What do you think?
Rate this book
Thirsting for Living Water: Finding Adventure and Purpose in God's Redemption Story
When a perfect storm of personal, professional, and natural disaster threw Mike Mantel into a dark night of the soul, he embarked on a journey through his own life and around the world to rediscover God's presence through the diverse body of Christ.
In Thirsting for Living Water, Mantel invites readers to join him on this adventure and open their eyes to their own stories of God's faithfulness. It's an invitation to see where God is already at at home, among neighbors, and to the ends of the earth. Here is a story of the holistic gospel, driven by compassion, justice, and mercy, with Jesus at the center. Here is an inspiring vision of a unified, global church—in which each of us has a vital role to play.
In Thirsting for Living Water, Mantel invites readers to join him on this adventure and open their eyes to their own stories of God's faithfulness. It's an invitation to see where God is already at at home, among neighbors, and to the ends of the earth. Here is a story of the holistic gospel, driven by compassion, justice, and mercy, with Jesus at the center. Here is an inspiring vision of a unified, global church—in which each of us has a vital role to play.
223 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 12, 2021
1 person is currently reading
763 people want to read
About the author
Michael J. Mantel
2 books3 followersMichael J. Mantel is president and CEO of Living Water International, a faith-based global humanitarian organization. He previously spent seventeen years working for World Vision and nine years in business. He holds a PhD in organization development from Benedictine University. Mike lives in Houston with his wife, Natalie, with whom he raised four daughters. Thirsting for Living Water is his first book.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 28, 2021
Summary: How a young executive left a promising position to pursue the adventure in faith of providing both clean drinking water and the living water of Jesus throughout the world.
Michael Mantel thought he had it made. He had married his college sweetheart, found a thriving Christian community, and had risen to a key job in a major company. Then his company awarded a gift to a charitable group digging fresh water wells in Africa, and sent him to observe their work. His life was transformed as he saw the difference access to safe drinking water could make in the life of a village in Senegal.
He agreed with his wife Natalie to walk through a door, taking a leave from his company to work for World Vision in development efforts. After learning the work from funding to community development, he took the position as president and CEO of Living Water International, a ministry that uses an integrated approach of coming alongside people in a country to help with water access, sanitation, and hygiene efforts (WASH) that make a major difference in reducing disease and death from water-borne illnesses and fuel other development efforts. In addition, they are committed to sharing the message of the living water of Christ.
This book narrates a journey from hearing the call to be witnesses, beginning with his Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and reaching the ends of the earth. He describes a downward journey as he loses his father, walks along his wife in fighting cancer, faces tests of faith in growing the business, and goes through Hurricane Harvey and sees God provide for his Houston-based organization amid the pressures of so many needs in his own city.
It’s a story of both understanding his own calling and appreciating the breadth of the church. Through work with a couple Christian academics, he learns about appreciative inquiry, in which one learns how to assess the strengths of a community where development efforts are being undertaken, and how one works with a variety of partners inside and outside a community for its flourishing. Then the work of Living Water International gives him the chance to apply these lessons globally, glimpsing the bigness of God’s vision for the world, learning how God is already at work with churches abroad as well as awakening churches here through engagement in God’s mission. He contend that it is in this work of God’s entire body that the oneness of the church is truly experienced.
The book is filled with inspiring stories, not only of Mike and Natalie, but also of churches both here and around the world. But the aim of the book is to encourage readers to reflect on how God is meeting them in their own story. Each chapter both is a reflection and invites reflection in thought, writing, and discussion with others. It is both an encouraging and dangerous book, particularly if read with a group seeking to discern how they might walk into God’s vision for the world, his great story. Read this one if you dare!
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Michael Mantel thought he had it made. He had married his college sweetheart, found a thriving Christian community, and had risen to a key job in a major company. Then his company awarded a gift to a charitable group digging fresh water wells in Africa, and sent him to observe their work. His life was transformed as he saw the difference access to safe drinking water could make in the life of a village in Senegal.
He agreed with his wife Natalie to walk through a door, taking a leave from his company to work for World Vision in development efforts. After learning the work from funding to community development, he took the position as president and CEO of Living Water International, a ministry that uses an integrated approach of coming alongside people in a country to help with water access, sanitation, and hygiene efforts (WASH) that make a major difference in reducing disease and death from water-borne illnesses and fuel other development efforts. In addition, they are committed to sharing the message of the living water of Christ.
