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[pinit count=”horizontal”]
You call me out upon the waters. The great unknown where feet may fail.
And there I find You in the mystery. In oceans deep My faith will stand.
Walking on the rock strewn Caribbean beach, I bend low to investigate an unusual stone. The shape catches my eye. Polished smooth and finely shaped into a heart, it looks to be handcrafted. I can’t believe God would place this souvenir in my path.
We’ve come to this Caribbean island on a mission trip. We are to build a home for a man nicknamed Pigeon, who is without one.It’s a 10×10 foot structure, with two windows, and a metal roof. No bathroom, no kitchen. Plywood sides. It is both beautiful and heart rendering at the same time.
The second day we’re on the building site, Pigeon is there. He is wearing a black cap with a skull and crossbones and the number 13. A team member comments on his cap. He answers matter of factly, “It’s the devil king.” She questions if she heard right. He explains, “You know, the devil king.” She is freaked out. As she tells me the story, I am freaked out. But thankfully there is no time to be freaked out, because we have a home to build for the man in the devil king hat.
And I will call upon Your name. And keep my eyes above the waves.
When oceans rise. My soul will rest in Your embrace. For I am Yours and You are mine.
A little bit later, I’m overcome with the feeling that I need to get to know Pigeon. I’m not sure what we’ll talk about, but I know I can’t just keep smiling and walking by. God is good. He opens doors and builds bridges and next thing I know, we are talking about all manner of things. I truly enjoy our brief time together. I ask him if he would like prayer for anything. We end up holding hands and praying right there.
A little while later, Pigeon is speaking and it sounds like he’s saying he’s not a Christian.
Mercy.
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It’s the morning of the last day on the work site. We are about to turn over the house to the man in the devil king hat, who may or may not be a Christian. A friend and I are praying for him before we head to the site. We are reminded of Revelation 2:17, which is part of our Bible reading for that day:
Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it.
We pray into that. God reminds me of the time, two years earlier, when a white dove landed in my backyard. Not even sure of what I had seen, I Googled, “white pigeon”. Up popped the most amazing thing:
A pigeon and a dove are the basically the same. Just different names.
Lord, could it be that the world sees this homeless man in the devil king hat as a pigeon, but You see him as a dove?
It’s then I know. The heart stone was meant for Pigeon. God put it on the beach for him, not as a souvenir paperweight for me to take home. I know what I need to do.
I’m trying to wrap my mind around the heart stone not being mine (hey, I really liked it!), when I feel certain God is prompting me to go even further. To say the very things that were said to me just before I decided to give my life to Christ, at age 19.
And that’s when I freak out. We are here with the Pastor, the Assistant Pastor, one of the Youth Pastors, and not to mention EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THE TEAM IS ABOUT 1000% MORE QUALIFIED THAN I AM TO DO THIS. Lord, Pigeon is probably already a Christian with bad taste in hats! Who am I to assume? Not to mention, if there is a way, I will mess it up. God, we both know this!
I beg Jesus to lead me.
Your grace abounds in deepest waters. Your sovereign hand will be my guide. (<== Click to tweet)
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me You’ve never failed and You won’t start now.
When we arrive, Pigeon is sitting alone. God gives me the words and I explain the heart stone. (At my friend’s suggestion I had written “Dove” on it.) I tell him God put it on the beach for him. It’s a gift from God. He cups it in his hand, and tells me no one has ever given him a gift like that before. That he will never lose it. That he will put it in his house today.
I explain to Pigeon we will be leaving soon, and while I don’t know that I’ll see him again, I’d love to know he has accepted Christ into his heart and that I will see him again in heaven. He says he would like to do that too. So, once again, we hold hands, and with Jesus leading us, we pray. And I smile, fully believing with God all things are possible, and knowing I’ll see my friend again one day. (<==== Click to tweet)
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders. Let me walk upon the waters. Wherever You would call me.
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander. And my faith will be made stronger. In the presence of my Savior.
Shared by: Christine Wright
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As we close this series, I ask for your prayers. In talking with Pigeon, he described what I truly feel is a God-sized dream. He explained he’s always wanted to see other places, outside of his country, but it has never been possible. I’m a pretty big dreamer, but this one seems almost too big. Yet, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that if this is a dream God has placed in Pigeon’s heart, He will see it through. Would you mind lifting Pigeon and this God-sized dream up in prayer? Thank you, friends.
