Time of Testing? – by Steven Furtick

Pastor Steven Furtick » Blog Archive » Tests Determine What’s Next

Tests Determine What’s Next

If you’re going through a time of testing right now, keep this in mind:

The way you respond to this test
Determines what you get to do next.

If you fail the test, you must repeat the grade level. Or, you can pick up the credit hours in summer school. Either way, wouldn’t you rather just do it right the first time around?

You can’t clep out of any of the courses in God’s divine degree program. Whatever you’re going through today is a prerequisite for the next level of His plan for your life.

Show up early. Stay late. Get a tutor. Do your homework. Sharpen your #2 pencils. And hang in there through your test.

Graduation day is closer than you think…

You’re adopting how many? Why?

I was a part-time youth pastor at a youth conference in Frankfort, KY with my van full of youth and there were some volunteers there with the organization called Compassion International. Duffy Robbins (hillarious, his site is just his picture…vintage Duffy Robbins) was the speaker at the event, and while I remember him being funny I can’t tell you a thing that he said, but it was an event that changed my life.

I looked through the enormous number of packets on the table, and I can remember saying to God in my head that if there was a child with the same birth date as Shelbi, who was our four year old at the time, then I would take that as a sign to sponsor that child. I looked at every single packet, and found no one matching that description. For some reason I was prompted to ask if they had more packets that were not on the table, and to my surprise they had about 50 more. I asked to look through them, and toward the end as a wave of relief began to come over me that no such child was available I came across Denis Rafael Campo, a little girl from Peru…born the same month…the same day…and the same year as Shelbi. I called Kristi to get permission to make that commitment as she was home with our newborn Baili, and while she wasn’t as moved as I was she confirmed the decision.

Ever since then as our family has grown we have matched a child with our child as they turn 5. I can still remember getting the phone call from Kristi, sobbing, when only months after starting to support a child for Baili she had received word that the child was struck by a car and killed.  We were devastated as the reality of the plight of children in the Third World hit home for the first time. Compassion, not knowing our little system,  asked if we’d be willing to support another child, and soon a packet for Roodnelson from Haiti arrived and he became our third Compassion child. Then a couple of Christmas’ ago Mallori got to engage with her Compassion child, Emma from Kenya, for whom we’ve been praying to get enough materials to build a house.

As we pray every night before bed our kids are conditioned to pray for Son (Roodnelson’s nickname), Denis, and Emma along with the three children we hope to bring home this year just as if they were ours, theirs.

Three children, three sponsored children, and now three adopted children for whom, God willing, will each have a Compassion Child or Promise Kids Child of their own to write to, pray for, and for whom they can be an agent of hope.

While Compassion International had a lot to do with preparing our hearts for adoption it didn’t start out to be three adopted children, but that is a story I’ll save for another time.

But if you are one of those people, who look at us and wonder aloud, “Why?” Then watch this video. If you’ve been conditioned more by the American culture that makes our comfort and pleasure a priority instead of being conditioned by Christ to make orphans and widows  a priority, then watch this video. If you’ve always wanted to be a part of something that REALLY transforms someone elses life, then watch this video.

But be warned, it could change your life. It may haunt you for the rest of it. It may make you look foolish to a whole host of people who will eventually be asking you, “Why?”

This is what I’ll point to when people ask me, “Why?”

Thanks Catalyst for sharing this video!