"Is that really you, God?"

It was about January or February of last year, 2010. As I've done most days for several years, I woke up in the morning and asked the Lord: "What do you want to say to me, today?" In return I heard, "Hawaii." "Haha. What?" I thought. "It's cold outside and I'm not sure if this is me or you." "Alright, Lord," I thought, "If this is you I need some assurance and clarity." 

Over the next couple of weeks/month or so I continued to have Hawaii come to mind as I was before the Lord, even if only for a few moments, and with that continued word came a sense from the Lord that I was to be in Hawaii for something that was going on, some event. I had no idea what it might be. "What, Lord?" 

It wasn't long before the YWAM base in Kona, HI came to mind. I knew little of the base- other than it included a university: the University of the Nations. I had read in Is That Really You, God? about the great things the Lord had done to establish the missionary training school, and how through it people with all kinds of skills were being equipped and sent into the nations of the world. Curious about what might be happening there, I went to the internet to browse their site.

As I browsed the pages of the website (www.uofnkona.edu) I saw exactly what I was looking for: "YWAM's 5Oth Anniversary Celebration, November 28th-December 4th, 2010." I knew this was what the Lord was leading me to when He spoke to me about Hawaii. Now, how to get there.

A quick thought:

Isn't it funny how we, so often, are surprised by the amazing ways that God leads and speaks and at the things He does in our lives that are obviously the works of His hands? Did you ever think about the work God does being commonplace in His kingdom... why do we consider it miraculous? 

Continuing...

I had little money and wasn't sure how I was about to get to Hawaii. I needed money for airfare, for housing, for food, and for the conference fees- costs that could have been into the thousands of dollars. "Lord, if this is You, You'll need to provide for me because I have no way to get this on my own." I left it at that and knew that, if this was from Him, He'd bring to mind exactly what was needed, just as He had done in telling me about the conference in the first place.

It wasn't long after that when it came to mind that I had been accumulating frequent flyer miles on a certain airline. "Maybe I have enough to get me to Hawaii," I thought. I called the airline and found that I almost had the amount of miles needed for the flight, but was about 9,000 miles shy. "Is there a way to purchase the needed miles?" I asked- hoping to at least save some money. "Well, you can sign-up for our new credit card and get 10,000 miles after your first purchase." Haha! "Yes! Sign me up!" After I completed a $1.74 purchase for a pack of gum, and paid off the credit bill, I had all the points I needed to fly for free from Chicago to Kona!

Now... lodging. Again the Lord brought to mind the YWAM website and I felt compelled to see what I'd find there. After a few minutes I found a section that, to my surprise and delight, read: "50th Celebration Campus Camping." Reading on a bit I saw exactly what I needed: "$13 a night to stay in a tent on the grounds of the U of N." Haha! Yes!! Lord, You are soo perfect! They would even provide the tent!

I was now on my way to Hawaii with the knowledge that the Lord had something in store for me there. In the time leading up to the celebration the Lord had put in my heart that He would be speaking to me at the conference about my future and the plans He has for me... this was more true than I could have imagined.

The conference was a celebration about all the Lord had done with YWAM over its 50 years of existence, all that He was currently doing, and the things that He had been speaking... His invitations and new marching orders for the organization moving into the next 50 years. I was so gripped and moved as I heard story after story of huge, faith-desperate things the Lord had been asking of these missionaries and the organization as a whole. With each story of God's leading came a "yes" from those to whom He had spoken. It was clear, and almost expected, that they would have no idea about how these things would be accomplished until the Lord came through. All they knew is that they were to step forward, doing the next possible thing, trusting God for the impossible.

I was broken. My eyes had been opened to how I had often been living in the realm of the tangible and possible, not expecting huge things from God. I had gone to the Lord for words and direction and for connection and intimacy, but somewhere along the way, I now realized, I had stopped to stand in the land of the easy and the measurable, not letting my feet move too far out of the boats I had lived in and onto the water with Jesus. 

The Lord was speaking clearly: "Begin to step toward the visions I have given you." I now knew a little more how to do that; I had seen and heard about it for the past few days. "Do the next possible thing and trust God for the impossible."

That's all for now... there's a lot more that the Lord has done than I initially remembered, and it's taking me longer than I had thought to share it with you all. Part 3 soon. Bless you!