Awake: Rouse To Action

You know a book is going to be a challenge, when you've read the introduction and two pages of the first chapter...and you can't read anymore right now. Its' overwhelming, convicting, challenging, blowing your mind because the veil is coming off. 

The chips of a soft and comfortable life are being tapped away at, and suddenly that thought of needed newer clothing because the ones you have now are 'old and boring', makes you feel incredibly selfish and raw.

The food you casually toss out, make you pause now, thinking of the mouths and tummy around the country, and world that would give anything and everything to go to bed tonight without feeling hungry.

Noel Brewer Yeatts writes in her book, "Awake":

"If you simply have some food in your fridge, a place to sleep, and some clothes to wear, you are already better off than 75% of the world. 
Just drinking the water out of the faucet in your kitchen makes you better off than 1.5 billion people.
Having just a little bit of money makes you part of the top 8% of the world's wealthy. 
While more than 3 million people around the world cannot freely attend religious or political events without fear of some kind of punishment or retaliation, you are free to do as you wish.
And just the fact that you picked up this book and are reading it make you luckier than 2 billion people who simply cannot read.
Are you beginning to wake up?"

Her writing is engaging, and passionate, pulling you into her life's experiences and thoughts.  I'm still reading through the book myself, but I can say, that this is a must read. It'll call to that hidden spot inside of you that longs for meaning, and wanting to matter. That part of you that wants to freely open your arms, and hold the lost and hurting, showing them you do indeed care.

I'll leave you with this closing quote:


"If I look at the mass I will never act. If I look at the one, I will"
Mother Teresa

Meet: Michael Parura

Do you ever feel like you've made a choice that will change you, open your eyes and do things to your life that you didn't expect?


I do. I am...


Today my husband came to me, and asked me if we could sponsor a child. A boy, who will soon be 5 years old. He shares his name of our first born and the birthday of our second born. It seems God-sent. I've been praying to sponsor a child for awhile now. Just waiting on God's timing, and my darlings heart to lead him there.




And today was the day. I'm so excited, and eager. Waiting 15 days to get Michael's informational packet from Compassion International seems like an eternity. I've already written a letter to him, letting him know how blessed we are to be HIS sponsors. That he is special to us, and we are praying for him.


We love him already...


Tonight, as I sit here reading up on Indonesia, I'm humbled. He lives in a poor area of the country, where the monthly income (when it comes) is $27. Thats it. Less than a dollar a day, to feed your family. And I had to toss out a head of cabbage this week, it had gone bad before we could eat it. How his family would have enjoyed to have it! It wouldn't have gone to waste there in his home.


Now it's more real, this vision of poverty. We have an adorable, handsome face to put to the circumstances of being poor. It isn't ambiguous anymore.


I WANT this to change me. I need it too. I want to show my children how INCREDIBLY blessed they are to live in this country. We do not know the meaning of poor, destitute, nor do we really know how hungry feels.


But I want to show them, I want to show myself. I want a heart for those who need a soft heart, I used to have it. I will find it once again.

Tonight my precious children born of me, go to bed with full bellies. And I wonder if the Michael of my heart is hungry tonight? He doesn't know his future will be changed, that there is a family that is eager to love on him, and share their lives with him. He doesn't know...I pray that God soothes his heart, and gives him peace. I pray that God comforts the hearts of his weary parents as well.

Oh, I'm so thankful tonight. For the countless blessings God's given us, so that we can bless others as well.

Michael Parura: You are loved, prayed for and thought of tonight. 

Sometimes I wonder what the Lord things of the riches of this country, and the poverty of others? It doesn't seem fair, that those who would be humbled the most, have the least. 

Lord, guide the hearts of those who need to hear this. I pray they step in faith, and share of the bread of their tables to those who desperately need it.