The Waiting Game (and a Mountain in Nowhere)

The Waiting Game (and a Mountain in Nowhere)

So, the waiting began… again. Day four in paradise, and my host was once more a phantom. Confined to the property, I wrestled with the ever-pressing question: what should our ministry look like? The answer, it seemed, wasn’t going to come from where I expected.

That day became a pilgrimage of sorts. I paced the property, absorbing the vibrant tropical life, the lizards darting through the foliage, the endless, prayer-filled climbs up and down the steep driveway. I needed clarity.

I turned to God, asking Him to reveal the path forward. It was clear our current trajectory with the church wasn’t it. His instruction was simple: delve into scripture, study the ministry of Jesus, and then return to Him.

Back to the garage-church I went, spending hours immersed in the Word. What I discovered was profound.

Returning to the sun-drenched outdoors, I shared my revelation with God: “Jesus didn’t have a ministry. He was the ministry.”

His response resonated like a thunderclap: “Exactly. John, too many people in ministry have made ministry their life. I just want you to make your life your ministry and teach others to do the same.”

This shifted my entire perspective. But the questions remained. Why the Caribbean? Why this unexpected detour?

God’s next line of questioning was equally illuminating:

“John, where have you guys always wanted to live?”

“The Caribbean,” I replied.

“And how were you trying to make that happen?”

“Through a business model.”

“So, you were trying to achieve that by following what the world does?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“So, you tried to follow the world and got nowhere, but now you are following me, and I am giving you what you tried to get from the world.”

Speechless. Absolutely speechless.

Evening arrived, and my host returned. A tense conversation ensued. He challenged my interpretations of scripture, his body language radiating disapproval. He was clearly upset that my insights contradicted his church's practices. Then, he told me to leave...again.

I refused, stating I wouldn’t leave until God instructed me to. I offered to be dropped off anywhere on the island. This only fueled his anger.

“Fine. Pack your stuff.”

“Where are you taking me?”

“You’ll find out when we get there.”

I packed, my wife and a friend on the phone, their voices laced with worry. I, however, felt a strange sense of peace.

God instructed me to pray on a mountain. I contacted a previous acquaintance, who, bewildered, provided a GPS location: a mountain in the middle of nowhere.

As we prepared to leave, I showed my host the location. “God wants you to drop me off here.”

He was shocked, confused. He refused and went back inside.

After a long wait, I followed him. He was furious. That’s when God told me to go home. The work here was done...for now.

I booked the earliest flight for the next morning. My host, opting to avoid my presence, drove me to the airport that night.

I spent the night on the hard airport floor, my backpack a makeshift pillow, wondering how to explain this journey.

The next day, I arrived in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The real adventure was about to begin.

Learn more about our ministry at www.theexchangemin.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When Faith Gets Stretched: From Puerto Rico High to Michigan Low

Image
When Faith Gets Stretched:  From Puerto Rico High to Michigan Low Little did we know, our faith was about to be stretched beyond anything we could have imagined. The vibrant afterglow of our Puerto Rico trip quickly dissolved into disbelief. Why on earth would the Lord call us to move there? It seemed utterly illogical. So, after countless hours of prayer and seeking wise counsel, my wife and I knelt together and made a bold request. We asked God, if He truly wanted us in Puerto Rico, to provide the means to get us back there within a month, fully funded. We had no idea how we'd conjure up the $1000+ needed in such a short time, but we chose to trust. We launched a GoFundMe campaign, and the response was nothing short of miraculous. Within a month, we had raised nearly $2000! Enough for me, my wife, and my father to embark on a week-long reconnaissance mission to Puerto Rico. Our minds were blown. We spent the week immersed in my wife's family's lives, believing we'd be...
Read more

Bleach Blond Hair and a Bucket Toilet: Our Puerto Rican Welcome

Image
Bleach Blond Hair and a Bucket Toilet:  Our Puerto Rican Welcome If you know anything about church culture in Puerto Rico, you likely have a certain image in your mind when you picture a pastor. Well-groomed, always in a suit, exuding a specific, practiced persona – it's a look deeply ingrained in the hierarchical structure prevalent in many Puerto Rican churches. The higher up you are, the more respect and honor you receive, often to an unhealthy degree (but that's a topic for another time!). Suffice it to say, there's a distinct "pastor look." And that "look" was precisely what my wife and I were subconsciously expecting when we landed in San Juan. Stepping off the plane and into the humid embrace of the tropical air, we navigated the familiar route to baggage claim. The San Juan airport has a unique setup – those waiting for arrivals must stay outside the luggage area. As we exited, scanning the crowd, we anticipated spotting an obviously "pastor...
Read more

Back in Michigan: An End to Puerto Rico or a Divine Confirmation?

Image
Back in Michigan: An End to Puerto Rico or a Divine Confirmation? The familiar chill of Michigan air hit me differently this time. Arriving back felt less like a homecoming and more like an unexpected pit stop on a journey that had just taken a sharp, jarring turn in Puerto Rico. Once the initial shock settled and I navigated the delicate task of sharing the truth of what had transpired just days prior, a distinct impression settled over those closest to us. The unspoken consensus seemed to be: "Well, that's that. Puerto Rico is clearly off the table. God wouldn't have allowed that to happen if He wanted you there, right?" It was a logical conclusion, a comfortable narrative. But little did they know the seismic shift that had already occurred within my heart. The day I surrendered my life fully to God, uttering those now-familiar words – "I will go where you ask , do what you ask, and say what you ask, without question" – it wasn't a casual commitment....
Read more