This book narrates a journey from hearing the call to be witnesses, beginning with his Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and reaching the ends of the earth. He describes a downward journey as he loses his father, walks along his wife in fighting cancer, faces tests of faith in growing the business, and goes through Hurricane Harvey and sees God provide for his Houston-based organization amid the pressures of so many needs in his own city.
It’s a story of both understanding his own calling and appreciating the breadth of the church. Through work with a couple Christian academics, he learns about appreciative inquiry, in which one learns how to assess the strengths of a community where development efforts are being undertaken, and how one works with a variety of partners inside and outside a community for its flourishing. Then the work of Living Water International gives him the chance to apply these lessons globally, glimpsing the bigness of God’s vision for the world, learning how God is already at work with churches abroad as well as awakening churches here through engagement in God’s mission. He contend that it is in this work of God’s entire body that the oneness of the church is truly experienced.
The book is filled with inspiring stories, not only of Mike and Natalie, but also of churches both here and around the world. But the aim of the book is to encourage readers to reflect on how God is meeting them in their own story. Each chapter both is a reflection and invites reflection in thought, writing, and discussion with others. It is both an encouraging and dangerous book, particularly if read with a group seeking to discern how they might walk into God’s vision for the world, his great story. Read this one if you dare!
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
December 10, 2025
This book exceeded my expectations! Mantel's life story was very interesting to me and inspiring. The Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor, MI, Chicago and Houston references hit home for me personally. I learned a lot about the world, business and religion. I highly recommend this read as well as giving to /serving LWI!
Thirsting for Living Water is an inspiring and challenging read aimed at motivating individuals and church groups to move past cultural and geographical boundaries and fully embrace their role in the global body of Christ. It ties the universal physical need for water to the universal spiritual need for Christ, urging us to make a tangible, dignified difference in the world.
Access to safe drinking water results in better health, more freedom for women and girls, more food, work, time, education, money – better lives in every way.
As his people, Jesus expects us to feed the hungry and give water to the thirsty. We serve him by serving the people who suffer. Jesus said that when we do those things for the least of our brothers and sisters, we do the same for him.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them… There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. - 1 John 4:16, 18
World Vision and LWI used the Appreciative Inquiry, the strengths-based strategic planning approach, process to discover, dream, design, and deliver a strategic plan. (see page 118) They decided to globalize and put every Living Water operation in the hands of skilled local teams. They updated and harmonized their agreements, standards, processes, tools, and technology. They expanded their focus from water to WASH which is an acronym for water, sanitation, and hygiene. “Each challenge we faced, honed our skills, built resilience, and sharpened servant leaders to address the next issue.”
“I am not alone. God knows me. God loves me. There is no need for fear. God is at work restoring our world. God invites me to take part in that work. We are a community. I can participate in God’s work and invite others to do the same.”
Christ gave instruction about 40 days after his death. The disciples had lost their dream of Christ overturning the Roman Empire and establishing his kingdom on earth. They likely felt alone, abandoned, and afraid of the future. They didn’t fully understand the resurrection yet. It was in their moment of weakness, vulnerability, confusion, and doubt that Jesus told his disciples to stay where they were and wait. Even in our weakest moments God‘s gift is there, waiting to emerge, and give us his power.
Some estimate Christians are now divided into more than 33,000 denominations.
“Faced with the reality of denominational diversity, some people hunker down and defend the truth of their tradition against all others. Others choose to loosen their doctrinal grip for pragmatic reasons. Some throw in the towel on the church completely, while others find a path to learn from each other’s differences without losing their distinctiveness.”
In the Word of God community in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a few thousand people from all different Christian backgrounds achieved “unity through three main areas of focus: commitment to community, focus on what we had in common, and the application of biblical principles to our life together.” “Though our beliefs varied, we were encouraged to keep sight of the fact that we were brothers and sisters who deserved one another’s love and respect. Our diversity made us stronger.” They used Matthew 18:15–17 as their model for resolving any conflict. “Christians are uniquely equipped to lead the way in demonstrating unity in the midst of our diversity, and we can do so without letting go of any of our core beliefs.”
For you are all one in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3:28.
Note pages 99–100 discussing the multiplier effect of water.
