Dear reader,
I wish to share a story with you.
Legend has it that after a particularly long and brutal battle the great French Emperor Napoleon and his army finally conquered a highly-prized Mediterranean island and its many inhabitants.
Afterward, while he and his generals were sitting, drinking, and savoring the victory, a young officer approached Napoleon.
When the revered general asked the man what he wanted, he looked straight at Napoleon and said,
“Sir, give me this island.”
Instantly, all the other generals began to laugh and mock the young man, that is until Napoleon turned and asked one of them for a pen and another for paper. To their amazement, Napoleon wrote out a deed to the island, signed it, and handed it to the lowly, but bold soldier.
“How could you do that?” stammered one of his generals, “What made this man worthy to receive this great island after we fought so hard to win it?”
“I gave him this island,” Napoleon replied, “because he honored me by the magnitude of his request.”
(taken from “The God Ask” by Steve Shadrach)
This little story rocked my world today when I read it. Should it have? Yes, absolutely.
Ladies and Gentlemen this story should really make us reflect on what we ask for. We also don’t ask Napoleon for things. We make our requests known to our Heavenly Father.
The Alpha and Omega.
The Creator of the world.
God.
I’ve been asking for wisdom and discernment as I forgo the task of fundraising. God has given me peace and direction with every step of the way. My end goal for The World Race is $18,000. My deadline is April 2021.
But. I’m feeling led to do something a bit more out of the box. Yesterday I brought an idea before God. I said, “God, I want to make every part of this chapter of my story magnify your glory in every way I can. Let’s make this chapter of the story really stand out…”
“If it’s your will, would you fully fund this trip in 100 days?”
I went to God and asked for “an Island”.
“God, I gave you my life many years ago, I say time and time again would you ‘take my story’. As I march forward in these upcoming 99 days, would you show up in amazing ways? Show me what you’d have me do to accomplish that great of a task.
Use me for your glory.
Now, to answer the question on your mind. I’m sure you’ve got it rattling around in your head and heart somewhere.
“What if God doesn’t fund your trip in 100 days?”
That is a great question. To answer it well I want to take you back to a discourse from a mentor and dear friend of mine Ken Rudolph.
He brought us to Luke 11:5-13 and we picked it apart together. He said many things that night that still resonate with me many weeks later, one piece of wisdom he said was…
“Prayer is a means to an end. Unless you ask you will not have. If you want this blessing ask for it.”
Does that mean God will fund my trip in 100 Days?
He could. Will he? I’m praying that he will do so. If he chooses not to, I will continue walking forward in faith. The prayer that I was praying will be answered right then and there. God will either fund or not fund my trip in 100 days. I’ll still trust him with every part of my life, even if he does not give me what I ask for. His will and my will don’t always line up.
I’ve felt this nudging in my heart to trust God with a big prayer. Going on this Kingdom Journey as a whole has been one leap of faith after another.
What’s asking God to move one more mountain?
For you reading this letter you might be thinking I’m not thinking clearly. That’s the best part, I am of a very sound mind as I type this very paragraph. I have joy in my heart and a gentle fire burning throughout my whole body.
God is using me to do his work here on this earth. My body is a vessel going wherever he calls me. There’s no greater purpose in life than this. I’m able to bring the God of the Universe glory, And I aim to make his name great.
I will leave you with this scripture from Philippians 4:6.
“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
I humbly ask that you’ll join with me in prayer over these next 99 days. That God will bless me with the funds needed to go and share the Gospel with all who can hear it.
As I begin to build my Support Family I would love for you to join me. Please contact me in any way you are able to, I have a contact page here on my blog with multiple ways to reach me. I’d love to talk and rejoice with you over this amazing opportunity!
Till we speak again,
-Mitchell
