I’ve been reading about living water a lot in my times with God. Yesterday I listened to an amazing message about Isaiah 55 and I am reading Brother Yun’s book “Living Water.” Seems God’s trying to get something through to me!

Rereading through Isaiah 55, it strikes me how well it fits our situation right now. We had bountiful giving from school supporters in December, as we hoped but did not expect. The money was enough for us to pay salaries for December and January, no small gift. Meanwhile, between our paying for school food out of our own pockets and our end of year trip we are down to nothing extra in our personal accounts. So all the projects that we had hoped to pay for at school over the break are still on hold. Maybe those latrines won’t get built, the books bought, or the staff houses rehabbed.

Looking ahead to 2009, David will spend this entire week trying to refine the school budget and get a handle on all of the numerous expenses that he handles each week. The infrastructure for this financial project is immense and I thank God daily for David’s practical experiences with spreadsheets, budgets and financial planning. We are facing the same situation that is happening in many places across the globe, increasing costs of operation, decreasing donor support due to economic issues and less money available to our consumers. All together it means – tighten our belts.

Isaiah 55 has the antidote for all this realism and practical planning. Come, everyone who thirsts, and drink. Come buy bread without money and without cost. This is a God who works in the impossible, whose best challenges are those practicalities of no money with food to buy, of no healthcare and bodies to heal.

I have a strong sense of God pushing forward to work here in our lives, at the school and in this community. It’s not a matter of trying harder but of pulling inside-out our empty pockets and yet walking forward. Of acknowledging the total lack and keeping going. So far that’s what he’s directed us to do. So many prayers for hope, for courage, for His presence have already been answered. After all that, we just have the food and etceteras to wait for . . . . .