3 Points to Ponder
- “Just like the Israelites needed 40 years in the desert before entering the Promised Land, we need years in the desert to prepare us for what God is wanting to give us. This time refines us, humbles us, and strengthens our hands to hold the dream.”
- “Many times, we need the scars that toughen our skin in order to handle the abuse that comes in the pursuit of our dreams. Scars aren’t always something to hide, rather they can be marks of people pursuing something greater. With the scars you have, do you hide them or tell the story behind them?”
- “Writing during our journey becomes critical to understand the trajectory of where we have come from. It is in reading words written years ago that I find hints of what remains important and what wasn’t, which helps to guide me in the future. Are you taking the time to write your journey today?”
2 Quotes to Share
“Stay patient and trust the journey.” -Unknown
“If all difficulties were known at the outset of a long journey, most of us would never start out at all.” -Dan Rather
1 Story of Impact
Earlier this month, we held our third annual Pignon in Pella event, raising $153,000 to build the needed infrastructure to expand the School of Light. In preparation for the event, I went back to some roots in our story, as it goes so much deeper than this one-time event. God’s purpose for this night has been unfolding over a 17 year period. In May 2004, my family raised money to build our first school in Haiti called Salt & Light. I found our first vision document for the school and in it we wrote, “The United States can continue to send troops and try to change Haiti through politics, but we firmly believe this will only provide short-term solutions. The only way the country can change is by God pouring out his heart on the people of Haiti and providing education for the generations to come. God has placed a passion on our hearts for the children of Haiti.” These were the first stated roots into the ground on my purposes for the years to come. In 2012, we raised money for the Pella Christian School of Pignon, and our vision had strengthened with even deeper roots. Written in May 2012, we stated, “Ultimately, it needs to be Haitians helping Haitians, creating difference makers in the culture, working with integrity and in partnerships to build a sustainable future. We believe God has given us this vision for a small, rural town near Pignon, Haiti.” Both of those schools were shadows of the original dream, never reaching the desired outcomes, as we were not ready. It wasn’t until our third school this original vision was actually able to be accomplished through the Sylvain Christian School of Light. Looking back, it was clear God kept showing us, “Right vision, but not yet. There is still work to do inside of you to be ready to hold this dream.” When you look back on your path, what is God trying to show you? Is there a dream present, but a “not yet” being said? What is holding you back from the vision God has given you and how do you pursue it in the waiting?