“In many of our lowest-income and most dangerous neighborhoods, the local church was a very visible, positive contributor to public life.”
Dr. Reverend Lincoln Scott in Lawndale, the Westside Chicago Neighborhood that was home to gangs, was inspired to open Hope House, a food pantry and residential homeless shelter that ministered to recovering addicts and people transitioning back to society after incarceration.
God is always preparing us to participate in a vision too big for us to see. Our merciful Creator seeks to repair us for his use, and the scar tissue becomes not only beautiful, but also strong. God wants to work through you to redeem the world. Whatever the circumstance, the right lives will come together in God‘s perfect timing. The Creator and Sustainer of all creation is already at work everywhere. Know that someone else’s “there“ could be your “here.”
Think of a time in your life when things made more sense in retrospect, but at the time you could not see what God was preparing you for.
A Pew Research report titled The Future of World Religions predicts that between 2010 and 2050, the portion of the world‘s population that is Christian is expected to remain steady at 31% but is expected to shift from North American Europe to sub-Sahara Africa. The “10/40 Window” is the South Asia region between 10 and 40° north of the equator where people are said to have least access to the Christian message.
Pew also talks about the exodus of “nones“ (those how check “none“ under religious affiliation on a survey), who are leaving church. The Barna Group says the number of practicing Christians in America is down to half of what it was in 2000.
The vision of Grace Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas is “living to make Jesus visible by becoming a people of blessing.“ “Give your people a chance not just to give, but to go. Offer them an experience of seeing what God is doing in and through the church globally. We are made to be one Body in Christ”
“As we strove to see the birth of Christ from inside the stable instead of inside the mall, our holiday practices began to change.”
Worship fully honoring him in the ways we spend our time, energy, and money.
Spend less – we all know that mindless consumption is not what Jesus wants.
Give more – often our best gifts involve time, energy, and thought rather than money. Often our best gifts are not presents, but presence. Love all – let’s offer the least of our brothers and sisters the gifts Jesus asked for.
Arms unfolded. A spirit of unity was unleashed.
The president of Hope International, Peter Greer, wrote the book Rooting for Rivals where he suggested – “better together, even when it’s hard.”
Thirsting for Living Water is an inspiring and challenging read aimed at motivating individuals and church groups to move past cultural and geographical boundaries and fully embrace their role in the global body of Christ. It ties the universal physical need for water to the universal spiritual need for Christ, urging us to make a tangible, dignified difference in the world.
Access to safe drinking water results in better health, more freedom for women and girls, more food, work, time, education, money – better lives in every way.
As his people, Jesus expects us to feed the hungry and give water to the thirsty. We serve him by serving the people who suffer. Jesus said that when we do those things for the least of our brothers and sisters, we do the same for him.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them… There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. - 1 John 4:16, 18
World Vision and LWI used the Appreciative Inquiry, the strengths-based strategic planning approach, process to discover, dream, design, and deliver a strategic plan. (see page 118) They decided to globalize and put every Living Water operation in the hands of skilled local teams. They updated and harmonized their agreements, standards, processes, tools, and technology. They expanded their focus from water to WASH which is an acronym for water, sanitation, and hygiene. “Each challenge we faced, honed our skills, built resilience, and sharpened servant leaders to address the next issue.”
“I am not alone. God knows me. God loves me. There is no need for fear. God is at work restoring our world. God invites me to take part in that work. We are a community. I can participate in God’s work and invite others to do the same.”
Christ gave instruction about 40 days after his death. The disciples had lost their dream of Christ overturning the Roman Empire and establishing his kingdom on earth. They likely felt alone, abandoned, and afraid of the future. They didn’t fully understand the resurrection yet. It was in their moment of weakness, vulnerability, confusion, and doubt that Jesus told his disciples to stay where they were and wait. Even in our weakest moments God‘s gift is there, waiting to emerge, and give us his power.
Some estimate Christians are now divided into more than 33,000 denominations.
“Faced with the reality of denominational diversity, some people hunker down and defend the truth of their tradition against all others. Others choose to loosen their doctrinal grip for pragmatic reasons. Some throw in the towel on the church completely, while others find a path to learn from each other’s differences without losing their distinctiveness.”
