If you are reading this, you are invited to do what you are most passionate about and in a way you are most skilled. You are invited to embark on a journey of trusting in God's abundance to bring Light into the world with and through you. Read on or fill out this form to take the next step.
If you say yes, you will be in good company. You will be joining a large community and a long tradition of those who have dropped their nets and followed in Jesus's footsteps. It started with our brother, Christ, then 3 said yes, then 12, then 72, then 500, and now 400,000 people in this present-day are walking this beautiful path of trust. Within a 20-mile radius, I am almost positive there are multiple followers who are successfully walking this path today.
At first, I said "no thanks, not for me, got the wrong guy". Then I read "The God Ask" and have barely looked back. I imagine the path diverged in the yellow wood above. If Simon and Andrew would have taken the well worn path they would have missed out on the best journey of all time. By saying yes, they lived a life of intimate adventure with Jesus. Many times they were confused by God's higher ways; they had to learn deeply the lessons of trust and belovedness over and over. You are also invited, if you say yes, you will likewise experience the same.
Jesus lived this first and then asked some of us to do it. He incarnated into the world, raised by parents, had a good job, and then asked God to bring him a team of rope holders so he could launch into his ministry. "Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means."
When Jesus sent out his 2 x 2 he said, "do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave." In the other accounts, Jesus also says take no bread. It is a gauntlet for those who have faith to say "yes, I believe you will provide for me and my family, I trust you".
Jesus spoke intimately with his dad, asking for what they needed and role modeled that living to others. He was not anxious about his or his friend's survival, knowing his belovedness. He knew his friend's would be anxious when he sent them out. I think that's why he sent them out 2 x 2, to encourage and support each other on the desolate road. By asking them to "take nothing" he invited them into fully trusting in God through others, that's the recipe. Trust grows intimacy. Intimacy with God breeds peace and belovedness.
In a long tradition of mobilizers, you will ask many to partner with you to bring forth Love and Freedom with God. You will ask many to hold your ropes so you can go into the pit. You will knock on some doors, asking them if they want to be on mission with you and they will say no. That's perfectly ok and good! They didn't say no to you. They either said yes to another disciple on the road - or, they said no to the mission God wants them to invest in. You invited them into an opportunity that stirred their heart. You helped them lean-in to forming deeper convictions of their current Kingdom investments. You invited them into a generosity journey. This requires our "trust-in-God" muscles to grow. Win-Win.
Many along your road will surprise you. They are eager to partner with God, and they do it by housing and feed you along your journey. Over dinner or a cup of coffee they will lean in to hear the amazing stories God is orchestrating.
God Loves Team and we all have a role. Some people he wants on the court, some cheerleaders,
some grab water, some coach. Sound familiar? We are One body. Every part has it's function and no part is more important than another. We are all invited to cheerfully receive the Love of God. And in response to that Love, we are all invited to cheerfully give - it is truly one of the greatest joys of life - to give. We are all on a generosity journey. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." We are all missionaries with different, but complimentary, objectives.
I, Paul, have shared some deeper reflections of my time on the road, linked here. I have asked other friends to share insights about their journey from "no way, not me" to becoming "spiritually healthy, vision-driven, and fully-funded." Let the blood of the lamb and the words of the testimonies uplift, encourage, and call you out into the wilderness.
IF you are called into this way of working, it is not a matter of IF you will be fully-funded, only a matter of when. God partners with his beloved to be his hands and feet to all the world to bring light into the dark corners of our communities. We are the delighted ones, children of light, light-bearers, lamps on a lampstand, city on a hill. IF we ask God and the Spirit says Yes, then drop your nets quickly, join the charge, be welcomed into the community, and let's hit the road. You CAN do this.
NOTE: The intention of this post is to call and invite people into a way of life, support-raising, that many people don't go down. For many who have been invited, it's not easy to say yes. If you are reading this and you do not feel called to this work, in no way do I believe this path is a "higher calling". It's simply "a calling". We all have daily invitations from God to partner in vocation, family, friendship, a stranger, our neighbor, etc. When we say yes, that's when the magic happens. I simply pray that we all can quiet our souls long enough, daily, to hear and discern what we are being invited to do. Every place and person is a divine appointment. I believe God is inviting more than 400,000 people to walk this path and I'm doing my part as a part of the body to invite more people into it. If you have never sat down with someone for a support-raising appointment (only 10% of Christians have) then I pray you receive the grand opportunity. Regardless, I pray you cheerfully invest your earthly treasure somewhere that pushes back darkness and brings forth more of the Kingdom of Light. You will be glad you did.
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