The last few months I have spent a great deal of time thinking and pondering at where I am at, the life and the ministry that the Lord has asked me to be part of. A long time ago I said those dangerous words and I was very serious! “Here am I Lord send me!!!” I didn’t care where and didn’t care what… I just wanted to be used greatly for the kingdom, to be part of his master plan.
Then it happened, My heart broke, my ears began to hear more than I wanted them to, my mind was filled with dreams and visions, my mouth would open and I would be shocked at what was coming out as I spoke.
Long ago, a simple prayer “here I am Lord send me” mixed with an over whelming desire to have an intimate relationship with my lord and creator. As one missionary I know calls it “A laid down lover of Christ”.
As the Lord began to pour himself out on my wife and I we started looking for a place (organization) to see how and where we could fit all that the Lord was pouring into us. We became very frustrated as we could not find any one with the heart and vision that was being given to us. With that said the Lord made it clear that what he was giving to us was not to fit anywhere else! But it would be a new wine!
He said I am making you Pioneer’s who will take my heart to my people and do what I tell you to do when and how I tell you to do it. You will say what I want you to say when, how, where, and to whom I want you to say it to.
I am sorry but who in the world wants that kind of ministry? I thank God that I was so in love with him and so ignorant at that time! What did I say?? “Here am I Lord, send me”! I did add though, that if I was going that he better go before me and he better be behind me.
So Wow, a pioneer sounds nice, but what is it and what does it look like really?? By definition a pioneer is: one who leads the way, to open up, break new ground, initiate, establish, prepare, blaze a trail, be the first, light the way, set an example, break through, set up, start, begin, launch. These are all words that if you would have asked me four years ago I would have told you none of them described me. Yet for the last four years this is exactly what I have been trying to do. Taking what God has given me and go trail blazing, breaking new ground, being the first, lighting the way…
This is so not easy, all my life I belonged to something that already existed. Someone had already invested their life to get it going. Then I and others would come along and join what was already working just adding our talents and skills to keep it going. Most organizations, church’s, and businesses are like that. You have people who set it up and establish it then others get to come and help maintain it. Really reaping the harvest and blessing of someone else’s hard work, sweat, and tears. (at least it can feel like that some times.)
I have been learning the last four years that pioneering is not easy, many people love to watch but will most often not get involved. But the moment that there appears to be some organization, structure, and programs, they come by the hoards. Is it safe to say then that there seem s to be more maintainers than pioneers in this world??
I have learned that pioneering can be a long, frustrating, and lonely road. One that many don’t choose to go down! But there must in the end be an incredible amount of joy and satisfaction gained by watching what you have spent so much time and energy trail blazing. To see those who grab a hold of it and take off with it running making it work just the way the Lord had you prepare and launch it off.
This is one of the reasons why I must not stop! I cannot stop and will not stop until I see what the Lord has said happen. The other reason of course is the knowledge that I am in the center of what God has for me and my family no matter what happens, that in itself makes it easy to keep going.
So If you are a pioneer and love to be a starter/ trail blazer/ ground breaker/ etc. etc.
If you feel you have a heart for Africa and want to see the Lords kingdom established in a mighty way then please feel free to contact me for more info.
