I arrived in Brisbane, Queensland (Australia) on Tuesday. I did a leadership session Wednesday night and that was simply an amazing time. Over 500 leaders from the state gathered for one night in the middle of the week just to hear God’s instructions on being better leaders. Loved it.
Thursday morning I had to be at the airport early to catch a flight to Perth, Western Australia. It’s a 5 hour flight. The equivalent of flying from New York to Los Angeles. So, I did my usual. Went to Sunglasses Hut, looked at some hot shades, realized I already had hot shades, resisted the urge to buy more hot shades. Stopped by the coffee shop and ordered my Chai Tea Latte, Soy Milk, No Water (I am terribly addicted to this hot cup of deliciousness). Found a seat next to my gate and waited for my plane to board.
Laying on the floor two feet away from me was a young lady named Amy. Amy and I immediately connected in conversation because we were the only two people at the gate without Aussie accents. I told Amy what I did for a living and where I was from. She responded in kind that she lived in the DFW area as well, but was moving to Perth. First off, what are the chances that I am in Brisbane and run in to a person from Dallas? Second off (yes, just made it up), what are the chances that we are both going to Perth and one of us is moving there?????
Time stood still for me as Amy articulated how this came to pass. Amy has a degree in a very specialized field of study (Organizational Leadership or something like that). Because of the narrow scope of her field she didn’t know if she would be able to find a job that fit her passion. She did some searching for jobs in her field and wouldn’t you know it, Perth pops up!
Now think about this: Amy is a born and raised U.S. citizen. She has been conditioned by our culture, shaped by our culture, accustomed to our culture. Her passion is organizational leadership, but her culture couldn’t accommodate that passion. So what does she do? She takes a step of faith and moves! This young lady and her faith inspired me so much that I had to write a blog just to honor her. A couple of things really stood out to me about her move:
1. She had a passion for which her culture could not support, yet there existed a place where her passion could be fulfilled.
2. The faith it takes to leave everything you know to follow your passion to a place of the unfamiliar.
3. To leave everyone that you love and fully immerse yourself in to another culture happens mentally before it can ever happen physically.
Here are the things Amy’s act of faith taught me about God:
1. God has given us all a passion, gift, talent. He has also designed a place for that passion, gift, or talent to operate in.
2. More times that not God seems to hide this “place” among things unfamiliar to us and waits to see if we will have the faith to go to “that” place instead of staying in “this” place.
3. Once God has spoken to us about the “place” we have a decision to make. The body only goes where the mind already has. Abraham heard the call of God, but he still had to make up his mind and GO!
Once we landed in Perth I really wanted to pray with Amy and just ask God’s blessings on her move. God honored that. I picked up my bags two feet away from where Amy was standing. As we parted ways there were tears in her eyes. I would NEVER play chess with God. He is simply too strategic! God has given you a gift. Don’t become frustrated because you haven’t found where that gift belongs. Ask, Seek, Knock! The door will be opened….it just may be on the other side of the world. Are you ready? God has a place for YOU.<
