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

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 partnering with them in ministry. I vividly recall a visit to a rainforest ministry serving homeless men. We shared the burden the Lord had placed on our hearts, seeking to understand the needs of the Puerto Rican people. As the week unfolded, the reasons for this calling became increasingly clear. By the trip's end, even my dad, initially skeptical, admitted, "I don't know how you'll do it, but I understand why you need to move there."

As our plane ascended, carrying us back to Michigan, we were still reeling from God's provision and the sheer audacity of His call. Upon our return, we shared our vision with friends and family, met with a mix of support and disbelief.

At the time, we were deeply rooted in a large church in Holland, Michigan. I had even served on staff, and we had both poured our hearts into various ministries for twelve years. It was the fertile ground where our faith blossomed and our relationship with Jesus deepened. We were eager to share our Puerto Rico experiences and envisioned our church partnering with us as we stepped out of our comfort zone and into the mission field.

Our excitement, however, quickly turned to confusion and then frustration. Our church not only showed no interest in missions in Puerto Rico, but they also flatly refused to partner with us in any capacity. We were told our calling was misguided, that we were unqualified, and that we had no business pursuing such a venture without formal training beyond a small group leadership course. It felt like we were being dismissed, lau
ghed out of the building. That day marked the last time we walked through those doors. We were deeply hurt.

During this tumultuous period, I was involved with "Epic Redemption," a men's ministry in Holland where I


first experienced the raw power of the Holy Spirit. This group "accidentally" planted a church, and the ministry flourished, moving from a gym back room to a local church building for Friday night services. When we shared our Puerto Rico calling with the church leaders (Not Epic Redemption
but the church this ministry was covered under) they offered to be our "sending church," albeit without financial support. Though their role was minimal, we were grateful for their nominal support. This would, as we'd later discover, prove to be less than ideal – a story for another blog post.

For the moment, we had a sending church. But that was about it. The journey was about to take an even more dramatic turn, and our faith was about to be tested like never before.

Learn more about our ministry at www.theexchangemin.com


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