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In Dallas Willard’s book ‘Hearing God’ he says that it is “absolutely essential to the nature of our personal development toward maturity that we venture and be placed at risk, for only risk produces character. This truth is intensified when it comes to our walk with God.” That point is very accurate and vital for anyone to experience life transformation.
It could even be suggested that sometimes, maybe more often than not, we avoid risk and action for comfort and knowledge. We settle for the known instead of exploring the potential of the unknown. We let the chains of the status quo hold us back from life altering freedom…the freedom that comes from living the life that God wants to give us.
If you want anything to change in your life, you’re going to have to risk participating in the greater story that God wants to write in and through you. When you think about it, God took the greatest risk of all by creating us and He did it so that we could be in relationship with Him. Part of the very essence and character of God is steeped in risk. Since we’re made in His image, which we are…we didn’t evolve from monkeys…then somewhere in each of us is planted the seed to take risks.
Willard makes another point that faith “is not opposed to knowledge; it is opposed to sight”.
Securing the life that God wants for each of us means that we’ll have to step out even when we can’t see where our feet will land. The African Impala can jump ten feet high (3 meters) and 30 feet long (10 meters), which is amazing for such a small animal. Now you would think that nothing would hold it back from jumping any type of fence. Actually you only need a fence about 3 feet high (1 meter) to keep it from jumping over. We know that it can easily jump that size of fence, yet it won’t. It won’t attempt or risk jumping anything if it can’t see where its feet will land.
So let me ask you this question…is there a fence that exists in your life right now? Perhaps one that has been keeping you penned in from experiencing freedom and the God ordained life that awaits you? Maybe today is the day that God is calling you to step out and risk jumping that fence. I want to encourage you today to not hold that off. Take the risk and jump towards Him.
Risk and faith are linked together and are two key ingredients to a life lived well. One that is guided by and lived for the glory of our Lord.
Let me know how you make out. Share your stories of stepping out and risking something.
As always, I can’t wait to hear from you…
Hi Norm,
Just finished your book tonight. I laughed almost immediately when I saw the title, because I have said those very words many times to the Lord, with some pretty astounding results. My husband and I were entrusted with a ministry some 6 years ago called “Put the Word into Action”, and we have been on an adventure ever since. We felt lead to start a Christian School here in our community of Haliburton, ON and we are now celebrating our 5th Anniversary with humble beginnings. We have had many God moments in that story and have seen His hand move on our behalf in wonderful ways. We also are working on partnering with missionaries in Brazil to establish a children’s Christian Adventure Camp- Quest. We purchased a 4.5 acre property here in Haliburton at the Lord’s direction some 3.5 years ago and are now trying to discern what we are to do next. We felt that perhaps the Lord might want to use the property as a ministry center and/or base for the school and other activities, but there is a stirring to pursue activity in Ecuador as well. We are unsure as to which way to go next and how all these activities fit together in a master plan. My husband really wants to purchase property in Ecuador and we have a trip planned through connections we have there. We are set to go on an exploratory trip in October for three weeks. God is at work in my husband’s heart, but he is really struggling in the “letting go” department right now and I am not hearing from the Lord clearly yet; other than to “prepare” which I am attempting to do. We needed to hire a full time teacher for next fall and the Lord has heard our prayers and provided just this week! Which means I will be able to leave and take our scheduled trip…He is good! I would solicit your prayers and would love to chat more about what we are working through. I desire to always give the Lord an enthusiastic “I will”, and live the dream He has created for me and my family. Thanks so much for reinforcing those messages for me through your book! We are in transition and I am excited about what’s about to happen next! Sandy
We had a great visit up north–Matheson and Timmins–last week. We stayed at Diane’s dad’s farm and learned that a few packs of wolves were marauding. Diane’s Dad lost a calf and a cow during calfing. They listen for the distress of the cow giving birth and get both calf and cow. Dad had to drag the carcasses into the bush with the tractor since he couldn’t bury them in the frozen ground.
Matt and I thought it’d be fun to go see if the wolves were there. We bundled up looking like bundles of southerners in the snow. We got directions to the final resting place and started plowing our way through the drifts. We saw part of a calf, then another part and lots of tracks but no wolves. There were tracks leading up the trail so we trudged farther. There, up ahead was an old culvert that looked like a perfect wolf-den. “let’s go and see,” matt said. I noticed that I was leading the way, matt way back. I stopped and looked back and said, “How close to stupid are we getting?”
No wolves but we had a wonderful romp through the woods in winter. Matt took some great photos. “you’re doing a great imitation of Joseph Boyden’s Through Black Spruce cover.”
Later that night, we were all sitting around the TV when the dogs started to growl and bark. Nan thought they heard some wolves. “Let’s go and see if the cows are okay,” Scott, Matt and I decided. What do southerners bring on a wolf hunt? Flashlights, of course. Anything else? We weren’t allowed to bring the Shotgun. “You’d shoot your eye out!” was the consensus. The women dubbed us the three stooges, armed with flashlights we got ready. Again, bundled against the snow and the cold, we trudged out into the barn yard.
The night was text-book Northern Ontario–clear and cold. A ring around the moon and northern lights providing illumination for the trek. Flashing our lights into the herd (the cows were content before we got there) we noticed nothing amiss. Oh, the cows started to stir, but only at our presence.
Matt lagged behind, and Scott and I ventured to the far side of the barn. Hearing some commotion from the yard we saw Matt standing amidst the cows. He was agitated, and cows were annoyed with the three stooges in their yard. When Matt finally caught up with us, he and Scott followed tracks across the frozen beaver pond. We all decided that the tracks were fox, not wolf. “If the ice held up a fox, surely it’ll hold us up,” they said to me. I wasn’t quite as convinced; I stood on the bank.
After falling over the fence (wasn’t electric, we discovered) we made for the house. Laurel and Diane came out to see the cold night.
All was well. The cows recovered from the attack of the southern, city-slicker stooges, and the gates were locked.
We had a great time in the snow and the cold. But it struck me that we decided to do something and did it. “How close to stupid are we getting?” Just close enough. “If you want to walk on water, you have to approach stupid,” is my paraphrase. Had we stayed in the house, we’d not seen the northern lights and we’d not annoyed 30 contented cows; playing it safe gets nobody nowhere. Getting out of a boat to walk on water during a storm is, if you really think about it, approaching stupid. But Jesus called Peter to do that.
If 2010 was a year of fretting for me, 2011 will be a year of “approaching stupid.” There are things I’m planning on doing this year that I “shouldn’t”. I’m going to start a small painting company so Matt and I can work. I’m going to pursue going to Kenya and teach (as if I have something to really offer a bunch of Pastors I know nothing about personally or culturally!).
I’m going to approach “stupid” without actually getting there. (I Hope)
Peace, David
I’m 15 years old and fell pregnant to a beautifull baby boy. I ended up going to a place called the house of grace which is a Christian home for pregnant teens. We were doing an Alpha course and afterwards we went on a camping trip. While we were worshiping I felt the presence of God and gave my life to him. It’s funny to think I was such a broken girl and wanted nothing to do with God. Now I love him so much and I’m so happy I found him. He’s changed my life I’m now a proud mother and I’m so happy !
Amen
Hey Kim:
Thanks for sharing your story.
It is so cool to hear how you became aware of God’s presence around you after taking an Alpha course.
The amazing thing is that He’s been pursuing you from the moment you were born!
Congratulations on the birth of your child and now you get to extend God’s love towards your baby.
Norm,
I visited Severn Falls Chapel this past June 5, and was given a copy of “You Want Me to What?” by a man named Peter.
Your book confirms much of what has been going on the past 2 years.
I am now nearly 60 years old, and 2 years ago,on June 5, God asked me to write a book. The book is titled, On The Run. This book was released June 5, 2010
After the book, God said to start The Master’s Prison Ministry.I did, and now the book is being sent into prisons everywhere to inspire men to trust God.
Your book not only inspires one to “begin” to let go, but it has encouraged me to continue,”letting go”.
Thank you Norm.And thank you Peter for allowing me to read Norm’s book.
David Brenn
The Master’s Prison Ministry
Hey David:
Thanks for your post.
I must admit that it’s amazing to see how God has used my book to inspire others to take a leap of faith and pursue His calling on their lives!
Way to go with writing your book and may God use it in powerful ways to change lives.
Norm
My experiences with sissy
I can remember very little things of her. I can remember every night after mom would tell us goodnight, sissy holding up the covers and waving me over. I would jump in her bed and fall asleep Me and sissy shared a very tiny room, we had separate beds, but they were pretty close together, the only thing that was keeping the beds apart was a dresser, we had a sort of door it more reminded me of a curtain, you could slide it open and close. I would jump in her bed and fall asleep. I can remember me thinking how old she was, feeling as if she was a grown up. Now thinking on it the age I am now, she was so little. I can remember some of the stuff me sissy and bubba would do when mom and dad weren’t home, we would sword fight with hangers and play hide n seek in the little trailer that we had, I can remember the 4 wheeler ride and me and sissy screaming because a spider was coming down from its web right in front of us. There are very few things I can remember of her but the things I do rember will last forever. The thing I cannot remember is the phone call that was to tell us my sister had passed away, it seems all of the bad things that happened I am unable to remember. I cannot even remember the funeral, however I do remember seeing her at the viewing. I remember thinking how beautiful she was and asking my mom to pick me up to give her a hug while she ws in the casket. She did . to this day I can remember every detail, to the curls on her hair. I was so young unable to really understand all that was happening around me. I can remember pulling into the drive way of our home and turning to my mother begging her to take me back so I could pull her eye lid open because that was what I did to my brother to wake him up. As time went by I had our room to myself, and every morning I would run to my mom saying, “mommy, sissy came and seen me last night!!” every morning I would run and tell her a new and exciting story of my visit. Every morning I would jump out of my bed and run with the biggest smile on my face. One morning, I ran to mom telling her that sissy visited me and she gave me all of her kisses. My mom began to weap, me thinking that she was crying because she gave me all of her kisses I told her “ mom don’t cry, she left some for you too”. As my dreams continued for a while none of them I can really remember as clearly as I do one of them. One morning I woke up, instead of the happy cheerful me I remember me wanting to avoid my mom and of any question about my dream. I was so torn. I can still remember it so clearly. I remember my sissy telling me she had to show me something and brought me to the most beautiful place I have ever seen. It was a forest, the kind you see on fairytails but even better, the sun was shinning through the trees and there were angels everywhere. All of the angels were gathered around the most beautiful log cabbin I had ever seen, it looked as if they were still working on building it. there I also said “mom God was there too” my mom awestruck and has been believeing everything I have been saying she replied “ Jessie what did God look like?” I then replied “ oh mom, I couldn’t see him I just new he was there”. During my dream, my sister picked me up and sat me on a log that was near by, she told me that she isn’t going to be able to visit me any more while I sleep. Even in the dream I still can remember the pain that it caused me. She told me that even though she isn’t going to visit me anymore she said that they are building this house for me, and one day you will be here with me again to live with me. The morning after that dream I was so sad that I wasn’t going to be able to see her again, I tried to avoid my mom about it, not wanting to metion sissy telling me that she wasn’t going to be seing me anymore. I thought my mom would be sad about it like I was. I ended up telling mom about it. Every night after I would hope to see her, but it never did happen. I sometimes would sit up and pray to see her, but even when I would pray it still would not happen. Years later I can remember my dad telling me that he dreamed of her once he said that he was out in an open field looking up at the stars and she came down on a cloud and came to hug him, telling him everything was going to be alright. I can remember my dad telling me that when he was younger he could think about what he wanted to dream about and fall asleep thinking about it and that is what he would dream about. Even this would not work for me. I believe everything has a reason God has a purpose that this happened, one day he will reveal it.
Hey Jessie:
Thanks so much for sharing your story. The Bible tells us that we won’t be able to see things the way God sees things. Our perspective is limited and there will be times in our lives that circumstances happen and we will wonder where is God in all of this. He is always right beside us, walking with us through those trying times. Be blessed today and know that His love for you is too high and too deep to be contained.
I had the privilege of going on a mission’s trip to Indian in 2008 with 6 other men. Our pastor was talking about India at our bible study and he had 2 men from India come and talk to us about the work they were involved in and how we could help. I knew immediately that there was a call placed on my heart for this work and India. The pastor thanked the men for their talk and he challenged all of us to search our hearts and see if we were being called to go. I was anxious and thoughts started to fill my head about finances and time off work and could we as a family afford for me to go the usual stuff that comes with our lives. Would my wife support me in this? Am I equipped for what we were going to be called to do? Those kinds of thoughts entered my mind. All that aside I just knew that I was being called.
Ian our pastor was asking one of the guys if he would want to go and then he went to another man and asked him. Then he came to me and said this “Rob when you go to India…” I smiled on the inside and out and waited for him to finish and I asked him “I noticed you asked those other 2 guys but you said to me “when you go to India” so I am going then?” he smiled right back at me and said “you know your going don’t you?” I said yes and I asked him how he knew since I had never talked to him about India and missions ever before that. Ian just smiled at me and went and talked to the next guy.
Great I knew that I was going to India, knew it not just wanted to I knew it. Now the doubts started to come I don’t have the money, I can’t take the time off of work, I am not qualified for this, what if I fail. Then I started to pray a lot about the trip and talk it over with my wife. She was 100% behind me going; she was concerned about the cost but she knew if God wanted me to go then he would provide the funds. About 1 month later Ian and I were talking on the phone and he told me someone had stepped forward and told him that he would pay for me to go to India. I started to cry on the phone I couldn’t believe that someone would do that for me and I was right because in the long run they were doing it for God because that is what they were asked to do.
We raised other money through various events and fund raisers to take with us to give to the many different churches we were going to visit. The big day came Oct 31 2008 and we had our passports and visas all ready we went to the Toronto airport and we were really excited I lined up handed over my passport and ticket; the lady at the counter took one look at my passport and said she could not let me on the plane because of the shape of my passport. You see in 2005 my wife had washed my pants with my passport in the pants and it was kinda wrinkly. The Indian consulate had approved my visa in the passport so I thought I didn’t need a new one. I was wrong so we tried many different options but to no avail there were the other men getting on our plane and me left at the airport.
I was in a state of shocked awe I did not see this coming at all. I went here we go Rob fails one more time and the most interesting thing happened I took the next step and followed the call to go to India that God had put in my heart many months before. I went home that night and was at peace I would get up and go get a new passport and try again to get on a new plane. My wife was amazed I was calm and relaxed and content. I got up went to the passport office on a Saturday and stood in line and shared my story with anyone who would listen. I was not able to get a new passport until Monday they told me and I would then have to go to the Indian embassy in Toronto and get a new visa. Wow this was another complication and trial but I took another step and called the travel agent who had booked our flights and told him my situation and he rebooked me with a different airline and had me on an evening flight that same day.
I went back home told my wife and then I got a call from the guys at their layover in Dubai and they asked about the situation so I told them the new arrangements and asked them to pray. They were elated that I would still be able to get to India. So my family took me down to the airport that night and I went to the line and they checked my passport before I went to the ticket counter. The guy took one look at my passport and asked me who washed it we both laughed and I went to the counter they took my luggage and everything was fine. I said my goodbye’s to my family and went through the security gate and waited for my plane to take off. I was sitting and wondering if I got this far just to be told “no” again because they were going to check my passport before boarding and I got a little discouraged and so I pulled out my bible and opened to the book of Philippians and I was going to read Paul’s words on contentment at the end of chapter 4.
I was drawn instead to verses I had underlined near the beginning of the chapter
Philippians 4:4 – 7 (KJV) 4Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
The peace of God washed over me like a wave of cleansing water I started to weep happy tears. I just couldn’t help it there it was right as God had Paul write it so many years ago. I did not need to understand this peace I just needed to be thankful and go to God with my hearts requests and trust. I called my wife right away and told her that no matter what that everything was good and wherever this journey was going I was ready to take it. I did get on that plane and the next plane and had no more problems with my washed passport.
One of the most amazing things to all of us that were a part of the trip was that The other guys left Oct 31 9:30pm and arrived Nov 2 5:30 am I left Nov 1 7:30pm and arrived Nov 2 10:30 pm we got there on the same day God is truly amazing. We came back on the 14th of Nov and I got to go a different way home as well. Being without those men on my flights should have been something that was a problem for me. What I learned was that it was a lesson for me as to how God supplies my needs completely and it really does not include me having to understand the process. It only requires steps of obedience in faith.
The reality of our lives and walk with God is a life where we are led by the Spirit to places we don’t know and to people we have not met to do things we cannot do so that the light of Christ will shine. Wow we are shinning lights in the world we live in. We are not average. This is a fact that transcends who we are; it is the truth that is Christ in us and through us. When we accept this certainty there is great change in our life because we no longer seek purpose or direction we accept God’s direction and know that he has a purpose. We are instruments of his eternal plan and not only are we used by Christ to fulfill His purpose we become an active part of that purpose ourselves. What I mean is that the way we act and the attitudes we portray now become more Christ and less like who we are and this is scary to us average people.
There can be a sense of loss of control in our life? I mean when I was standing there and the ticket counter person said I was not allowed to board the plane I though she must be talking to someone else. I know I am going to India I mean she has to let me on the plane right God where is the candid camera? This is a joke right?
I see it like this for me now I would never have talked to those people on those different planes and share God’s story with them. I would not have had so much time alone with God to prepare my heart for the work we were to do India. I had an opportunity to trust God way outside of my comfort zone and He brought me through all of it so my relationship with God became closer.
Hey Rob:
Thanks for sharing one of your God moments. Only God could orchestrate it that way.
Keep stepping out in faith!
Norm