___________________________
Here at God-sized Dreams, we are partial to the song Oceans, by Hillsong United. It encapsulates the ideas of facing big struggles, turning to Jesus, and the freedom of resting in His embrace. Each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday throughout this month of May, we’re going to explore these issues as presented through the lyrics of the song.
All posts in the series can be found on the Oceans page.
Toni C. says
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Wow…just wow…so much good stuff here Christine. The thing that hit me first was the size of his house. As I embark on finding a new place, I have become very conscious of room size. I looked at an apartment billed as “2 bedrooms” where the second bedroom was 6 x 10. I thought – this will barely hold a twin size bed!! And yet this man will live – and I’m sure be extremely grateful – for an entire house that has but an extra 4 feet. It really makes you stop and think about the excess in our lives and what we deem to be ‘livable’ conditions.
I love this “Lord, could it be that the world sees this homeless man in the devil king hat as a pigeon, but You see him as a dove?” How good is God to give us such a picture of His love and transforming redemption. This is just so beautiful to me. I will be praying for Pigeon!
I love “Oceans” too…Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders…chokes me up every time I sing it. That ‘ol “trust” word ya know. Thank you to all who have contributed to this series – it has been faith affirming!
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Christine Wright says
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Yes, to look at that tiny home, was to gaze at both hope and despair (although I’m not sure we can truly appreciate hope without every having felt despair). I love how you applied it to our lives here – I need to remember what you’ve said every time I start to complain about our teeny house! : )
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Kathy @ In Quiet Places says
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There are so many great lessons in your story, Christine, you showed us what trust without borders can look like, which is where we all need to be living even when it is hard!
I thoroughly enjoyed the Oceans series, the words to this song are rich with truths for our faith walk and all of the posts just brought them home!
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Christine Wright says
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Thanks, Kathy! Glad you could join us for the series! : )
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Barbara says
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Hi Christine,
I’m so glad you were able to go to Jamaica. You were TOTALLY qualified to share the gospel with Pigeon!! God placed you in that spot at that time for that purpose!!
You are the best! Love you, Barbara
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Christine Wright says
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Hey Barbara! It’s all just proof that it’s not our qualifications that mean anything – it’s Him in us! 🙂
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Geraldine says
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I’m praying for Pigeon ( or Dove ;-)) and his God sized dream! I am so thankful there are so many others faith filled enough to dream big God sized dreams. I have many of my own and every morning I wake up I anticipate that today could be the day! Not only that but once a dream has been realised God encourages us to dream more! Even the Israelites had land left to conquer! What an incredible God we serve!!!
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Elise Daly Parker says
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Oh yes, keep on dreaming Geraldine…You’re so right, once we’ve realized one dream, God surely has another.
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Christine Wright says
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Geraldine!! Oh girl, you’re my kind of dreamer!! (I wake up thinking the SAME THING!!) Thank you for your support and for praying.
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Elise Daly Parker says
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Oh Christine! So love this post. So much richness in that little heart-shaped rock. Isn’t that so God? You know, if we are obedient to the promptings God lays on our hearts, we can all be evangelizists. I’ve often thanked God that He doesn’t send me out as a street evangelist (hah…never say never!), but He has definitely given me opportunities nonetheless. As it says in Jeremiah, “Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, ‘I have put my words in your mouth.'”
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Christine Wright says
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Elise – I had to giggle at your comment, because I’d often thanked God that I wasn’t called to go on MISSION TRIPS!! So be careful with what you think you can’t do! 🙂 I love how you put it, …if we are obedient to the promptings God lays on our hearts, we can all be evangelists. So true!! And, yes, so scary!
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Lynn says
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I heart you Christine. Such a beautiful reflection of the Kingdom in your heart. Girl, keep stepping out upon the waters. That is were the miracles happen. Hugs.
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Dolly@Soulstops says
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Christine,
What a lovely metaphor …a new name….and I love how you gave the heart shaped rock to Pigeon…prayed for him today. Blessings 🙂
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