Yesterday we had an amazing online celebration via Simulcast from Operation Christmas Child headquarters in Blowing Rock, NC. The big reveal of the 2013 totals left no doubt that God did immeasurably more last year.
The basic shoe box goal for the United States was set at 7,200,000 boxes with a challenge to pray for a "God-sized" goal of 7,400,000 boxes. We prayed for that 7.4 million boxes countless times over the year but I was over-the-moon amazed to hear that total of 7,541,468 boxes. WOW!
The international goal we lifted up to the Lord throughout 2013 was 9.8 million but our God moved again beyond our prayers to give over 9,950,000 boxes worldwide.
After the shouts of praise ended and the tears of joy were wiped away, it was time to think about our new shoe box goal for 2014 here in Northwestern PA.
In 2013 our goal was 45,000 boxes and God surpassed that and gave us 47,604--a 17% increase over the 40,376 from 2012.
In yesterday's Simulcast, Randy Riddle, Domestic Director for OCC, encouraged our teams to think of at least a 10% increase which would be just under 52,500 boxes. I gulped as I thought of that huge number.
Then last night as I prepared the agenda for tonight's Operation Christmas Child area team meeting I calculated what our total would be if God blessed us with a 12% increase (53,316) or even a 15% increase (54,745). And I gulped harder.
Fast forward to tonight's team meeting. With wind chills hovering near zero degrees, there were only four of us at tonight's meeting.
We did a Bible study on how to live a life characterized by 'breakthrough' by looking at David's life and listened to part of an online message by Chip Ingram. Then we looked at what God has done for our team over the past seven years as we discussed our 2014 shoe box goal.
Terri pointed out that God gave us a 17% increase both in 2012 and in 2013. She pulled out her calculator and quickly pronounced that another 17% increase in 2014 would yield a total of 55,697 boxes in 2014.
All four of us warmed to the idea of a goal of 55,700 boxes. How can you not love a goal that has a perfect '7' in it? That goal's not definite yet but a new vision is certainly cast.
And to think that yesterday I gulped when I thought about 52,500.
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