I didn't think I was going to share any of this because I lived so long in the organizational side of ministry where you "do it then post it" and that is so far from where I am right now. 99% of the things you will see or hear from me for a while are things that I have written in the years leading up to this point in my life. I'm more in a Mary season where the journey and the supernatural encounters that I have are things I want to ponder and treasure up in my heart. (Luke 2:18-20)
But then this week I asked the Holy Spirit to hire me and He took me on an adventure yesterday and I was reminded that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony as we love not our lives unto death. (Revelation 12:11) So as I overcome I want to encourage you to overcome with your testimony, your obedience, and your yes as you hear the Holy Spirit and walk with Him.
The following story is basically my conversation with the Holy Spirit yesterday. If you don't believe in listening and following the Holy Spirit then you can just keep scrolling and skip this post.
As I have settled into my apartment over the last week or so and I have walked the neighborhood, I have seen the same woman in the same spot sitting outside the McDonald's drive through with a sign. If I was honest I would tell you that I haven't even read her sign, but she caught my eye the first time I walked by her and I continued to notice her every single time.
So when I woke up and asked the Lord to hire me I basically asked Him, "What do you want me to do today?"
To which I felt Him prompting me to make this woman sitting outside McDonald's some breakfast. Which my response to Him was, "Oh, of course I can do that. I'll just stop into McDonald's and get her some breakfast." Which quickly followed by an immediate, "No. She needs a home cooked breakfast."
I had some leftovers that I had made from the night before that would be delicious with some eggs so I created this homemade breakfast out of what I had laying around, added some fruit and yogurt, some cookies for dessert, and I put it in the bag and was ready to walk out the door to take it to her when the Holy Spirit told me, "Her family needs some coffee."
I don't know how your conversations go with the Lord, but I'm assuming I'm not the only one that asks a million questions in these situations. I'm sure it brings Him joy and laughter as He listens to me trying to rationalize the things He tells me.
So number one, I have never seen this lady with a family. In fact, I think she has stuck out to me so much because she has been alone. Every time. I've walked by her maybe 20 times in the last two weeks. She's always alone. So my first question was, "What if she doesn't have a family?" I don't want to be insensitive. After losing everything I understand the deep grief of being alone.
Then my second question was, "I only have a bag of regular coffee. I don't have instant coffee. In my mind I am assuming that this lady sitting on the corner of the sidewalk begging for money is either homeless or lives in poverty. "What is a bag of coffee going to be good for?"
So after I got all my questions out of the way and somewhat rationalized what I was hearing I threw the coffee in the bag. There were a few other things that I felt like I was supposed to do while I was out so I got ready and out the door I went...
The McDonald's is maybe three blocks away, but if you know anything about traffic in Guatemala it's basically like playing real life "Crossy Road." If you don't know what that is ask your child or grandchild. It's a game on your phone. I'm not very good at the game. I'm even worse at real life Crossy Road trying to get through four lanes of traffic. So it takes a good 10-15 minutes to get to McDonalds.
If you walk with the Holy Spirit and you hear His voice and try your best to be obedient when He tells you to do something then you will understand that those 10-15 minutes were just straight spiritual warfare. Satan wants nothing more than to convince us that we hear the Holy Spirit incorrectly, that whatever it is is weird, and that we don't know the voice of God.
So as I walked I started to doubt. I started to wonder if she would even be there or if I would offend her. I started looking for other people I could give breakfast to in case she wasn't there.
Then halfway there I stopped and refocused and asked, "God what is on Your heart for this woman today?" "What do You want me to tell her?" "How can I partner with You to bring heaven to earth in this moment?"
His answer to my heart was simple, "She just needs a hug."
As I rounded the corner to the spot where she sits, there was Irma....and her daughter...and her two grandchildren.
The woman who always sat alone brought her family to sit with her that morning.
I introduced myself and told her that the Lord asked me to bring her breakfast. With tears in her eyes she asked me if I was with the Church. We didn't have a long conversation, but in that moment I was able to tell her that the Lord told me she needed a hug today and He sent me to give her one and after I hugged her I looked her in the eyes and told her how deeply God loves her and cares for her. She blessed me and I continued on with my walk. I didn't even pray with her. I just hugged her, gave her some breakfast, and told her how loved she is and I continued on with Jesus.
I had other stops that day as I followed the Holy Spirit. He showed me people to interact with and people not to interact with. People that I would usually be drawn to with compassion were no's while other's were yeses. The most freeing thing throughout these "activities" that I've been doing for the last decade was that this time it was just me and Jesus. No program. No donations. No checkboxes. Just me and Him and His yes stamped on my life.
Life doesn't get easier. There will always be good days and bad days. Yet, when we surrender to the process it becomes a holy moment that we're no longer wanting to escape from. Instead it becomes this embrace of partnering with Him to bring heaven to earth in a way that would never happen without knowing the deep depths of His love through suffering.
I wake up every morning now and ask Jesus to hire me. I ask Him what's on His heart. I ask how I can partner with Him. I ask what He wants me to do in this holy moment of indescribable grief and suffering. And every single day I have seen the supernatural provision of God.
Our lives are changing. The world is changing. Jesus is coming back for a clean and spotless bride. Are you ready? Do you know the Holy Spirit? Do you work for Jesus in such a way that you know, that you know, that you know His voice above every other?
Now is the time to remove every distraction. Stand for righteousness in the face of evil. Give generously. Sow in good soil. Press in to worship when you don't understand. God is preparing His Church. Will you step into your holy moment?
I don't tell you this story for any other reason except for the simple fact that I believe God wants to remind you right now that you know His voice. You know His voice. You know His yes and you know His no. Do not let what you see in the natural turn your eyes or allow doubt to be stirred in your heart. Stand on His promises and watch as your obedience in small acts of faith and worship usher you into your full inheritance in Jesus.
May you be encouraged to step into your full inheritance as you intently follow the voice of the Lord in this season. May you be complete and lacking nothing as you rest in the One who holds your heart.
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4
Maranatha.
Comments