“Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days. Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth. If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it lies. He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things. Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.”
— Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 (NASB)
When I think about the timing of what we are doing, it is definitely not what I would call ideal. As a matter of fact, this rollercoaster we have been on for the past year has occurred at what I would consider the worst timing possible. We built a home in the height of the oil boom then sold it during the bust. Then we set off to do the Lord’s work in an RV with one baby and now we have another on the way. What are we thinking?! From the outside we may appear to be the most foolish people on the planet, but I can say with honesty that I have never felt more joy or contentment in my whole life.
If you’ve been reading you know that there have been hardships along the way and seasons of discouragement, but I look back at who we were a year ago and find it hard to believe how our hearts and lives have changed since then. We are different people today because of the path the Lord has us on and we are so grateful for it all.
Had we based our decisions solely on our feelings, we never would have made the leap of faith we did. The calling was clear even though it didn’t make sense. I especially love verse 4 of the above passage from Ecclesiastes 11, “He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap.” Ain’t that the truth! The timing for everything in the last year has been exactly the opposite of what I would have chosen myself. Had we waited for the “right time” we would have missed it. I also never thought that God would use me for much after the life I’ve lived. Nonetheless, we felt him calling us and even though it didn’t make sense we couldn’t ignore it.
Throughout scripture, the timing of events and the people involved are unlikely at best. The youngest son of Jesse was not supposed to be the one to defeat Goliath and become king. This and many other biblical stories should give us all hope that God can do big things through anyone, even us. One of the most stunning examples of God’s counterculture character is when the Messiah came into the world as a baby. Later, he rode in to Jerusalem on a donkey to be crucified for the salvation of the world. Nobody could have guessed the prophecies would be fulfilled that way! God loves to blow our expectations to smithereens and bring about things that are far greater than we could have imagined. His glory shines when we are left in awe of His work.
We humans have invented our own ideas of what is important. We tend to elevate good things, and before we realize it they become idols. Our culture tells us to seek security. Scripture shows us that earthly security is a myth and that our only security is in a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. When we misplace our hope in things of the world we waste not only our lives but also potentially our eternity. God is beckoning us to sow our seeds for Him in the morning and evening—to give ourselves freely in order to know Him deeper. We have to recognize that we cannot understand the activity of God and we must trust Him when he says in Matthew 16:24-26: “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” That sure doesn’t sound like what pop culture says.
Guys this is a tough pill to swallow. I find myself kicking against it all the time even though I know it’s good for me. I want to be the best. I want to be known and recognized. I want The Field’s Edge to be successful and though I try to fight it, deep in my heart there is a desire for praise. My pride wells up just when I think I have it under control. Then I step back and realize that nothing good in my story would have happened without the Lord. This is not about me! Truthfully, I would either be in jail or dead by now (in hell) without Him. He is the reason for all good things and He has given us the privilege to participate in His will. I need to be constantly humbled and reminded of the joy of my salvation. I need His help to deny myself and be a light for Christ in this upside-down world.
We have had so many wonderful meetings this past week with people who want to come alongside us and help make The Field’s Edge a reality. I constantly have to tell myself that had it not been for the Lord going before me, I would have fallen on my face many times already. There are several meetings we are preparing for that we know will be difficult and may not go well. However, we know that God will open the hearts of people in our community who we really need alongside us. Therefore we will continue to sow seeds for the Lord not knowing if they will succeed but trusting Him anyways. Our search for land has not yet been fruitful but we know that in His timing we will find exactly where we are supposed to be. We have had some amazing people join our steering committee and we are still looking for more. We are also very willing to share our mission with anyone who will hear. If you believe in this mission, please share it with your friends, family, co-workers, and church. You will be amazed at the people God will connect you with and bring in to this glorious unfolding. Be a part of this beautiful tapestry God is weaving together before our eyes. Sow seeds and watch God grow them.
Prayer Requests:
· Praise for Truma’s life on her 2nd birthday.
· Our homeless friend “Santa” who got out of the hospital and is back on the street.
· Land for the village.
· For the community to understand our vision and support it.
· Praise that Dr. D is out of the hospital.
· Lost friends and family.
· Future neighbors and discipleship.
· Future missional residents.
· Discernment to know when to move and when to stay still.
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