3 Things You Need to Know More About: Birds, Solidarity and Swimming

One of the best parts of working with Know Sweat is that we daily have the chance to run into incredible people. Some are ministries we partner with, some are students and leaders who attend our events and some are just incredible people doing faithful kingdom work. In this post I want to highlight 3 of these partners in ministry that I get excited by every time I talk with, partner with or think about them.

1. Birds of Hope
If you haven't met this ministry yet, you need to. This is two incredible young ladies to came to our event in Kissimmee last summer. They were moved to do something about the water crisis Zambia and decided that the one skill (I venture to say they've got quite a few) was sewing. So they began crafting these little birds that they sell for $5 each. That all started back in July. As of today, they have reached almost $15,000 in money raised! Yeah, I know it is incredible. They have some huge opportunities in front of them but each time I tell their story I am reminded of just how much God can do with what might seem like a simple skill. Their partnership with ActiveWater is amazing and I cannot wait to see where this goes.
So check them out on facebook.Better yet, buy some birds.  www.facebook.com/birdsofhope

2. Solidarity
This summer we launch our new Know Sweat week in Fullerton, CA. This week promises to be pretty incredible and one partnership we will begin is with a ministry called Solidarity. I can't begin to explain just how unique and exciting their work is. I'm inspired by their vision, encouraged by their wisdom and blown away at their honest and sincere ministry they do each day. I don't even know all they are a part of but I'm honored that KS has the chance to be taught and guided by what they are doing. You can check them out on facebook and the web as well. I recommend their new promo video which is very solid.
On facebook search : Solidarity Live Christ
Or on the web: www.solidarityrising.org

3. Swim to Chicago
This one is a bit more indirect than the other two. Last year all of CIY partnered with Active:Water to raise awareness for the water crisis in Zambia. If you haven't seen Zambia's Song yet, the documentary CIY created, shame on you. Go find it. But as Active:Water continues to raise awareness, their leader Daren Wendell has taken on a new challenge. Walking across the U.S. was one thing he has already conquered. Now, it is to swim across Lake Michigan non-stop all the way to Chicago.How far is that? 40 miles. Non-stop. Daren is training non-stop and is looking for investors, partners and people to spread the word. I suggest you check him out on facebook too.
www.facebook.com/swimtochicago
Or here:
http://www.active.com/donate/activewaterupick/SwimToChicago
www.activewater.com

My response to the National Championship

First I want to say congrats to my beloved Oregon Ducks men's basketball team that ran the gauntlet known as the CBI Tournament presented by Zebra Pen. The list of daunting foes is impressive: Weber State, Duquesne, Boise State (Take that smurf turfers) and Creighton in a best of three showdown.

I hope you sense the wide brush with which I am applying my sarcasm to this.

In the "Fact that don't mean crap" realm, VCU did parlay their CBI Tourny championship into a Final Four appearance in the real tournament this year. I do not expect that for Oregon. Not unless we start paying for recruits in basketball as much as we do in football.

But oh, you logged in to see my response to the National Championship. Here's what I think.

1. I only watched the last 8 minutes so to me it seemed like an okay game.From what I hear, I didn't miss much.
2. For those of us who moan about a playoff for football, maybe we know not what we ask for.
3. Congrats to both teams for making it. You beat every opponent put before you. If people don't like that, maybe their favorite team should pay for better recruits too.

4. I am sad to see both teams struggled so much. It happens. Was it a lame culmination? Sure, how dare these 19-21 year olds not deliver as good a product as the SCRIPTED AND FIXED NBA does each playoff season. Nonetheless, they deserved to be there. No poll gave them that game and no man made computer generated completely arbitrary and biased towards big conferences system made us have this game.And what did you expect, another epic showdown ending with a "what could have been" half-court three point miss?
5. For most of us, we are just upset our team wasn't there and our bracket had more red marks than our last math test.
6. I'd still rather have had that tournament than what the Bowls give us each season or any other scenario we might come up with.
7. And finally, I hope this shows the NCAA that a 128 team tournament is a horrible idea.

So here's to 100 more years of Zebra Pen's and the CBI Tournament!