One of the most common mistakes you and I can make is to believe that we have nothing of significance to offer. We ask the question, “Can I really make a difference?” We think we’re not rich enough, smart enough, skilled enough or spiritual enough to make much difference at all … especially when it comes to making a difference in this HUGE global problem of poverty.

We kicked off Poverty Week yesterday.  Our goal is to bring to light those around us that are living in hunger and poverty. We’re also going to be looking at ways that we can help (on Thursday). Today I want to share with you a story of a young boy who is trying to make a difference. Here’s a letter I got last weekend in the mail from an 11 year old boy who lives in Oklahoma.

“Dear Trey,

My name is Trae. I am 11 years old and have just started 6h grade. I met you this spring when you spoke at our church in Tecumseh.

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” Mother Teresa

I’d like to share a few things with you this week on poverty. If you are anything like me, I find myself ignoring the fact that there are hungry people in this world because it seems much easier than feeling guilty about it. I often times wonder … “Can I make a difference?”  What I do know is that poverty in many parts of the world is far worse than most Americans (including me) understand. Here are a few statistics …

Next week we’re going to spend the whole week talking poverty, hungry children and what WE can do about it. Get ready, because it’s going to be an incredible week.

Here’s what I want … I’m asking that you only ask God to touch your heart with what’s going on around you in the world, because we’ve ignored it for too long and for too long we’ve thought, “There’s really nothing I can do about it.”

It’s going to be an awesome week, so stop back by Monday and I’ll give you all the details. We’re going to allow God to challenge us, move us and make us uncomfortable. Helping is much easier than you might think.

This hungry little girl was living at the dump in Tegucigalpa, Hondruas.

Yesterday a bunch of us decided that we were giving up sodas, cokes, etc. I was thinking, “Why put something in my body that’s not good for me.” In fact, I decided that I’m not even buying soft drinks for my family for a month. If they want one, they have to use their money to buy it (I’m so mean).  Then, my friend Marc Tindall suggested a better reason for giving up soft drinks … they are expensive and you could trade them for a trip to Honduras. Here’s his thinking…

Did you know that 1 can of Coke (Dr. Pepper, etc) has 12 teaspoons of sugar? Now multiply that by however many sodas you typically consume in a day.

Think of it this way … 3 cans of soda = 36 whopping teaspoons of sugar!

That’s a LOT of sugar! Just think how much easier it’d be to lose some weight if you’d just give up soft drinks. Although I drink Diet Cokes, they’re not that great for you either. So, how about you and I give up sodas for a month … starting today? I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and now since I’ve confessed it here, I have some accountability.

Let’s start a healthy habit.

It’s another “first day of school” around the Morgan house this morning, and I’m reminded that time doesn’t stand still. It seems like just a few years ago I was wondering if I even wanted kids. Children seemed like so much work, and if anyone could “screw up” at raising kids, it would be me.

I remember when the first child came. I kept feeling sick and was light-headed because I was so scared. I wasn’t sure I was ready for this, but it was happening. It was a “ready or not, here I come” moment. I’d never seen or experienced anything like childbirth. Every time one of my children was born God did a miracle in my heart. I remember what felt like an instant sense of love that came over me that I had never experienced before. The second that child appeared in this world, I would have given my life for him.

The dump video documentary is finished. After much work by my friend Andy Hubright, you can see all 38 minutes of the documentary. Stop by and check out TheDumpMovie.com. You may have seen the first 13 minutes, but the last 20 minutes are new. A big thanks to Andy for all he’s done.

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I asked the group from Childress that I took to Honduras this summer, “What did you think of Honduras?” Here are some of their answers. (I’ll give you a few more later) …

All the Morgan’s are HUGE Jack Johnson fans. About 2 months ago I bought Lea and I tickets to see him in concert and immediately got in trouble with the boys for only buying two tickets.

Tonight Lea and I will sneak off to Dallas to see Jack Johnson live in concert. We’re very excited.

So, who’s at the top of your “must see in concert” list?

I spent this past weekend in Santa Fe, New Mexico, doing a “Strong Marriages” seminar. I had a great time. I don’t have a lot to blog about this morning, so I thought I’d share a few things from my journal. Here are a few things I’ve written down this past week about being a “Follower of Jesus.” These are just a few thoughts and quotes I’m trying to process and work through:

Jesus said, “Follow me…”