In the Word of God community in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a few thousand people from all different Christian backgrounds achieved “unity through three main areas of focus: commitment to community, focus on what we had in common, and the application of biblical principles to our life together.” “Though our beliefs varied, we were encouraged to keep sight of the fact that we were brothers and sisters who deserved one another’s love and respect. Our diversity made us stronger.” They used Matthew 18:15–17 as their model for resolving any conflict. “Christians are uniquely equipped to lead the way in demonstrating unity in the midst of our diversity, and we can do so without letting go of any of our core beliefs.”
For you are all one in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3:28.
Note pages 99–100 discussing the multiplier effect of water.
“In many of our lowest-income and most dangerous neighborhoods, the local church was a very visible, positive contributor to public life.”
Dr. Reverend Lincoln Scott in Lawndale, the Westside Chicago Neighborhood that was home to gangs, was inspired to open Hope House, a food pantry and residential homeless shelter that ministered to recovering addicts and people transitioning back to society after incarceration.
God is always preparing us to participate in a vision too big for us to see. Our merciful Creator seeks to repair us for his use, and the scar tissue becomes not only beautiful, but also strong. God wants to work through you to redeem the world. Whatever the circumstance, the right lives will come together in God‘s perfect timing. The Creator and Sustainer of all creation is already at work everywhere. Know that someone else’s “there“ could be your “here.”
Think of a time in your life when things made more sense in retrospect, but at the time you could not see what God was preparing you for.
A Pew Research report titled The Future of World Religions predicts that between 2010 and 2050, the portion of the world‘s population that is Christian is expected to remain steady at 31% but is expected to shift from North American Europe to sub-Sahara Africa. The “10/40 Window” is the South Asia region between 10 and 40° north of the equator where people are said to have least access to the Christian message.
Pew also talks about the exodus of “nones“ (those how check “none“ under religious affiliation on a survey), who are leaving church. The Barna Group says the number of practicing Christians in America is down to half of what it was in 2000.
The vision of Grace Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas is “living to make Jesus visible by becoming a people of blessing.“ “Give your people a chance not just to give, but to go. Offer them an experience of seeing what God is doing in and through the church globally. We are made to be one Body in Christ”
“As we strove to see the birth of Christ from inside the stable instead of inside the mall, our holiday practices began to change.”
Worship fully honoring him in the ways we spend our time, energy, and money.
Spend less – we all know that mindless consumption is not what Jesus wants.
Give more – often our best gifts involve time, energy, and thought rather than money. Often our best gifts are not presents, but presence. Love all – let’s offer the least of our brothers and sisters the gifts Jesus asked for.
Arms unfolded. A spirit of unity was unleashed.
The president of Hope International, Peter Greer, wrote the book Rooting for Rivals where he suggested – “better together, even when it’s hard.”
June 2, 2022
Thirsting for Living Water provides a fresh landscape from which to view and think about God's daily intervention into our lives and the enormous possibilities that come from his love and guidance as well as the power of prayer in that equation.
"I remembered praying for years for an open door to serve God, and Natalie telling me to stop praying for an open door if I wasn't going to go through it."
"Prayer is all we have, and it is powerful." "But as persecution increases," Thevan says, "so does prayer."
Written in 12 segments - it provides an opportunity to ponder and consider action steps. Additionally, stories that incorporate organizations, churches and persons from around the world integrate a world view and broadens every concept Michael is sharing.
"I remembered praying for years for an open door to serve God, and Natalie telling me to stop praying for an open door if I wasn't going to go through it."
"Prayer is all we have, and it is powerful." "But as persecution increases," Thevan says, "so does prayer."
Written in 12 segments - it provides an opportunity to ponder and consider action steps. Additionally, stories that incorporate organizations, churches and persons from around the world integrate a world view and broadens every concept Michael is sharing.
October 26, 2021
This book has an unusual format that combines memoir and devotional. Because of that, you can't help but be sucked into the stories ... and then the author turns the tables on you, and makes you consider your own life in light of the powerful questions he asks. A great book for Christian leaders who want to think about their leadership in light of of their faith, especially as they encounter difficult seasons of life.
September 29, 2021
A book on who we really are when we commit ourselves to G0d
September 12, 2023
"Thirsting" was an easy and inspiring read. It is good to be reminded of the need of others worldwide and how God will use us to impact others in life-changing ways if we will trust in Him.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews