifically the Empowered Living Network). I am excited and passionate about what is stirring within me and look forward to telling you more about it and the difference it is making in the world!
I remember the day I surrendered my heart and life to Jesus Christ. I remember clearly the events that brought me to the realization that I could no longer go on living life by my own efforts. Even at sixteen my life was a mess and I was in desperate need of a Savior. Once I crossed the line of faith I almost immediately began zealously pursuing Jesus and wanting others to know Him as well. I had a lot of rough edges, was ignorant, and looking back now I see how incredibly inconsistent I was, but I LOVED Jesus. I was passionate and I got connected with friends who were passionate as well. I remember hours of talking about the Lord and what He was teaching us, speaking to our hearts and about what we had just read in the Word. I don’t know how theologically correct we were, but we were excited and my life was being transformed by it. I look around today and sometimes I just wonder where everyone went. Of all of those who once were so passionate about Jesus, His Word, the church and ministry, only a very small amount of them are anywhere to be found. It makes my heart sad. I remember so many dreams of reaching people with the Gospel and the desire to see lives changed.
I thought back on all of this while I was reading a particular passage in Genesis that at first glance may not seem to correlate, but actually God really used it to show me a principle. I was reading the story of Abraham sending his servant back to the land of his relatives to find a wife for his son, Isaac. When his servant reached the well he prayed to the God of his master and asked that God would make his trip successful. He requested that God would have help him to know that it was the right woman by having her be willing to not only give him a drink, but also to water his ten camels. When Rebekah came to the well he asked if she would lower her jar and give him a drink. She offered not only to give this to him but to give water to the camels as well. The thing I noticed was that he did not get all excited and tell her everything as soon as she offered to do this. It says that she quickly went and got water and continued to get it until the camels were satisfied. Remember, there were at least ten camels so this was no small task. He waited until she had finished doing everything she said she would before he asked to be brought to her family and revealed the reason for his journey. There are so many people saying they will do this or that and we get excited, but the problem is the lack of follow through.
Having helped in youth ministry for a number of years I hear kids all the time justifying their choice of friends and boyfriend/girlfriend by saying something along these lines, “They said they believe in God.” or “They said they are really trying to do better in that area.” etc. The problem is that we don’t often step back long enough to see who people actually are or if they are good for their word. I too have been the person to say one thing and not follow through. Our claims of good intentions are not enough. The servant did not get excited just because Rebekah said the right things, but because she actually had the character to back it up. I am not talking about being people who focus on our “works,” but on being people of integrity. Rebekah had no idea why the servant was there. She didn’t know anyone was watching. She was just doing life. Because she was a person who actually did what she said, the servant was able to reveal the plan and bring her into it. The follow through of her daily life opened the door to the great destiny that God had for her. It is my prayer that the integrity of my daily life would open the door to greater adventures with Him!
