Giving Back

So this past Wednesday was Ash Wednesday which means that the season of Lent has started. I have been observing Lent by giving something up since I was in middle school. What I have given up has ranged from fast food to sodas to make up to meat. Probably the most common thing I have given up for Lent is soft drinks. I'll admit that in the past my motives may have been more about health that true sacrifice. But this year when I truly thought of what would be a big sacrifice for me, giving up soda is it.

Because I am not a coffee drinker, soda is my only source of caffeine, so when I have a long week I rely on them to get me through. I also find myself craving soda whenever I don't have them even for a few days. So this year I am once again giving up sodas.

Today Natalie Grant posted a link on twitter to information about 40 days of water. Basically it is a call to drink nothing but tap water from February 17 until April 2nd [Good Friday] (which is actually more than 40 days because the 40 days of Lent do not include Sundays). And more than just drinking only tap water, you keep track of any time you would have bought another drink (coffee, soda, tea, sports drinks, etc.) and at the end you pledge to donate that money to help Blood Water Missions provide clean drinking water.

I was very excited to see this and find a way to give back through what I am already doing this year. It does make my Lent a little more difficult because it goes beyond just not drinking soda to giving up all other beverages. But I feel like the sacrifice will be worth it to help out.

And I am even more excited because this year's "40 days of Water" money is going to provide clean water in Uganda which tugs at my heart, because that is where Isaac, the little boy I sponsor through Compassion, lives.

You can follow my progress through this season here: http://40days.bloodwatermission.com/laurareed

I have been so broken and humbled over to last few months as I think about how much I have compared to so many others and how much I still want more. I have been praying so much recently that I would be more aware of the needs of other people and as simple as this campaign is, it's a first step for me and I'm excited to see how the Lord changes me this year during this season of remembering His love and sacrifice for my life.