picturesfromheaven

Sometimes the Lord speaks so clearly, so distinctly, that there is no question in my mind what He wants to say to me or through me. However, there are other times when it takes a series of events coming together to set off the light bulb in my head. A convergence of experiences, conversations, memories and/or teachings come together to give me that, “Oh, I get it” moment. This week I had one of those eureka moments.

It all started with our Heart to Heart mission’s trip to the Philippines and Indonesia. We flew from Chicago to Los Angeles to Hong Kong to South Korea to Manila, Philippines. We had an eight hour layover in Manila before our flight to Davao City on the island of Mindanao where our first conference was going to be held. Through a mutual friend we had heard of a British woman by the name of Jane Walker who was doing amazing ministry in the dump sites of Manila. Exhausted with little or no sleep and we prepared to meet Jane, see her work and then get back on another plane to our destination. Little did we know that this “lay over” would be a life changing experience.

Jane, a new believer, business woman and single mother took a trip to the Philippines in 1996 and witnessed how children and families live and work in the dumpsite in Tondo. These courageous families wrestle with abject poverty to survive. The sites grabbed Jane’s heart, and she made a promise that should would not turn her back on these children but try to bring some hope and happiness in their lives. She could not go back to business as usual. She first took us to the school she established and explained how her organization, the Philippine Christian Foundation have a health and nutrition program, adult literacy program as well as a school which runs from pre-school to grade 4 in several areas of the Philippines as well as help provide spiritual care, livelihood and skills training for adults and programs for family and community enhancement. It was wonderful hearing about all of her programs, but jet lag was doing a number on me, and I was struggling to stay alert. It wasn’t until she gave each of us a set of boots and then took us to the dump site and then to the cemetery where thousands of people live in poverty beyond my ability to describe, that I fully understood what this wonderful woman was doing. Missions trips have taken me all over the world, and I lived for a time in the Philippines, but never, never had I seen anything like it. I watched Jane love on children most would cross the street to avoid. I listened then, really listened to her heart, and I knew I was in the presence of a saint.

That was just the beginning of our trip. We went on to meet, love on and minister to women in Davao City and in Manado, Indonesia. It was a trip of a lifetime. But soon we were all back in Chicago, trying to get caught up on work here. I was back to studying, preaching, teaching, having meetings and organizing programs. But one day while I was in a Bible bookstore I picked up Bill Hybel’s newest book “Holy Discontent”…Fueling the Fire that Ignites Personal Vision. I don’t know why I did. I certainly wasn’t looking for something else to read or do. In the first chapter Bill reminds us of an old cartoon character, Popeye the Sailor man. I know I’m dating myself, but I remember the character quite clearly from my youth. He had a girlfriend by the name of Olive Oil. Yes, a terrible name for a woman that had the figure of a stick bug. Inevitably, Olive Oil would get herself in trouble. At first Popeye would just watch as she got herself deeper and deeper in trouble, but eventually he would blurt out the words, “That’s all I can stand, and I can’t stands no more!” Then he would go into action to save the day and the girl.

What moves you? Agitates you? Frustrates you? Brings tears to your eyes when you pray? What subject makes you move your hands while you talk? What things keep you awake at night? If you know, you might have found your God call. Just remember…that God’s call will be about other people. If personal problems are keeping you awake at night, then you need to turn them over to God in prayer. But if it is the needs of people that is causing sleeplessness…then you have identified the purpose for which you were born, just like Jane.

I’m still struggling with my work load. Last week it seemed like I was never going to catch up. I was overwhelmed, stressed and emotionally exhausted. I received one problem e-mail after another until I just snapped. I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t do it any more. After I went through an emotional melt down, I went to the Lord in prayer…but received no answer, no help. Have you ever been there?

After several days of whining prayers, I finally had it. I yelled at God. “What’s up?! What’s going on here?!” God reminded me about Jane, and Popeye and then turned the question back to me. “What’s up?! What’s going on here?!” I have to change. There is a call on my life for the hurting women of the world, but I have so many things on my plate I can’t focus on the one thing you have called me to do. It’s evaluation time in my life. It’s easy for me to add ministry to my life, but it is really hard to let go. I worry about who will take up the slack? What will people think? Is this really what God wants me to do? But I believe I’m finally at the place where the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of changing.

What about you? Have you identified God’s call on your life? Are you pursuing it with your whole heart? Or are you wrapped up in so many things that God’s call is on a back burner. Are you at the place where you can say with Popeye, “That’s all I can stand, and I can’t stands no more!” If you are…congratulations. It’s time for change. It’s time for God’s purposes. It’s time you to step out and step out…just like me.

If you want to know more about Jane Walker’s ministry…her website is http://www.pcf.ph/ and her e-mail is jane@p-c-f.org