Where do the pieces fit?

A month ago, I set into motion events designed to marry my gifts, experience and even my dreams. I wanted to write a book which would be born out of the spiritual journey I have been on for the past two years.  I decided to use Kickstarter, a website that helps artists gain support to fund their projects, to gather a group of patrons who would be willing to partner with me.

I have to admit, hitting the launch button on the project was scarier than I thought it would be.  In that moment, you are putting yourself out there.  You are letting the world know there is something on your heart which you wish to create and share; maybe something you have been made to give to the world.  You are telling those who will take the time to explore your proposal, there is something you believe about yourself which you are ready to step into.  You wonder if they will believe it too. You wonder if you should risk it.  You second guess yourself, but with the click of a mouse, there is no going back.  

I wish I could report my heart’s reaction, when the click was made, was to believe others would understand what God has been doing in this season, and would be drawn to partner in what He will produce through this journey.  What crossed my mind in that moment, however, was, “What if after putting this out there, all I hear is crickets?”  Thankfully that has not been the case, and there is a good chance we will reach the finish line.

When the idea for writing this book came to me, I did not have walking the Camino as part of the plan.  One day, while walking and thinking about the book, the connection was made in my mind between the spiritual journey which I had been taking in my heart and the physical journey of walking the Camino.  Soon after, the idea of the Kickstarter project was born.  Since then, I have had a vision of how it might unfold and what the outline of the book might be. The journey, however, is not complete.  New pieces of the puzzle are still being added.  What is being born in this process is still being formed.

This weekend, I was on retreat with one of the people who has chosen to get behind this creative project.  He had read the page and bought into the premise, but this was one of the first times we had seen each other since the launch.  One morning we got up early to walk (you have got to get the training in) and as we did, I was able to share more of what was on my heart and how I hoped the experience of walking the Camino might help shape how it will be expressed.

At one point, he turned and asked me what I thought about him joining me on the trip.  He regretted he could not walk the whole 500 miles, but would love to meet up with me for the last leg of the journey.  This was unexpected, but because we have traveled so much life together, I was open to the idea and told him so.  Bright and early Monday morning, I received an email informing me he had talked to his wife and she was all for it.  He had also spoken to his boss and his company was willing to rearrange a trip to China, he was scheduled to take, so it would not conflict with the Camino.  In short, he was in.

This turn of events was a bit unexpected.  It was not what I had been planning, but then again the last two years were not what I would have planned either.  They have been an exercise in willingness and openness to yield my desires to what God might be doing.  This change in what I was envisioning seems to be a continuation of this theme, and I do not think it is by accident.

I spent some time sharing these developments with my wife and as we talked about it, it was not hard for us to imagine God might be up to something in this unexpected turn in the road.  God appears to be working in ways which are bigger than what I am thinking or even imagining. 

You may be thinking, big deal a friend and supporter may be going along. It is bigger than that.  I am not even sure I can explain why, but I am confident I will be able to put it into words at then end of the Camino. Until then, you have to trust me when I say, this man's coming along feels like something much bigger than a friend showing up for a walk.

If that were not enough, I had a meeting on the same day with a gentleman I know through Biola University.  He had approached me with an opportunity for a ministry he wanted me to help design and lead.  We spent an hour and a half dreaming of what might be possible and envisioning the impact of this potential future reality.  At the end of the conversation, as we were talking about what the next steps would look like, I mentioned I would be unavailable in June.  I explained I would be walking the Camino.  He lit up and asked me about it.  He then asked a question which seems to be becoming quite common, “Would you mind if I went with you?” 

At first I just smiled and thought to myself, "This is is turning into a fellowship of the Way."  I then said, "I am open to it.”  He then launched into how God had laid this on his heart some time ago and what it would mean to be able to do it.  I thought about how the shared experience might actually better prepare us for what we had been dreaming about for the last hour, and simply wondered, “God, what are you doing?”

This is a question I have had on my mind a lot in this season of transition.  As I explained to the man from Biola, it is like there is a table before me and God continues to place puzzle pieces upon it.  I do not have a box top for reference.  I do not know what picture we are trying to create.  I can make out the shapes and the colors.  I can even put a few pieces together, but to complete this puzzle I am wholly reliant on God to help me see how the pieces He has laid before me will fit together.

This is a far different journey than trying to force the pieces together, or wrestling control from God.  It is a different way of walking. 

So when two men, on one day, decide they want to join you on the journey, all you can do is thank God for the new pieces on the table and then ask for His help in connecting them all together. He is up to something and I am expectant to see the picture which is revealed as these pieces begin to take shape.

I wonder, what is going on in your life which may feel similar?  How many puzzle pieces are on your card table?  What has happened to you which is unexpected and may be an invitation to trust God is up to something you have not yet envisioned or imagined?  How willing are you to refrain from forcing the pieces together?  Are you willing to release control?  How open are you to waiting on God to show you how it will all look?  

These are important questions to consider.  I think the answers to them will make all the difference in the world regarding what kind of picture will appear as the pieces begin to fit together.  I can wait to see fully the picture of what God has been doing.

P.S. I am three days away from the finish line on Kickstarter. At the time of writing this, we have received 85% of our goal. If you want to find out more about this project, you may go to my Kickstarter page: www.kickstarter.com/projects/803864521/crossroads-on-the-camino-de-santiago. I would be grateful if you did.