I know a lot of people are probably surprised by the news that we are going to K for a year to teach, but no one is more surprised by this than me. Tiffany explained her side of how this all unfolded earlier this week (Click Here to read her story), and now I would like to tell my side of how this unfolded.
We decided to take a step of faith and go to the NACC. The day before we were going to leave to the NACC was Sunday and someone had given Tiffany’s mom money to help us. It was the confirmation that we needed that we were to go to the NACC.
On Tuesday we had not been there for even an hour when M that serve as teachers at a high school in K who approached my dad at the IDES booth. IDES had helped the Chesnuts and this school so they came to say that they needed to find some more teachers if he ran into anyone interested at the convention. He pointed to Tiffany saying, “There is one right there.” Tiffany said that she would teach anywhere but it was me they would have to convince. I was on my way to something and just told them to tell Tiffany everything. I walked away thinking in my head that the answer was no.
But then Tiffany told me all the information and introduced me to the M and a stirring began in my spirit. I tried to ignore it and was still convinced that we were going to Knoxville. Then we went into the opening session. I couldn’t enjoy the worship as it started and I couldn’t understand why…until Ben Cachiaras came out and preached. G began to work me over and beat me with the 4x4 He likes to use on me. The sermon was all about how JC calls us to go beyond and to do so we have to drop our fishing nets that we are holding on to. To be a disciple of JC it is all or nothing and we have to dive in. I was getting the message loud and clear.
But the nail in the coffin was the closing songs. The W team led us into singing “I Surrender All.” This song has always spoke to me and as we sang G began to remind me of my Ordination Ceremony where we sang that song. It was as if G was saying to me, “Remember Richard. You decided to surrender to me. Did you mean it?”
I realized I couldn’t truly say, “I surrender ALL” if my ‘all’ had boundaries.
My boundaries had been determined by others for a long time. I had compromised for to long in my walk with G doing just enough to please my conscience and make me look good to others. To others I was living radical, but I knew differently. That night I decided enough was enough and for me to truly surrender all I needed to be willing to do whatever G asked even if it meant going to K. So I replied back to G that if He wanted us to go to K for a year I would go. Instantly there was a peace in my spirit as if He was saying, “Then go.” So as the team went into “From the Inside Out” the opening verse was my reply back to G:
A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace
Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
My heart and my soul, I give You control
Consume me from the inside out L
Let justice and praise, become my embrace
To love You from the inside out
As we broke from the session I said to Tiffany, “So, wanna go to K?” We talked to our folks and others to gather their input and advice. They all confirmed that we should go. We knew we should because to not do so would be an act of disobedience.
So here we are. We are trying to sell our car and raise the $1,500 monthly support we need in a month’s time, but we know G will work things out as we obey Him. Will you consider joining us in this adventure by supporting us (Click here to view our support letter)?
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