Empty Bowls

It has been a while since I have blogged - mainly because life has been pretty busy lately and at the same time, I haven't really known what would be interesting enough to blog about. But here's something that's really neat that I am involved with right now.

Empty Bowls

I am on a leadership team that is planning an event in Brownwood on November 6 to raise money and awareness for hunger needs in our community. It's called Empty Bowls and all of the money raised is going to feed hungry people. My responsibility is publicity - so basically getting the word out. It is so neat to be a part of an event like this, outside of work, where I am able to use talents that God has given me to help others.

One thing I know that I am good at is talking - and anyone that knows me well can testify to that. I love talking with people and sharing with them things that I know. Whether that is the crazy story I saw on the Today show that morning ( I always tend to catch the 7:30 - 8:00 a.m. segment with the "you'll never believe this" human interest stories rather than the actual certifiable news), something I read in a book, a story I heard from a friend, etc. Meredith (my college roommate) used to ask me if I had a word limit that I had to get in each day because it just never seemed like I could run out of things to say.

Well, God has given me the awesome opportunity to use that gift for His glory. My job everyday is to tell others about the great things at HPU - and I love it! I actually get paid to write stories about things that are happening, update people on facebook and twitter and find new ways to tell stories - and it's so much fun!

Now, I am being blessed by being able to help with this new Empty Bowls project and get the word out about this awesome day devoted to helping feed hungry people in my community. 90 % of the profits on Nov. 6 are going to local hunger needs and the tithe of 10% is going to an organization called Heifer International which helps hungry people around the world. My biggest prayer right now is that people will come the day of the event, so if you are in town, please stop by from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Depot. We are praying and planning for 500 people. The suggested donation is $10, so we could potentially raise $5,000 for hunger in one day. We are also having a silent auction, which could raise our profits even more. You can click here to read the story I wrote about the Empty Bowls project. We are also looking for lots of volunteers to serve all day that day, so if you are interested, let me know!

It's neat to be a part of this planning committe, (headed up by Dr. Gramling, Katy Blackshear and about 10 students) and see the amazing things that Lord can do through people that come together for His glory. I pray that God will be glorified through this event and that people will truly be impacted.

I'll end this post with some scripture that Dr. Gramling shared tonight from Isaiah 56:6-10:

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."