I came out to Cambodia with the dream-pieces of a guesthouse, college students, the U.K., missions, and building home. I came out here with hands open, lifted towards the Heavens saying, “Jesus, here’s what I’ve got. Can you turn this into something meaningful, something Kingdom worthy?” Because like the Psalmist reminds us, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build labor in vain.” (127:1) And I’m not interested in trying to break ground where the Lord hasn’t already softened the soil. I want to partner up with Him, and help build the home He’s already started.
I hope this is how I always approach Jesus—with a heart full of dreams and hands held open.
As part of my time here I meet weekly with the General Manager of the Guesthouse, Emily, as well as the Operations Manager, Kelsey. The three of us get together and talk about what it looks like to partner business endeavors with God’s kingdom work. We talk about what that looks like on a broad scale, and specifically in the world of Jesus-minded Guesthouses and Hostels.
It’s in these conversations with Emily and Kelsey where I’ve learned a business term that has encouraged me as I’ve spent the last 3 months in Siem Reap serving, learning, gathering information, and talking with Jesus about what the future looks like.
Entrepreneur and author of The Lean Startup, Eric Ries, coined the term, “Pivot” and it’s definition:
“Pivot: a change in strategy without a change in vision”
Here’s the thing. A dream, an idea, those tiny thought-seeds full of potential need action to get going. We have to start somewhere, and we can’t be afraid for the start and the middle and the end to all look a little different — especially if we are daily handing those dreams and ideas over to God, intentionally asking Him to shape them into what He wants them to be.
Sometimes we are tempted or shamed into viewing change or adjustment as failure, but I love what Ries goes on to say about the importance of pivoting in one interview as he shares the stories of businesses like Youtube, Twitter, and Groupon, which all started out with very different focuses than what we know them for today.
“Pivoting redeems the failure, because we learned so much about what is possible.”
Pivoting is a healthy and wise part of the business process. It’s about keeping your eyes on the vision with a willingness to allow your starting and ending places to move through transformation and change. Pivoting stands in assurance that failure is a forward motion and in the process something better is being produced.
Pivoting is also a healthy and wise part of life—especially life with Jesus. When we say yes to Jesus, we say yes to a life of constant transformation. We commit to a life of learning, adjusting, and allowing God to shape, mold, change, and redirect our hearts and our actions into more of His likeness. We say yes to the process, and say yes to the pivot.
Hearts full of dreams, hands held open.
