There I was sitting in the park doing my quiet time and I had nothing. It was Sunday morning and I had nothing concrete to say for my World Race presentation at church that day.
God, what do you want me to say to your people?
In typical God fashion, He lets me know that He will give me the words to say and learning from past failures, I figured it was best to trust and believe that He would take care of it.
Fast forward to two hours later. I arrive at church and it is like a ghost town. I began to panic a little bit. The less people there are, the smaller my chances are at getting 30 people to pledge to give $50/month for the next six months. The fear and doubt are starting to seep in and so I try to focus on the praise and worship team, but anxiety begins to build within my soul and I have to excuse myself to the back to pray.
I was absolutely surprised at how nervous I was. I knelt down and asked God for His direction and His words because I knew that the six-point PowerPoint I had was a framework, but I needed God to fill in the rest.
Lord, use me.
When it was time, I climbed up the stairs with my backpack, daypack, and guitar, and walked across the darkened stage, and took the mic. Somehow, there were much more people there than I anticipated and I remember scanning the sea of faces, opening my mouth, saying “Good morning” and the rest was God.
I felt like my heart was burning. I mean literally burning. I felt all the passion and desire that God had placed in my heart and I so badly wanted it to jump on them and translate into change. I wanted to encourage them and challenge them, like the Holy Spirit has done for me on this journey. I wanted them to know that they are deeply loved and called to do great things just like the people that I am going to meet around the world are deeply love and called to great things. And somehow, God managed to communicate all that and so much more.
***
I ended up crying and leaping and shaking up there and I didn’t know what was going to come out of my mouth next, but it must have been good because people were standing and clapping and cheering.
We truly serve the awesome God of the universe who chooses to call ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
At the end of my time, I asked who would stand with me and be part of Project30. I asked who would commit to $50/month for the next six months and hands began to pop up over the sanctuary. It’s very much a blur, so I don’t remember how many hands went up, but there were more than I anticipated.
The last words out of my mouth were, “Can’t hold us back, we chainless” in honor of my amazing team: The Chainless and then I walked off the stage.
***
I remember walking down the church hallway with plans to re-enter the sanctuary and have a seat, but it was like I came back to reality and realized what the Holy Spirit had just done through me and I just crumpled. Knees hit the floor and I began to weep. Utterly amazed that God would love me. Choose me. Send me. And that He would provide people to make it happen. I couldn’t get anything out except for “Thank You Jesus” over and over again because I was stunned at the might and power and provision of my Father.
He will never leave me. He will never forsake me. He will never let me go.
***
Everyone who raised their hand did not come after service to sign up online, but I am believing that they will still give. Fifteen people signed up for Project30, others gave one-time gifts, and others offered to buy some of my gear.
After service, so many people came up to me and shared how my words convicted them or challenged them, some said that they were encouraged, others inspired. So many people said that they were shocked when they found themselves crying and some shared the mission and vision that God had laid on their heart and by the end of the day, I was blown away.
Surely this was the Lord’s doing!
When I had a moment to reflect on Monday, I thought about the story in Numbers 22 with Balaam and how God spoke through a donkey. A lowly, stubborn animal. So I should not be surprised that God would use me to speak to others, but seriously, it still never gets old. God absolutely floors me when He chooses to implant words into my mouth that bless others and transform lives. I will continue to live a life of surrender and allow Him to speak through me because when God talks, demons tremble, hearts are broken, and lives are changed.
Here I am Lord, send me.
I am still far from being fully funded, click "Support Me" at the top of the page and sign up to be one of the 30 with a monthly gift of $50 or give a one-time gift online or in-person.
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And of course, please go to the Father and pray for me and my squad as we prepare to leave and share the life-changing message of the gospel!!
