Nearly 27 years ago Julie and I said “Yes” to whatever it was that the Lord wanted us to do in Sayre, Oklahoma. We knew very little about starting or leading a church but we were sure we had heard the Lord on it. We started with a little group of about 6 or 8 people….and off we went!
One of the very first things I know I heard from the Lord was some specifics on how to pray about the work in Sayre. He directed me to pray this way, “Lord, bring us the people that nobody else wants.” We started praying that from the very beginning and we are still praying it today.
Interestingly enough, about ten years after we’d been faithfully praying that, a traveling ministry person was with us at one of our Wednesday morning prayer times and gave this prophetic word. Keep in mind he didn’t even know we’d already been praying this for at least ten years. Here’s what he said, “God wants me to tell you that if you’ll pray for the people nobody wants, He’s going to give you the people that everybody wants; and He’s going to take the people nobody wanted and turn them into people that everybody wants!”. And if you look at this family today you can clearly see the fruition of that prophetic word!
It’s sad to say but the very nature of stale and stagnant religion is to devalue the poor, the afflicted, the addicted, the ones who’ve lost their way, the ones who hate church…..and even those who hate God. The religious system really has no use for them. They have too much baggage, they require too much time to rehabilitate, they’re not givers….and the list goes on and on. …..but they’re very special to the Father!
If you look at our extremely diverse family you’ll see people from every walk of life. We have rich, poor (a lot more of the latter), black, white, red, doctors, inmates, recovered alcoholics, recovering alcoholics….and alcoholics, cowboys, bikers, hippies….and just about everyone in between. It’s a truly remarkable family, the most amazing bunch of people I’ve ever seen. There is unbelievable talent and potential in these people that nobody else wanted. They’re connecting in relationship with the Father; they’re finding their voice, they’re finding their place of purpose and function. They’re well along the way in fulfilling their God-given destiny.
They’ve been transformed, by the love of the Father, into people that everyone wants! That’s how the Lord does it!
Oh, and just so you don’t somehow get the wrong idea about all this…..I consider myself among that group that nobody else wanted!
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I Fought the Law….and the Law Won!
I have a dear friend, the one who suggested I move to Oklahoma to attend Trinity Fellowship Because we had a mutual friend who was also moving there, I asked if that was his reasoning. His answer was: “No, Kay, I send everyone I love to Trinity Fellowship”. Moving hundreds of miles to a place you have only once visited was kind of scary. I even had friends and family who were afraid I was getting involved in a cult. But I was sure that I heard the Holy Spirit assuring me it was the right thing to do. So with a lot of prayer and a lot of practical support I headed off to my new home. And it is my home. I love my church and the people here in Oklahoma. I even think the red dirt is pretty til I have to get it out of something. I am so thankful to my Father for a friend who loved me enough to suggest the idea of a new life. And I am eternally grateful for a pastor with a heart for hurting people. I did have other options, but one by one they fell by the way for various reasons, some of them blessed. (Like a brand new grandchild who usurped the third bedroom that was supposed to be mine. LOL). So Pastor Andy Taylor and my Trinity family, I am proud to be one of those people you promised to take if The Father sent them. And I will help you welcome any new ones any way I can.