I've debated posting this blog. 'Cause I'm supposed to be "suffering for Jesus." But I'm kinda over trying to please people. Just for the record, since I've asked quite a few of you for money, I still live off a $200 a month food stipend. And have crazy bills to pay. So there's a lot of borrowing clothes, holes in clothes, eating ramen, etc. And honestly, I'm still quite a bit short on the fundraising deal.
So, I've been keeping this story to myself because people will think my life is all about fun and luxury, and it's SO not. But the Holy Spirit convicted me and told me that I was keeping quiet something GREAT He was doing. So, here's the story.
Sometimes Jesus blows my mind.
Like I literally don't get him.
Jesus is honestly a nutcase.
And I mean that with all due respect and affection.
We're close enough now where some days,
my prayers are something along the lines of,
"What the heck, dude?"
Okay, okay, so maybe that's a little too informal.
How about this.
"WHY ARE YOU, THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE,
TAKING THE TIME TO WOO ME?"
That's literally what He's been doing.
Wooing.
When I moved down to Georgia, I knew I'd be staying with about 20 other people in a house on the lake that some Adventures staff get to live in for free, and then in two weeks we'd be moving into apartments/basements/wherever.
The day we were moving out of the lakehouse, as we were packing up the car, we were STILL asking the question of where we were driving to. Sometimes, Jesus waits until the last minute.
Rewind.
A few days prior, God began to stir up something crazy in the hearts of the Hylton family. They're close friends of Seth Barnes, Adventures in Missions founder, and just love Jesus a whole lot. Years ago, God basically told them to buy a house. They started to build their dream. Then, tragicly, their house caught fire. In the renovation process, they felt God explicitly telling them to build as many beds as possible. They say they felt like Noah, building something huge and not exactly knowing why. But knowing God was going to do something big. A few days before we moved out of the lakehouse, Jesus told them to give it all away. To give their house away. To Adventures in Missions. To the Center for Global Action.
Simultaneously, Seth Barnes had been waiting to assign us all housing because he knew the Holy Spirit was up to something and the Father would provide.
Literally, at the last minute, He did.
And literally right after, we moved in.
Fast Forward.
So like I said, as we were packing up the car, we asked where we were going. We heard it was, well, nice.
We pulled up. And our jaws dropped.
We tried to keep our cool. But we did just spend a year sleeping in tents, being dirty, peeing in holes, and all that fun stuff.
After our official tour, where we pretended to be calm, cool, collected women, we ran to our room, jumped up and down, and screamed…
"JESUS IS REAL!!!!!!!" at the top of our lungs.
Cause, you see, Jesus is real. And for some reason, he told a lovely, God-fearing couple to build as many beds as possible and give their home away. And He told Adventures to wait, because He had something better to provide than they could think up.
We won't be living here forever, and we still eat ramen noodles quite often, but I think God wants everyone involved (that's you too), to realize that He has WAY better things planned for us than we could ever ask, think, or imagine. And even if He's waiting until the last minute, trust. Because Dad will provide. He's got good gifts for His kids.
So, with misty eyes and a joyful heart, I give you… our house. No, no, no, God's house.
Front
Back
Kitchen
Dining Room
Screened in Porch
Living Room
Movie Theatre (yeah, I know.)
Bedroom, example #1
Bedroom, example #2… there's a ton more.
And last, but certainly not least, GOAT!
Like I said, Jesus literally blows my mind. And He does greater things than we could ask, think, or imagine.
So, as ODD as it may seem considering I just told you God gave us a movie theatre, we're still ramen noodle eating, carpooling, clothes with holes in them missionaries, and we still need people to partner in what Jesus is already doing. Cause He's obviously already doing things. So if, like the Hyltons, you feel a tug on your heart to partner and be a part of all of this, click "Support Me!" on the lefthand side of your screen.
Let's see what Jesus is up to together!
I am Jeremiah from India New Delhi want to join in the six months training program hence i want to know about visa processing.
regards
Jeremiah
Wow! What a blessing and what a God story. Praise The Lord for his provision and for obedient servants who listened to God and who are such a blessing to others. Thanks for sharing.