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A Day without Water – Part 2

Kristen and I both participated in this day without water experiment. For the most part, we were prepared for the physical challenges. We knew that our throats would be dry, our hands would be dirty, and we couldn’t really prepare any meals. We chose to forgo our workout at the gym because we couldn’t take showers afterward. Our daily routine had to change in the absence of water.

What we weren’t prepared for was the mental aspect of this challenge. This experience led us to realize just how much we rely on water and its on-demand availability. We spent a lot of time just thinking about water. It occupied so much of our attention that we found it difficult to focus on the task at hand. Both Kristen and I noticed that we were more hungry than usual, probably because our bodies were trying to send us a message. Food didn’t sound appetizing, though. It’s much easier to go without food than to go without clean water.

Of course, we really can’t complain about short little experience. Even though we felt the physical and mental effects of going without water, we knew that an endless supply was waiting for us at the end of the day. Unfortunately, for many people, living without drinkable water is a way of life, not a simple challenge. Statistics say that over one billion people (17% of the world’s population) have no access to safe water. Every minute, three children die from this problem.

The point of the exercise is to gain insight into the plight of the extremely poor of the world. As Christians, we should be dedicated to addressing this tragedy and spreading God’s love through our actions. If you would like to be involved in bringing clean water to those who so desperately need it, please consider contributing to World Vision or the WSU Ripple Effect.

If you’d like to learn more about the curriculum our Sunday School class is using, check out The Hole in Our Gospel and its associated Six-Week Quest.

A Day without Water – Part 1

Today I am experiencing what it’s like to live without water. For twelve hours, I’m not touching the tap. The goal of this exercise is to get an idea of what it’s like to live in a third world country, where access to clean water is not a guarantee. It’s part of a Sunday School class at our church, a study on the ideas presented in a book called The Hole in Our Gospel. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Behold, I Stand at the Door and Knock

Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses are famous for their door-to-door evangelism. As a Christian, it can be confusing and intimidating to be confronted by their “good news.” What exactly do Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses believe, and how do our beliefs differ from theirs? Should we entertain their ideas, or shut the door in their faces? What do we say to these people when they come to our door?

Michael Licona answers these questions and more in his short book, Behold, I Stand at the Door and Knock. Licona gives background information on both religions, explores the fallacies in their arguments, and suggests arguments we can make for the Truth. He encourages Christians to prepare for encounters with Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses and view these meetings as opportunities to share our faith with them.

Licona’s book is freely available online, and it’s a very helpful read. A pair of Jehovah’s Witnesses have been paying me visits lately, and this guide has bolstered my knowledge and confidence. I now have a strong desire to share the Gospel of Christ with them.

Tweets for the Week Ending 2010-01-30

  • RT @badbanana: According to the commercials, Windows 7 is for delusional morons. #
  • Projected thesis completion date: 4/22. Due date: 4/2. Lots of work to do! #
  • RT @codinghorror: I am officially adding “eat some silica gel” to my bucket list.// I hope that’s the last thing on the list. #
  • RT @JohnPiper: Curse the scalpel, if you must, but kiss the Surgeon’s hand. #
  • RT @WSUPullman: Cougar Pep Band inspires team, fans at #WSU basketball games. Don Hower shares tunes: http://tiny.cc/6aFVM #

Tweets for the Week Ending 2010-01-23

  • Going to see the book of eli. Wanted to see avatar but it was sold out. #
  • Wrote the first two pages of my thesis this morning #
  • “nightmares haunt my days, visions blur my nights” #hellohurricane #
  • RT @jonathanforeman: Found a great way to help Haiti- http://bit.ly/8KIV2O … your gift will be tripled by government grants. RT #
  • RT @rivertrips: The Middle Fork of the Salmon River: ranked the 3rd best whitewater river trip in the world // wow, cool! #
  • RT @WSUPullman: State of Washington must make higher education a priority for economic vitality, Seattle Times says: http://tiny.cc/STRB17 #
  • RT @badbanana: Looks like John Edwards has finally seen the light. And by light I mean an advance copy of an upcoming book. #
  • Springtime on the Palouse… in… January? #
  • For thesis work, the soundtrack is chopin #
  • ‘kylan’ is the Swedish word for cold. #
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