Hey Everyone,
If you’re anything like me, you probably find a weird sense of peace in a well-organized calendar. As leaders and People for Impact, we lean on the itinerary, the five-year strategy, and the comfort of a predictable result. But here is the hard truth: in the work of community transformation, the blueprint rarely survives the first day in the field. In a broken world, things get messy fast. Today, I want to lean into those moments when the plan completely falls apart—because I’m learning that’s usually exactly when the still, small voice gets loud enough for us actually to hear it.
1 Story of Impact
Driving down the S.C. Bootle Highway in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, our van full of eager U.S. construction experts pulled up to a newly built house. Earlier in the month, I had tasked A.T. Holder with giving these leaders an unfiltered look at the realities on the ground. We did not want a sanitized tour. We wanted them to meet the resilient people actually building Pyramids of Stability in the Bahamas.
“We are going to meet Hank,” A.T. announced from the front of the van. “He is one of those guys everyone should meet. We supplied the materials, but he has done so much of the work himself. He works full-time, but he is taking a long break to come over and talk to us about how we partnered together on this project.”
So, we waited. And we waited a bit more.
Finally, A.T. looked at his watch. “I am not sure when Hank is coming, so let’s pivot to the next house. No one will be there, but you can at least see the type of outcomes we’ve had.”
It felt like a missed opportunity. We inspected the next newly rebuilt house, which was empty as expected. But as we came around the front and headed back toward the Many Hands vans, a car suddenly whipped around the corner and pulled into the lot.
Out stepped Wain Newbold. Around our campus, we refer to Wain as “Mr. PTL” (Praise The Lord) because no matter the circumstance, those words are always on his lips. Wain, a local plumber we have partnered with, recently installed a septic tank on this exact property.
He did not know we were going to be there. But over the next twenty minutes, Mr. PTL stood in the driveway and shared his heart. He spoke of his deep excitement for Many Hands’ mission. He gave a raw, honest breakdown of the harsh realities of construction in Abaco. Without any prompting or scripting, he delivered the exact message that A.T. and I had hoped to expose these U.S. leaders to.
As People for Impact, we need to keep our eyes fixed firmly on the end destination. But at the same time, we must recognize that the path to transformation constantly shifts. When the winds change, do not stubbornly try to change the wind. Do not waste energy getting upset that the weather shifted. Instead, adjust your sails and chart a new course to the same destination.
Hank had something come up, and we never connected with him that day. But Wain was exactly what we needed. He was a divine substitute. And in the end, that is all that mattered.
3 Points to Ponder
- The Fixation on the “How”: We often confuse the strategy with the mission. The mission is sacred, but the strategy is just a tool. When a plan fails, our natural human reflex is frustration, but a Kingdom builder’s reflex should be curiosity. Where in your life or leadership are you currently fighting the wind instead of simply adjusting your sails?
- The Ministry of Interruption: Wain wasn’t on the list. He was a complete break from the program we had worked so hard to build. But here’s the reality I’ve seen time and again: the real, deep work of transformation doesn’t happen inside the cells of a spreadsheet. When we over-schedule our lives to the second, we effectively kill any margin for providence to show up. We’ve become so obsessed with our own plans that we’ve crowded out the still, small voice. Are you leaving enough white space in your day for God to actually interrupt you?
- The Divine Substitute: We were disappointed when Hank did not show up, but God had already positioned Mr. PTL down the road to deliver a much better lesson. A closed door is often just a redirection to the right messenger. What recent disappointment or no-show in your life might actually just be God clearing the stage to bring you exactly what you need?
2 Quotes to Share
“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” — Jimmy Dean
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” — Proverbs 16:9
The mission hasn’t shifted an inch, but we have to be humble enough to let God take the wheel on the day-to-day. My advice? Keep your eyes on the long-term vision, but don’t hold onto your daily schedule with a clenched fist. God is constantly dropping people in our path when we least expect them. Usually, they’re the ones we actually need to meet.
Shoot me a reply and let me know where you’re seeing these “divine detours” in your own life. I personally read every note that comes in.
Live with impact,
Tim
