This morning (9/12), I met with a number of pastors to inform them of my team coming later this week. We greeted one other, I explained how Church to Church works, then we visited and shared our hearts. Each pastor greatly rejoiced in this.
With our first pastor, Pastor Emile Pierre and his wife, the Lord was on the move.
He asked questions, I asked questions and then God showed up in words that were far from planned.
Pastor Pierre has an incredible pure heart for his people and better yet, he's a dreamer! God loves dreamers!
He desires to place his school, that is now in the streets, on the second floor of his church (once finished), and is also in process of planting a new church and school in the countryside. Not stopping there, pastor dreams to launch a seminary as well as a trade school within the church.
Often, dreamers struggle with putting their dreams to action. Hesitation or lack of initiation may be caused by fear, few supporters, depleted funds, the belief of not being qualified, or a number of other things. Does this mean that God's dreams inside of us won't be fulfilled?
One thing we must remember is that it's not our dream.
In Pastor Pierre's case, like many, large tasks are at hand. Beginning a trade school, finishing the church, planting another, and launching a seminary are tasks that are beyond him, especially in "proper" time.
As words were exchanged, I felt to share with him the word that God gave me while in South Africa: "I am your provision, not money, not people, not food, not anything else, I am your provision."
I can't begin to tell you the magnitude of the praise party that was going on at that table when that word was confirmed in pastor's heart! We were all crying at this point….
It can be easy as a fully support-raised missionary, or even as a Haitian to begin seeing money, food, housing, or Americans (in a Haitian's reality) as provision. We often pray for "provision" but Jesus said, "I am." This means that He is our every breath, our Jehovah Jire, our all in all; just ask the Israelites.
Dream, take heart, move forward, remember the words of God, and hold tight as you ingest the true substance of these four words:
