August 25, 2023 • 34 mins
What happens when a divine calling leads you to sacrifice your financial security for a greater purpose? That's exactly what happened to Michael Blue and his wife when they journeyed to East Africa, only to be deeply moved by the circumstances they encountered. Michael's powerful story of obedience, disobedience, and redemption unfolds in a way that illustrates God's everlasting mercy. His journey didn't end in Africa. We'll share a surprising twist that took place a decade later, proving that God's work continues, even in our moments of rebellion.
We also tackle a radical concept with Gary Hoag - living on a three-month wage. How does this influence our generosity and trust in God? We peel back the layers of fear that often drive our financial decisions and delve into the profound legacy of faith we can leave for our children. This episode is not just about Michael's inspiring story or Gary's insightful thoughts, but it's a reflection on the unshakeable peace and joy that come from following God, even in our darkest hours. So, whether you're wrestling with fear over your finances or seeking to deepen your faith, this episode is a reservoir of wisdom and inspiration. Tune in now!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Dan Schilling (00:07):
Hey, welcome to the Feed Sheep podcast, where we
help you hear God's voice,follow His lead and thrive as a
disciple.
I'm Dan Schilling and I'll beone of your guides.
Now let's get into today'stopic.
Hey, thanks for tuning in toFeed Sheep podcast.
Today we're going to continuepart two of the interview with
Michael Blue.
You're not going to want tomiss this.
Michael shares when he and hiswife were in East Africa, when
(00:30):
the spirit of God began to speakto his heart and began to ask
him this question Michael, whyare you storing up for a day
that is uncertain when what'sbefore you is certain?
You saw the needs of the people.
The spirit of God moved hisheart in such a way that he and
his wife, over time, with prayer, seeking the Lord's counsel,
(00:50):
advice, felt like they were toliquidate their retirement to
fund what was certain from them.
You're going to hear this story.
Tune in.
You're going to be blessed bythis time.
Thanks for tuning in to theFeed Sheep podcast.
Michael Blue (01:05):
Here's Michael.
We have no house or we're aboutto have no house.
We decided to stay in Austin atthat point by another house
downsized, kind of condensed ourlifestyle to ministry type of a
lifestyle.
I quit my job at the firm andstarted just a private firm
(01:26):
where we started to pray and askGod what he had.
Pretty quickly it became realclear to my wife and I that God
had made a way for us to go tothis Africa and he wanted us to
go.
We didn't trust him.
We thought just disobeyed.
I've had lots of people try totalk me out of that, but I'm
(01:51):
okay with that.
I think we disobey God.
Yes, we do sometimes, sometimes, that's okay.
Dan Schilling (01:59):
Yeah, Well, and it's not.
I just want to say this tofolks that are listening too,
because we want to relate itback.
If you're listening to me, wewant to relate it back to your
story.
You're going to continue totell more of your story here,
Michael, but it doesn't endthere.
That act of disobedience or thatseason of disobedience,
(02:21):
whatever you want to call it.
It's not the end of the journey, it was just a part of the
journey.
When we talk about a God who isthe Alpha and the Omega, it's
not like he's like oh man,you're so terrible.
I'm not shocked.
We're not the first ones whodidn't obey Many many things.
(02:41):
We can look at those big moments, but if today the Spirit of God
tells me to go talk to someperson out here for a few
minutes, I don't do it.
Is that level of disobedienceor act of disobedience any more
or worse than if I don't go toNairobi when he calls me to,
because sometimes I think welike oh, I was so terrible.
Like no, it's.
He's a father who knows us.
(03:02):
He knows our nature, our sinnature and our heart, but he
doesn't.
I love the scripture when hesays that his mercies are new
every day for us.
Michael Blue (03:11):
Yeah, and that's good, because that's a kind of
I'm going to tie all thistogether that I think you just
you just brought in.
So after that, not long afterthat, we were in church and we
have, around Thanksgiving, aservice at our church where it's
like open mic Sunday morning.
But the point is it's a serviceof thanks and so people come up
(03:35):
and they say what they'rethankful for what God has done
during the year.
And you know, so it's just aservice of celebration where
people get to say thank you.
And during this sermon, duringthis time, I began to kind of
feel, halfway through it, youknow, the impression of the Holy
Spirit to say, hey, you know,get up and say something about
(03:57):
the pastor.
Just, you know, he's meant somuch to your family and all.
Because nobody had kind ofdrawn out anything like that.
And I didn't want to get up, Ididn't want to get in front of a
microphone.
I'm getting nervous.
I know that makes you laugh atthis moment probably, but it
kind of made me nervous.
I didn't want to, I didn't wantto do it and so I didn't and I
sat there.
(04:19):
If you see a pattern coming ofdisobedience, well, our pastor
gets up to end this service andas he comes to the microphone he
says you know, thanks everybody.
And this old lady in the backof the church who was crippled,
who was in a wheelchair, standsup and says you know, before we
(04:41):
leave the service, I just wantto say how grateful we are for
you, pastor, your family, howmuch you mean.
And you know, when you getconvicted by the Holy Spirit,
it's like when there's liketrain wreck experiences.
That was one of those and thatfor a while I could not tell the
story hardly, because it wasfairly overwhelming, just the
presence.
(05:01):
But I felt very clearly theHoly Spirit saying to me Michael
, I don't need you to accomplishthe things I'm asking you to do
, but I want you to join me onthe journey.
I can use a crippled lady whocan't get up and walk and do
what I'm asking you to do, butthere's joy in joining me on the
(05:23):
journey.
And so that was like oh, youknow it's, it's for my joy.
It's not like this obligationand weight that God is placing
on me.
It's actually an invitation tojoin him and what he's he's
doing, yes, with or without meright, yes, yes.
And so, to pull this circlecircle, last year I was at a
(05:44):
conference with you, andinternational justice mission
was one of the sponsors.
Yes, this is about 10 yearslater, and they were announcing
a new program that they hadcompleted, which which was this
kind of model law that theywanted to develop for developing
countries.
Well, this was the project theywanted to hire me to do when I
(06:05):
was in Nairobi.
Wow, right, and so it's thisidea, and it was.
It was.
It was a good moment Like this,not quite so convicting, but
this moment of the work wascompleted and continued, even
though I was disobedient.
Yes, right, and so I thinkthat's what I think is the best
(06:26):
thing that I've ever done whichis which is encouraging and
humbling?
Dan Schilling (06:32):
Yes, well, and I think again, what I want to just
encourage folks as they'relistening, because I'm sure
there's for some of us there'ssome things in our own mind Like
, yeah, you don't know what Ididn't do, you don't want to
know what I, how I missed it orhow I.
And yet I think theencouragement is is what you
said, that God doesn't need usThinking about what you know.
(06:53):
You and I have talked aboutthese passages many times, about
Matthew 25, you know when thatgood and faith come and it
entered into the joy of yourmaster.
I mean you, you get tocelebrate.
I want you to, I want you tosee that you're part of the work
.
Yeah, but the good news is,michael, you know you're part of
the work.
The work didn't.
That work went on, but God'swork and you didn't stop.
Michael Blue (07:15):
Right.
Dan Schilling (07:15):
You know that work the good work.
So, just because we miss anopportunity and I just want to
encourage folks, if you listenjust because you might have
missed an opportunity doesn'tmean you've missed out on God or
missed out on the opportunityfor redemption or ability to
bring you back around.
So let's, let's continue thestory here of then.
So what, what God do?
Michael Blue (07:34):
Yeah.
So really the next thing, as Iwas had this firm with a friend,
I just kept coming up this ideaof seminary and it had been on
my heart probably since Igraduated college, so you know
10 or 12 years.
And it was a time when I waslike I am so tired of saying no
that I'm going to say yes, yeah.
(07:56):
And so I did.
And you know I people wouldhear that I was going through
seminary, like oh yeah, that'sso good, what are you going to
do?
You want to be a pastor?
I said I don't know, like whatdo you mean?
You don't know.
It's like, why are you going toschool if you don't know what
you're going to do?
It was like I just felt likeGod told me to go to seminary
and and so that's what I'm doingright now.
(08:17):
So I was working and I wasgoing through seminary and I
really had no no idea of ofwhere it would lead or what it
would lead to or why I was doingit.
But kind of through that Ibegan to teach at our church.
Some I was an elder and we wefilled the pulpit as elders when
our pastor's out, and so I hadsome opportunity.
(08:39):
I had had some affirmation inthat as as a possible gifting,
and so I began to cultivate it alittle bit more, have more
opportunity to do so, and and soit really kind of moved to this
place where it seemed like,yeah, I think God's actually
calling me into ministry.
And so now I'm three years intomy law job and I'm making
(09:01):
almost twice what I was makingat a big firm, at my own firm
the economics work pretty wellin a small firm for for you
attorneys out there but I feltlike God was calling us into
ministry and, gratefully, we hadset our lifestyle at a ministry
(09:25):
level and whatever we weremaking above it was being given
away or being, you know, puttowards kids, colleges or
whatever kind of.
We would pray through it at theend of every year and ask God
what he wants us to do with it.
But we were just taking asalary.
That was, that was a ministrylevel salary.
And so opportunity came up.
I I looked at some churches,but an opportunity came up for
(09:47):
me to work at the Ron BlueInstitute with with my dad, and
it seemed like the right fit andso I left my law job, basically
gave my practice away to afriend.
He still owes me a dinner, Ithink.
I think he bought me lunch theother day, so we'll probably
(10:07):
even.
And so I gave, gave it away andwent into ministry and so
that's.
That was kind of you know, theall of those things that led me
to that point.
But during that time too, I waspraying a lot that God would
give my wife and I anopportunity to go on a mission
(10:29):
trip together to go see parts ofthe world.
I hadn't had an opportunity togo on really any mission trips
in my life and I wanted to do it.
And there's one of thesemoments that God like dumped
five in my lap at the same time.
With this it's kind of likeit's not hard to go on a mission
trip, michael, there'sopportunities everywhere Like
asking you shall receive right,so here we go.
(10:52):
This isn't like you're asking meto part the red sea here, part
the red sea here.
This is like just call a placeand go.
So I was like okay.
So I looked at a couple of themand I went with this group
called Crisis Day.
I actually put a note on theirwebsite and their president
called me the next day to say,hey, you're interested in going,
(11:16):
and they'd never taken anybodyon a mission trip before.
But he was like I don't know.
We got your message and theHoly Spirit just seemed to say
why don't you give this guy acall Nice?
So he invited.
My wife and I and two otherpeople came with us.
We went to East Africa with themand as we were there in this
(11:37):
place, we were in the Red LightDistrict in the main city of
this country, and you see thesewomen being trafficked and we go
out to the rural areas and yousee poverty like I've never seen
before.
Yes, people walking miles andliterally days to get some flour
so that they could feed theirfamilies.
(11:57):
These people had literallynothing and really no access to
income producing things, and Imean there's just a lot of
problem.
And so as we were there, I feltlike God kept saying to me why
are you holding onto so much fora day that is uncertain,
(12:17):
meaning my future retirement,some need in the future, when
the need before you is socertain?
Yes, and I couldn't get thatthought out of my head.
It was like this just keptcoming back around and around
and around.
Eventually I got the courage upto tell my wife that that's
what God was putting on my heartand she's like I don't know,
(12:39):
I'm still processing what we saw.
Let's put that one on the backrunner.
Yes, and so we did.
And so for the next nine months12 months, I don't know we had
this kind of recurringconversation of what do we do
about this?
Like, do we want to try to helpin some way?
We saw these needs, we sawtheir specific needs and things
(13:00):
that they wanted to do, and sowe prayed, we talked to our
pastor, we talked to mentors.
What do we do with this burden?
Like, is this our burden tobear or is this just guilt?
Is this, what is this?
I sat down with my pastorduring the time and he even said
to me you know what?
(13:20):
I had another person one timecome and sit down and kind of
express similar things thedesire to kind of get rid of
savings and retirement andthings like that and I talked
him out of it and he said I'dnever do that again.
He said that it ended up wherejust kind of the things ended up
(13:44):
leading him to away from church, away from God, and that he had
held on to.
Yes, and so we did.
We decided through that that wewould try to fund this hospital
.
Actually, this recovery centeris what it was like a six or
(14:04):
seven room recovery center formoms and their babies who were
being treated from malnutritionin a hospital.
They'd come out and they'drelease them after two or three
days and they weren't in anycondition really to go back.
They weren't dying at thatpoint, but they were like three
days away from being right backwhere they were.
So we would set up thisrehabilitation center for the
women and their moms and thekids could stay for a month or
(14:26):
two, really gain health and thengo back to their houses.
And so we called up theorganization, said hey, we wanna
do this, we're gonna fund,we're gonna buy this building in
East Africa and we're gonna goand do this.
And he's like great, that'sawesome, let's work on it.
(14:46):
So a couple of weeks go by, ina month he calls us back and
says I got good news and badnews.
Said bad news is we can't buythat building.
There's various reasons.
We can't get a permit, it's notgonna work, but we have a piece
of property that's not far awaythat we've wanted to put a
hospital on for a while, butit's gonna cost about three
(15:10):
times what I told you the otherone, Told you the other one was
gonna cost.
And we didn't have three timesthat, like we had enough to
build this other, buy thisproperty and build this building
.
And so he said, well, all right, let's see what God's gonna do.
(15:31):
And within about a week, half ofit had been raised by one donor
.
I hadn't even seen the property, heard about it one time, and
you know, this is like I willfund half of that.
Well, and then we gatheredfriends together and they gave
very generously and we ended upfunding this hospital in East
(15:54):
Africa and it was gonna be a onestory building and then it
became a two story building andit became a three story building
and then another group went outthere and it became a second
building with another threestories.
And so now I have this twobuilding, three story hospital
serving this lone community inrural East Africa where there's
(16:14):
no other hospital withinprobably a hundred miles.
All you know, really, the smalllittle as I call our loaves and
fishes that, hey, we can helpyou build a six person, six room
rehabilitation center.
Yes, that's all we have, rightthis is what we have.
And you know the whole, god hadmuch, much bigger plans.
(16:37):
And he said you know, I canmultiply this and so that's.
You know, that was kind of apretty big moment for us as we
were walking down this and wehad saved a bit from the law and
now it was gone.
But we had this joy of helpingand seeing God kind of overwhelm
(17:00):
us with the generosity ofpeople to build this thing
that's sharing the gospel andproviding life sustaining
treatment to, you know,thousands of people regularly.
Yes, so I'll stop there for asecond or maybe stop.
Dan Schilling (17:20):
Well, I just, michael I think it's what's so
cool several things, you know.
First of all, you know we canlook back sometimes in the
review mirror and say, hey, Imiss God here.
I miss God here, and sometimesI think the devil wants us to
get focused on that too.
You know, trying to.
You know, destroy us, tell usthat God's, you know, upset with
(17:44):
us, don't want to be around us.
And yet, you know, when we lookback and as you're sharing this
story, all I can think of isthat God, it wasn't a surprise
to him.
There was other points, but itwas.
They were impactful.
Because when the nextopportunity came, you're like I
don't want to say no anymore,you know.
And so then it's okay, that'sseminary, and it's like that's
(18:06):
another step.
And then you, you know you'rein the midst of Of a law
practice and you know you and Icome from.
You know the world of money andfinancing and, christian, you
know finance, sometimes we getso caught up in.
You know I have all this moneyand then I'll be able to Do
great things for the kingdom.
You know, I'll be able tovolunteer, I'll be able to do
(18:27):
this and and yet, at that pointin time.
Just, you know, if you'rewilling to help us be clear on
this.
I mean, like you, you took whatmany would call a retirement
and said I love the line.
You know why am I storing up fora need that's uncertain?
I, if Jesus comes back tomorrow, how much do I need?
And obviously none of us knowwhen Jesus come back or when
(18:48):
we're gonna die or when thosethings, but those things are
uncertain and I love what theHoly Spirit spoke to you and I
mean to hear that voice.
You know why are you storingfor something that's uncertain
when what you see right beforeyou is certain, there's a need
and there's a way you can sharethe kingdom of God, the gospel
of Jesus Christ, right here,right now.
It is certain there aren't anyhospitals around or any care
(19:11):
centers or anything else, andhow God used your act,
willingness to, uh, like maybewhat you'd say in the the.
You know the rich young rulerand zakias.
You know which one are we gonnabe.
You know to say I'm in, I wantto.
I want to be in.
I want to be in on this kingdomdeal, and again you say well,
(19:33):
salvation comes to this house.
I mean you.
You didn't let the wealth keepyou from From taking that next
step, and that's what I wantedto say.
Praise God, you know, well done, good and faithful servant.
Um, and I know, again, none ofus are perfect, but I think it's
such a powerful story of awillingness and and I want to
(19:55):
just say this too, do you feellike you've, uh, financially,
because there's some folks gonnalisten to this and say are you
saying you saying that we shouldall Give away our retirement?
No, but but when the wholeexperience was tapping, and for
you he did, and your willingnessto say yes, and so has it hurt
you financially to do that?
Michael Blue (20:16):
No, no, it has not .
I mean, I, you can look at thefuture and say what, what's
gonna happen, and I don't, Idon't know what's gonna happen
and I'd still hold open handthat if God says you know what,
it's time to start saving againfor that, then you know, okay,
right, but it's a conversation.
Um, you know, gary Hoag hasbeen a mentor of mine and that
(20:37):
kind of his idea and and we'vekind of modified it in some way.
But the idea that that, uh, inthe parable of the minas,
they're each given a minor whichis three months wages and so he
lives on on, uh, kind of thatprinciple where they, they will
accumulate up to a minor, uh,really, and then at the end of
(21:00):
every year they give awayanything that's excess and and
over above a minor, so threemonths, yeah, living and gary,
is intimidating to me because hekeeps downsizing his house and
lifestyle and you know Now livesin like a.
Dan Schilling (21:11):
Actually they just they bought a tiny little
uh house.
Michael Blue (21:13):
They were in a one bedroom apartment for a while
and I think my wife would say Iwant to have grandkids over
someday.
You got to be kidding me.
Yeah, living in a one bedroomapartment, yeah, but to watch
what, what God has.
So here's one of those peoplethat I always look to is with
encouragement because of hisFaithfulness and what he's done.
(21:35):
It's.
It's pretty remarkable to watchthe places that gary gets to go
into freely, uh, and minister topeople, and he spent the last
couple weeks in ukraine, uh,ministering to the people who
are there, ministering to, youknow, people who are in war torn
countries and just kind of allaround the world, or Open doors,
um, because it really hasgenerosity and open handedness
(22:00):
with, with everything, yeah, andso I think by holding back For
ourselves, uh and I'm not goingto put a restrain or limit on on
what that is, I mean, we justhave to kind of go before God on
that but I think the tendencyis, when we hold back, we miss
those opportunities, um, becausewe become so concerned with
(22:23):
Protecting it, uh, and so those,some of those things become
fearful, fearful places to go,uh, fearful things to lean into,
um, because they may result inloss of that protected that
thing that I think is going toprotect me in the future, yes,
um, and so, yeah, I mean, I I dothink that we as a society have
(22:50):
a golden calf of retirement,yeah, um, and so you know what
does that mean?
How much do we have?
How much do we keep?
Uh, and I think we have a longway that we can go without
really being in a lot of dangerof being that radical with with
(23:12):
how much we pull back.
Yeah, well, and we're gonnaprobably talk about this in
future episode?
Dan Schilling (23:16):
Uh, I'm sure, because we've talked about this
in inheritance and what.
What about what the bible says,starting up on inheritance?
But I would say, michael, you,you, you, your inheritance that
you're passing on To your boysand I, you know my goal for my
voice and you're you're passingon a heritage and a legacy of
obedience, a willingness to putyour trust in him.
(23:37):
You know a willingness to saywe're not just gonna store up
and build bigger barns andthings for here, for the
temporal.
We're 100% certain that whatwe've invested into God's
kingdom because His word tellsus right that you've given up
(23:58):
your homes and that's what hesays to the disciples you know
there's 100x return on thatinvestment.
And I don't mean like in heavenI'm going to have stacks of
gold, I mean it really is thepeople, the lives, the families.
They're going to be impacted,you know, not only by that
hospital but other acts ofobedience in your life and in my
life and what God's called usto.
Michael Blue (24:18):
Yeah, yeah, and there's, and I think every step
that we take in faith is like ababy doe trying to learn to walk
is what it feels like, and it'snot easier today, I don't think
, than it started, and we stillwrestle with what exactly does
(24:39):
it mean, like, how much are wekeeping?
What lifestyle?
I mean?
I think the place that westruggle with more at this point
is lifestyle.
Maybe, then, savings is havingcertainty on that, and it's
because it's easy to letlifestyle kind of be dictated to
you instead of dictating it yes, and so that's you know.
(25:02):
Oh, the cash is there, great,but if you know, if we're more
disciplined and we do, or alittle bit more careful, we'll
have more to give at the end.
And so the decisions are I'mpulling away and spinning on
myself instead of having more torespond to the needs of those
around me, and there's so muchjoy when we get to listen and
(25:23):
respond to the needs that arearound us that we miss out on.
Dan Schilling (25:31):
So let's talk here just for a moment though.
So you've shared some placeswhere you were hearing God's
voice.
You know, again, it's notalways, it's not a linear path.
We've talked about this foryour following.
You know up and around, youknow through seminary and going
to Ethiopia and the opportunitywith that.
So how would you say if someonesaid so, michael, do you think
(25:54):
you've been thriving?
You know, is this, has it beena thriving journey for you?
Just talk about that for amoment.
Michael Blue (26:04):
Yeah, I think so and I mean I'm more careful here
that it's not that it's notlike you, I've hit this plane of
thriving that I am just smoothsailing on.
You know, there's been timesduring this that I have reading
a book on, you know, kind of thedark night of the soul.
(26:25):
It's like you know, what do youdo when you feel like God's not
there in your prayer time, andso I those, those happen, right,
but there's.
You know, even that has beenthough a process of maturation
and and growth and learning todraw near to God in those in a
(26:45):
season of dryness.
So I would say, yes, that thereis.
I'm the, the, the peace, thatkind of the, you know, the fruit
of the spirit.
Love, joy, peace, patience,kindness, goodness, gentleness
and self-control are moreregularly evident in my life.
Yes, right, I'm not perfect atany of those things, but the
(27:09):
peace, I don't worry, frankly,that much about stock markets
and wars and rumors of wars andthings of that nature, because I
don't have a whole lot that'stied up in them, yes, or
currencies or you know things ofthat nature, and so there's a
freedom there to be untetheredfrom right.
(27:34):
But the thriving really does.
The financial aspect is a partof the journey of coming near to
God.
But the most important thing inall of this is am I hungry to
draw near to God?
There's so many promises whenwe draw near to God and I think
that's worth thriving.
If I hear, follow and thrive, Ihear by drawing near right, I
(27:54):
work it out as I follow and Ithrive just as a product of what
I'm doing.
Yes, yes, right.
And so I think we want to callpeople to be people who draw
near to God, who are hungry tohear the voice of God so that
they can obey right, and it's,it's.
It may be to give awayeverything, it may not be.
It may be to go to Ethiopia, oror Kenya, or, you know,
(28:17):
cambodia, but yes, probably not.
I mean, probably, you're beingcalled to thrive right there.
Dan Schilling (28:24):
Yeah, with the people you've got, you go over
to your neighbor's house andoffer them a cold drink of water
sometime, right, and so to sayso it's yeah.
Michael Blue (28:33):
If I'm in, if I'm in Kenya doing it, I'm doing the
exact same thing I should bedoing here.
I'm going to love in myneighbor.
Yes, that's what missionariesdo, yeah, so there's.
There's not really uniquenesswhen you go over there, it's
just you know it's.
I've left my culture, which ishard.
Dan Schilling (28:52):
Yes.
Well, I just want to say I, I,I, you and I have known each
other now for a number of yearsand I would say I, I see you
thriving, and the thriving isbecause I see him in you, right,
and I think it's part of whatwe were talking about a few
weeks ago about the remaining meor abiding me, right, and the
(29:14):
goal is for all of us, is that'swhat we were we're desiring,
right, that we are in onenesswith him, we're in unity with
him in such a way that heincreases and we decrease, right
, right.
His light shines through us,our desires to live for him and
to to please him and to be aremaining or abiding in him,
(29:39):
allowing the Holy Spirit tospeak in us and through us.
And I'd say I've, I'vewitnessed that in you.
I've, you know, witnessed God'sjust need to watch.
You know what, what we've beenon this journey for a couple of
years, as you were going throughthat process as well as and
I've been, you know, makingdecisions this last year, and
(30:00):
you did too, you know, okay,we're going to take the next
step and follow it.
It seems kind of foolish, youknow, to the world, but you say
it's, it's where I've got to go.
I've got to be willing tofollow him wherever it takes,
and so I know you've alsowritten a book called free to
follow.
So I want to at least mentionthat too, because you are an
author and we got to tell folksabout that.
But it is a part of thatprocess in a journey right
(30:22):
no-transcript posturing ourheart, and you've been in that
journey of being free to followwherever that leads, whatever
that looks like, and to me thatis thriving, yeah and it's a
process I think of that's hardin the West to unwrap ourselves
that.
Michael Blue (30:38):
Do I trust that God is my provider?
Or is my government my provider?
Or my my provider and my 401k,my pension, my annuity, my
insurance policies?
And so we have a lot ofunwinding to do to learn to
trust God.
That is our Provider.
Yes, yes and it's hard, but sosometimes we got to go to that
(30:59):
edge.
Dan Schilling (31:01):
Yeah, To see it.
Yeah well, any last thingsyou'd like to kind of touch on
or Of the Michael blue storyhere before we wrap up today,
and just to encourage folks orthings you want to share I.
Michael Blue (31:19):
Think what we talked about before, and even at
the start of this, is that thisis, this is and we've said it a
lot on this podcast so far thisis a journey and you know, when
we fall down, I think thatthat's what's good about our
stories is God picks us up.
It's not like he's left us andwe got to go run to catch up,
right.
He's like alright, I get it, I'mgonna give you another chance,
(31:41):
and you know, and so there thereare, there are chances, and and
again, the obedience isn'tabout us doing hard things or
being uncomfortable or those.
It is about Entering into thejoy of the work of the father
and there what it'll take us inthe hard places, it'll take us
in on the uncomfortable places.
It'll take us in places that wemay not want to step into, but
(32:03):
that's actually if we we look atscripture.
That's where we grow and learnto trust, and so it's more fun
when I make those decisions, I'mmore alive and Christ, and and
that's where I want to Learn toreside more regularly.
So let's, let's do thistogether.
We want to be co-labors, youand I and and all the people, on
(32:23):
this journey together.
So you know, let's so good.
Dan Schilling (32:28):
I just reminded again what you shared a Few
times ago.
We were talking about Abraham,you know, and, and just his
willingness.
You know, even just goingthrough Genesis again right now,
and just you know, even inspite of his Thinking, you know
that, oh yeah, you're gonna do apromise to me, and he goes the
(32:50):
wrong direction and says, okay,well, I guess it was gonna
happen and I'll try to figurethis out, we'll do it through.
You know the handmaiden.
And then this happened I get anishmael and and yet you know,
I've said in my life many timesI don't want any.
I don't want any ishmaels, youknow, but the reality is I have
them.
The reality is I have them, weall do, but it still is not.
I keep God from the promise,and so my encouragement Today
(33:14):
for you all who are listening orwatching, is that the promises
of God, the purposes that he hasfor you Are, are not being
thwarted.
So what God wants for you is towalk this journey, and so we
want to invite you to join us,to hear God's voice, to follow
(33:35):
his lead, to thrive as adisciple.
So I, just I want to encourageyou.
It doesn't matter where you'vebeen, where you're at in the
journey that he is desiring thatfor you as a good, good father.
And so, michael, why don't youpray for us close the same for
today All?
Michael Blue (33:52):
right.
God, you're good, and we arejust grateful that you have
sought fit to invite us on ajourney that's you.
You're already walking, and andso I got.
I pray that for us here, danand I, and for those listening,
that we would Just seek clearlythe, the way that you have set
(34:12):
before us, and that we would seethat as joy, even when it feels
hard and seems difficult.
So, god, give us the faith andcourage to take a step Towards
you, trusting that that the,what you invite us into, will be
the, the times that we dothrive.
And so I just pray for eachperson listening that they would
begin to hear, follow and obeyyour voice in Jesus name, amen.
Dan Schilling (34:35):
Michael, awesome.
Thank you so much for sharingtoday.
Thank you all for listening thefeed sheet podcast.
We'll see you again next time.
God bless you.
Hey, welcome to the Feed Sheep podcast, where we
help you hear God's voice,follow His lead and thrive as a
disciple.
I'm Dan Schilling and I'll beone of your guides.
Now let's get into today'stopic.
Hey, thanks for tuning in toFeed Sheep podcast.
Today we're going to continuepart two of the interview with
Michael Blue.
You're not going to want tomiss this.
Michael shares when he and hiswife were in East Africa, when
(00:30):
the spirit of God began to speakto his heart and began to ask
him this question Michael, whyare you storing up for a day
that is uncertain when what'sbefore you is certain?
You saw the needs of the people.
The spirit of God moved hisheart in such a way that he and
his wife, over time, with prayer, seeking the Lord's counsel,
(00:50):
advice, felt like they were toliquidate their retirement to
fund what was certain from them.
You're going to hear this story.
Tune in.
You're going to be blessed bythis time.
Thanks for tuning in to theFeed Sheep podcast.
Michael Blue (01:05):
Here's Michael.
We have no house or we're aboutto have no house.
We decided to stay in Austin atthat point by another house
downsized, kind of condensed ourlifestyle to ministry type of a
lifestyle.
I quit my job at the firm andstarted just a private firm
(01:26):
where we started to pray and askGod what he had.
Pretty quickly it became realclear to my wife and I that God
had made a way for us to go tothis Africa and he wanted us to
go.
We didn't trust him.
We thought just disobeyed.
I've had lots of people try totalk me out of that, but I'm
(01:51):
okay with that.
I think we disobey God.
Yes, we do sometimes, sometimes, that's okay.
Dan Schilling (01:59):
Yeah, Well, and it's not.
I just want to say this tofolks that are listening too,
because we want to relate itback.
If you're listening to me, wewant to relate it back to your
story.
You're going to continue totell more of your story here,
Michael, but it doesn't endthere.
That act of disobedience or thatseason of disobedience,
(02:21):
whatever you want to call it.
It's not the end of the journey, it was just a part of the
journey.
When we talk about a God who isthe Alpha and the Omega, it's
not like he's like oh man,you're so terrible.
I'm not shocked.
We're not the first ones whodidn't obey Many many things.
(02:41):
We can look at those big moments, but if today the Spirit of God
tells me to go talk to someperson out here for a few
minutes, I don't do it.
Is that level of disobedienceor act of disobedience any more
or worse than if I don't go toNairobi when he calls me to,
because sometimes I think welike oh, I was so terrible.
Like no, it's.
He's a father who knows us.
(03:02):
He knows our nature, our sinnature and our heart, but he
doesn't.
I love the scripture when hesays that his mercies are new
every day for us.
Michael Blue (03:11):
Yeah, and that's good, because that's a kind of
I'm going to tie all thistogether that I think you just
you just brought in.
So after that, not long afterthat, we were in church and we
have, around Thanksgiving, aservice at our church where it's
like open mic Sunday morning.
But the point is it's a serviceof thanks and so people come up
(03:35):
and they say what they'rethankful for what God has done
during the year.
And you know, so it's just aservice of celebration where
people get to say thank you.
And during this sermon, duringthis time, I began to kind of
feel, halfway through it, youknow, the impression of the Holy
Spirit to say, hey, you know,get up and say something about
(03:57):
the pastor.
Just, you know, he's meant somuch to your family and all.
Because nobody had kind ofdrawn out anything like that.
And I didn't want to get up, Ididn't want to get in front of a
microphone.
I'm getting nervous.
I know that makes you laugh atthis moment probably, but it
kind of made me nervous.
I didn't want to, I didn't wantto do it and so I didn't and I
sat there.
(04:19):
If you see a pattern coming ofdisobedience, well, our pastor
gets up to end this service andas he comes to the microphone he
says you know, thanks everybody.
And this old lady in the backof the church who was crippled,
who was in a wheelchair, standsup and says you know, before we
(04:41):
leave the service, I just wantto say how grateful we are for
you, pastor, your family, howmuch you mean.
And you know, when you getconvicted by the Holy Spirit,
it's like when there's liketrain wreck experiences.
That was one of those and thatfor a while I could not tell the
story hardly, because it wasfairly overwhelming, just the
presence.
(05:01):
But I felt very clearly theHoly Spirit saying to me Michael
, I don't need you to accomplishthe things I'm asking you to do
, but I want you to join me onthe journey.
I can use a crippled lady whocan't get up and walk and do
what I'm asking you to do, butthere's joy in joining me on the
(05:23):
journey.
And so that was like oh, youknow it's, it's for my joy.
It's not like this obligationand weight that God is placing
on me.
It's actually an invitation tojoin him and what he's he's
doing, yes, with or without meright, yes, yes.
And so, to pull this circlecircle, last year I was at a
(05:44):
conference with you, andinternational justice mission
was one of the sponsors.
Yes, this is about 10 yearslater, and they were announcing
a new program that they hadcompleted, which which was this
kind of model law that theywanted to develop for developing
countries.
Well, this was the project theywanted to hire me to do when I
(06:05):
was in Nairobi.
Wow, right, and so it's thisidea, and it was.
It was.
It was a good moment Like this,not quite so convicting, but
this moment of the work wascompleted and continued, even
though I was disobedient.
Yes, right, and so I thinkthat's what I think is the best
(06:26):
thing that I've ever done whichis which is encouraging and
humbling?
Dan Schilling (06:32):
Yes, well, and I think again, what I want to just
encourage folks as they'relistening, because I'm sure
there's for some of us there'ssome things in our own mind Like
, yeah, you don't know what Ididn't do, you don't want to
know what I, how I missed it orhow I.
And yet I think theencouragement is is what you
said, that God doesn't need usThinking about what you know.
(06:53):
You and I have talked aboutthese passages many times, about
Matthew 25, you know when thatgood and faith come and it
entered into the joy of yourmaster.
I mean you, you get tocelebrate.
I want you to, I want you tosee that you're part of the work
.
Yeah, but the good news is,michael, you know you're part of
the work.
The work didn't.
That work went on, but God'swork and you didn't stop.
Michael Blue (07:15):
Right.
Dan Schilling (07:15):
You know that work the good work.
So, just because we miss anopportunity and I just want to
encourage folks, if you listenjust because you might have
missed an opportunity doesn'tmean you've missed out on God or
missed out on the opportunityfor redemption or ability to
bring you back around.
So let's, let's continue thestory here of then.
So what, what God do?
Michael Blue (07:34):
Yeah.
So really the next thing, as Iwas had this firm with a friend,
I just kept coming up this ideaof seminary and it had been on
my heart probably since Igraduated college, so you know
10 or 12 years.
And it was a time when I waslike I am so tired of saying no
that I'm going to say yes, yeah.
(07:56):
And so I did.
And you know I people wouldhear that I was going through
seminary, like oh yeah, that'sso good, what are you going to
do?
You want to be a pastor?
I said I don't know, like whatdo you mean?
You don't know.
It's like, why are you going toschool if you don't know what
you're going to do?
It was like I just felt likeGod told me to go to seminary
and and so that's what I'm doingright now.
(08:17):
So I was working and I wasgoing through seminary and I
really had no no idea of ofwhere it would lead or what it
would lead to or why I was doingit.
But kind of through that Ibegan to teach at our church.
Some I was an elder and we wefilled the pulpit as elders when
our pastor's out, and so I hadsome opportunity.
(08:39):
I had had some affirmation inthat as as a possible gifting,
and so I began to cultivate it alittle bit more, have more
opportunity to do so, and and soit really kind of moved to this
place where it seemed like,yeah, I think God's actually
calling me into ministry.
And so now I'm three years intomy law job and I'm making
(09:01):
almost twice what I was makingat a big firm, at my own firm
the economics work pretty wellin a small firm for for you
attorneys out there but I feltlike God was calling us into
ministry and, gratefully, we hadset our lifestyle at a ministry
(09:25):
level and whatever we weremaking above it was being given
away or being, you know, puttowards kids, colleges or
whatever kind of.
We would pray through it at theend of every year and ask God
what he wants us to do with it.
But we were just taking asalary.
That was, that was a ministrylevel salary.
And so opportunity came up.
I I looked at some churches,but an opportunity came up for
(09:47):
me to work at the Ron BlueInstitute with with my dad, and
it seemed like the right fit andso I left my law job, basically
gave my practice away to afriend.
He still owes me a dinner, Ithink.
I think he bought me lunch theother day, so we'll probably
(10:07):
even.
And so I gave, gave it away andwent into ministry and so
that's.
That was kind of you know, theall of those things that led me
to that point.
But during that time too, I waspraying a lot that God would
give my wife and I anopportunity to go on a mission
(10:29):
trip together to go see parts ofthe world.
I hadn't had an opportunity togo on really any mission trips
in my life and I wanted to do it.
And there's one of thesemoments that God like dumped
five in my lap at the same time.
With this it's kind of likeit's not hard to go on a mission
trip, michael, there'sopportunities everywhere Like
asking you shall receive right,so here we go.
(10:52):
This isn't like you're asking meto part the red sea here, part
the red sea here.
This is like just call a placeand go.
So I was like okay.
So I looked at a couple of themand I went with this group
called Crisis Day.
I actually put a note on theirwebsite and their president
called me the next day to say,hey, you're interested in going,
(11:16):
and they'd never taken anybodyon a mission trip before.
But he was like I don't know.
We got your message and theHoly Spirit just seemed to say
why don't you give this guy acall Nice?
So he invited.
My wife and I and two otherpeople came with us.
We went to East Africa with themand as we were there in this
(11:37):
place, we were in the Red LightDistrict in the main city of
this country, and you see thesewomen being trafficked and we go
out to the rural areas and yousee poverty like I've never seen
before.
Yes, people walking miles andliterally days to get some flour
so that they could feed theirfamilies.
(11:57):
These people had literallynothing and really no access to
income producing things, and Imean there's just a lot of
problem.
And so as we were there, I feltlike God kept saying to me why
are you holding onto so much fora day that is uncertain,
(12:17):
meaning my future retirement,some need in the future, when
the need before you is socertain?
Yes, and I couldn't get thatthought out of my head.
It was like this just keptcoming back around and around
and around.
Eventually I got the courage upto tell my wife that that's
what God was putting on my heartand she's like I don't know,
(12:39):
I'm still processing what we saw.
Let's put that one on the backrunner.
Yes, and so we did.
And so for the next nine months12 months, I don't know we had
this kind of recurringconversation of what do we do
about this?
Like, do we want to try to helpin some way?
We saw these needs, we sawtheir specific needs and things
(13:00):
that they wanted to do, and sowe prayed, we talked to our
pastor, we talked to mentors.
What do we do with this burden?
Like, is this our burden tobear or is this just guilt?
Is this, what is this?
I sat down with my pastorduring the time and he even said
to me you know what?
(13:20):
I had another person one timecome and sit down and kind of
express similar things thedesire to kind of get rid of
savings and retirement andthings like that and I talked
him out of it and he said I'dnever do that again.
He said that it ended up wherejust kind of the things ended up
(13:44):
leading him to away from church, away from God, and that he had
held on to.
Yes, and so we did.
We decided through that that wewould try to fund this hospital
.
Actually, this recovery centeris what it was like a six or
(14:04):
seven room recovery center formoms and their babies who were
being treated from malnutritionin a hospital.
They'd come out and they'drelease them after two or three
days and they weren't in anycondition really to go back.
They weren't dying at thatpoint, but they were like three
days away from being right backwhere they were.
So we would set up thisrehabilitation center for the
women and their moms and thekids could stay for a month or
(14:26):
two, really gain health and thengo back to their houses.
And so we called up theorganization, said hey, we wanna
do this, we're gonna fund,we're gonna buy this building in
East Africa and we're gonna goand do this.
And he's like great, that'sawesome, let's work on it.
(14:46):
So a couple of weeks go by, ina month he calls us back and
says I got good news and badnews.
Said bad news is we can't buythat building.
There's various reasons.
We can't get a permit, it's notgonna work, but we have a piece
of property that's not far awaythat we've wanted to put a
hospital on for a while, butit's gonna cost about three
(15:10):
times what I told you the otherone, Told you the other one was
gonna cost.
And we didn't have three timesthat, like we had enough to
build this other, buy thisproperty and build this building
.
And so he said, well, all right, let's see what God's gonna do.
(15:31):
And within about a week, half ofit had been raised by one donor
.
I hadn't even seen the property, heard about it one time, and
you know, this is like I willfund half of that.
Well, and then we gatheredfriends together and they gave
very generously and we ended upfunding this hospital in East
(15:54):
Africa and it was gonna be a onestory building and then it
became a two story building andit became a three story building
and then another group went outthere and it became a second
building with another threestories.
And so now I have this twobuilding, three story hospital
serving this lone community inrural East Africa where there's
(16:14):
no other hospital withinprobably a hundred miles.
All you know, really, the smalllittle as I call our loaves and
fishes that, hey, we can helpyou build a six person, six room
rehabilitation center.
Yes, that's all we have, rightthis is what we have.
And you know the whole, god hadmuch, much bigger plans.
(16:37):
And he said you know, I canmultiply this and so that's.
You know, that was kind of apretty big moment for us as we
were walking down this and wehad saved a bit from the law and
now it was gone.
But we had this joy of helpingand seeing God kind of overwhelm
(17:00):
us with the generosity ofpeople to build this thing
that's sharing the gospel andproviding life sustaining
treatment to, you know,thousands of people regularly.
Yes, so I'll stop there for asecond or maybe stop.
Dan Schilling (17:20):
Well, I just, michael I think it's what's so
cool several things, you know.
First of all, you know we canlook back sometimes in the
review mirror and say, hey, Imiss God here.
I miss God here, and sometimesI think the devil wants us to
get focused on that too.
You know, trying to.
You know, destroy us, tell usthat God's, you know, upset with
(17:44):
us, don't want to be around us.
And yet, you know, when we lookback and as you're sharing this
story, all I can think of isthat God, it wasn't a surprise
to him.
There was other points, but itwas.
They were impactful.
Because when the nextopportunity came, you're like I
don't want to say no anymore,you know.
And so then it's okay, that'sseminary, and it's like that's
(18:06):
another step.
And then you, you know you'rein the midst of Of a law
practice and you know you and Icome from.
You know the world of money andfinancing and, christian, you
know finance, sometimes we getso caught up in.
You know I have all this moneyand then I'll be able to Do
great things for the kingdom.
You know, I'll be able tovolunteer, I'll be able to do
(18:27):
this and and yet, at that pointin time.
Just, you know, if you'rewilling to help us be clear on
this.
I mean, like you, you took whatmany would call a retirement
and said I love the line.
You know why am I storing up fora need that's uncertain?
I, if Jesus comes back tomorrow, how much do I need?
And obviously none of us knowwhen Jesus come back or when
(18:48):
we're gonna die or when thosethings, but those things are
uncertain and I love what theHoly Spirit spoke to you and I
mean to hear that voice.
You know why are you storingfor something that's uncertain
when what you see right beforeyou is certain, there's a need
and there's a way you can sharethe kingdom of God, the gospel
of Jesus Christ, right here,right now.
It is certain there aren't anyhospitals around or any care
(19:11):
centers or anything else, andhow God used your act,
willingness to, uh, like maybewhat you'd say in the the.
You know the rich young rulerand zakias.
You know which one are we gonnabe.
You know to say I'm in, I wantto.
I want to be in.
I want to be in on this kingdomdeal, and again you say well,
(19:33):
salvation comes to this house.
I mean you.
You didn't let the wealth keepyou from From taking that next
step, and that's what I wantedto say.
Praise God, you know, well done, good and faithful servant.
Um, and I know, again, none ofus are perfect, but I think it's
such a powerful story of awillingness and and I want to
(19:55):
just say this too, do you feellike you've, uh, financially,
because there's some folks gonnalisten to this and say are you
saying you saying that we shouldall Give away our retirement?
No, but but when the wholeexperience was tapping, and for
you he did, and your willingnessto say yes, and so has it hurt
you financially to do that?
Michael Blue (20:16):
No, no, it has not .
I mean, I, you can look at thefuture and say what, what's
gonna happen, and I don't, Idon't know what's gonna happen
and I'd still hold open handthat if God says you know what,
it's time to start saving againfor that, then you know, okay,
right, but it's a conversation.
Um, you know, gary Hoag hasbeen a mentor of mine and that
(20:37):
kind of his idea and and we'vekind of modified it in some way.
But the idea that that, uh, inthe parable of the minas,
they're each given a minor whichis three months wages and so he
lives on on, uh, kind of thatprinciple where they, they will
accumulate up to a minor, uh,really, and then at the end of
(21:00):
every year they give awayanything that's excess and and
over above a minor, so threemonths, yeah, living and gary,
is intimidating to me because hekeeps downsizing his house and
lifestyle and you know Now livesin like a.
Dan Schilling (21:11):
Actually they just they bought a tiny little
uh house.
Michael Blue (21:13):
They were in a one bedroom apartment for a while
and I think my wife would say Iwant to have grandkids over
someday.
You got to be kidding me.
Yeah, living in a one bedroomapartment, yeah, but to watch
what, what God has.
So here's one of those peoplethat I always look to is with
encouragement because of hisFaithfulness and what he's done.
(21:35):
It's.
It's pretty remarkable to watchthe places that gary gets to go
into freely, uh, and minister topeople, and he spent the last
couple weeks in ukraine, uh,ministering to the people who
are there, ministering to, youknow, people who are in war torn
countries and just kind of allaround the world, or Open doors,
um, because it really hasgenerosity and open handedness
(22:00):
with, with everything, yeah, andso I think by holding back For
ourselves, uh and I'm not goingto put a restrain or limit on on
what that is, I mean, we justhave to kind of go before God on
that but I think the tendencyis, when we hold back, we miss
those opportunities, um, becausewe become so concerned with
(22:23):
Protecting it, uh, and so those,some of those things become
fearful, fearful places to go,uh, fearful things to lean into,
um, because they may result inloss of that protected that
thing that I think is going toprotect me in the future, yes,
um, and so, yeah, I mean, I I dothink that we as a society have
(22:50):
a golden calf of retirement,yeah, um, and so you know what
does that mean?
How much do we have?
How much do we keep?
Uh, and I think we have a longway that we can go without
really being in a lot of dangerof being that radical with with
(23:12):
how much we pull back.
Yeah, well, and we're gonnaprobably talk about this in
future episode?
Dan Schilling (23:16):
Uh, I'm sure, because we've talked about this
in inheritance and what.
What about what the bible says,starting up on inheritance?
But I would say, michael, you,you, you, your inheritance that
you're passing on To your boysand I, you know my goal for my
voice and you're you're passingon a heritage and a legacy of
obedience, a willingness to putyour trust in him.
(23:37):
You know a willingness to saywe're not just gonna store up
and build bigger barns andthings for here, for the
temporal.
We're 100% certain that whatwe've invested into God's
kingdom because His word tellsus right that you've given up
(23:58):
your homes and that's what hesays to the disciples you know
there's 100x return on thatinvestment.
And I don't mean like in heavenI'm going to have stacks of
gold, I mean it really is thepeople, the lives, the families.
They're going to be impacted,you know, not only by that
hospital but other acts ofobedience in your life and in my
life and what God's called usto.
Michael Blue (24:18):
Yeah, yeah, and there's, and I think every step
that we take in faith is like ababy doe trying to learn to walk
is what it feels like, and it'snot easier today, I don't think
, than it started, and we stillwrestle with what exactly does
(24:39):
it mean, like, how much are wekeeping?
What lifestyle?
I mean?
I think the place that westruggle with more at this point
is lifestyle.
Maybe, then, savings is havingcertainty on that, and it's
because it's easy to letlifestyle kind of be dictated to
you instead of dictating it yes, and so that's you know.
(25:02):
Oh, the cash is there, great,but if you know, if we're more
disciplined and we do, or alittle bit more careful, we'll
have more to give at the end.
And so the decisions are I'mpulling away and spinning on
myself instead of having more torespond to the needs of those
around me, and there's so muchjoy when we get to listen and
(25:23):
respond to the needs that arearound us that we miss out on.
Dan Schilling (25:31):
So let's talk here just for a moment though.
So you've shared some placeswhere you were hearing God's
voice.
You know, again, it's notalways, it's not a linear path.
We've talked about this foryour following.
You know up and around, youknow through seminary and going
to Ethiopia and the opportunitywith that.
So how would you say if someonesaid so, michael, do you think
(25:54):
you've been thriving?
You know, is this, has it beena thriving journey for you?
Just talk about that for amoment.
Michael Blue (26:04):
Yeah, I think so and I mean I'm more careful here
that it's not that it's notlike you, I've hit this plane of
thriving that I am just smoothsailing on.
You know, there's been timesduring this that I have reading
a book on, you know, kind of thedark night of the soul.
(26:25):
It's like you know, what do youdo when you feel like God's not
there in your prayer time, andso I those, those happen, right,
but there's.
You know, even that has beenthough a process of maturation
and and growth and learning todraw near to God in those in a
(26:45):
season of dryness.
So I would say, yes, that thereis.
I'm the, the, the peace, thatkind of the, you know, the fruit
of the spirit.
Love, joy, peace, patience,kindness, goodness, gentleness
and self-control are moreregularly evident in my life.
Yes, right, I'm not perfect atany of those things, but the
(27:09):
peace, I don't worry, frankly,that much about stock markets
and wars and rumors of wars andthings of that nature, because I
don't have a whole lot that'stied up in them, yes, or
currencies or you know things ofthat nature, and so there's a
freedom there to be untetheredfrom right.
(27:34):
But the thriving really does.
The financial aspect is a partof the journey of coming near to
God.
But the most important thing inall of this is am I hungry to
draw near to God?
There's so many promises whenwe draw near to God and I think
that's worth thriving.
If I hear, follow and thrive, Ihear by drawing near right, I
(27:54):
work it out as I follow and Ithrive just as a product of what
I'm doing.
Yes, yes, right.
And so I think we want to callpeople to be people who draw
near to God, who are hungry tohear the voice of God so that
they can obey right, and it's,it's.
It may be to give awayeverything, it may not be.
It may be to go to Ethiopia, oror Kenya, or, you know,
(28:17):
cambodia, but yes, probably not.
I mean, probably, you're beingcalled to thrive right there.
Dan Schilling (28:24):
Yeah, with the people you've got, you go over
to your neighbor's house andoffer them a cold drink of water
sometime, right, and so to sayso it's yeah.
Michael Blue (28:33):
If I'm in, if I'm in Kenya doing it, I'm doing the
exact same thing I should bedoing here.
I'm going to love in myneighbor.
Yes, that's what missionariesdo, yeah, so there's.
There's not really uniquenesswhen you go over there, it's
just you know it's.
I've left my culture, which ishard.
Dan Schilling (28:52):
Yes.
Well, I just want to say I, I,I, you and I have known each
other now for a number of yearsand I would say I, I see you
thriving, and the thriving isbecause I see him in you, right,
and I think it's part of whatwe were talking about a few
weeks ago about the remaining meor abiding me, right, and the
(29:14):
goal is for all of us, is that'swhat we were we're desiring,
right, that we are in onenesswith him, we're in unity with
him in such a way that heincreases and we decrease, right
, right.
His light shines through us,our desires to live for him and
to to please him and to be aremaining or abiding in him,
(29:39):
allowing the Holy Spirit tospeak in us and through us.
And I'd say I've, I'vewitnessed that in you.
I've, you know, witnessed God'sjust need to watch.
You know what, what we've beenon this journey for a couple of
years, as you were going throughthat process as well as and
I've been, you know, makingdecisions this last year, and
(30:00):
you did too, you know, okay,we're going to take the next
step and follow it.
It seems kind of foolish, youknow, to the world, but you say
it's, it's where I've got to go.
I've got to be willing tofollow him wherever it takes,
and so I know you've alsowritten a book called free to
follow.
So I want to at least mentionthat too, because you are an
author and we got to tell folksabout that.
But it is a part of thatprocess in a journey right
(30:22):
no-transcript posturing ourheart, and you've been in that
journey of being free to followwherever that leads, whatever
that looks like, and to me thatis thriving, yeah and it's a
process I think of that's hardin the West to unwrap ourselves
that.
Michael Blue (30:38):
Do I trust that God is my provider?
Or is my government my provider?
Or my my provider and my 401k,my pension, my annuity, my
insurance policies?
And so we have a lot ofunwinding to do to learn to
trust God.
That is our Provider.
Yes, yes and it's hard, but sosometimes we got to go to that
(30:59):
edge.
Dan Schilling (31:01):
Yeah, To see it.
Yeah well, any last thingsyou'd like to kind of touch on
or Of the Michael blue storyhere before we wrap up today,
and just to encourage folks orthings you want to share I.
Michael Blue (31:19):
Think what we talked about before, and even at
the start of this, is that thisis, this is and we've said it a
lot on this podcast so far thisis a journey and you know, when
we fall down, I think thatthat's what's good about our
stories is God picks us up.
It's not like he's left us andwe got to go run to catch up,
right.
He's like alright, I get it, I'mgonna give you another chance,
(31:41):
and you know, and so there thereare, there are chances, and and
again, the obedience isn'tabout us doing hard things or
being uncomfortable or those.
It is about Entering into thejoy of the work of the father
and there what it'll take us inthe hard places, it'll take us
in on the uncomfortable places.
It'll take us in places that wemay not want to step into, but
(32:03):
that's actually if we we look atscripture.
That's where we grow and learnto trust, and so it's more fun
when I make those decisions, I'mmore alive and Christ, and and
that's where I want to Learn toreside more regularly.
So let's, let's do thistogether.
We want to be co-labors, youand I and and all the people, on
(32:23):
this journey together.
So you know, let's so good.
Dan Schilling (32:28):
I just reminded again what you shared a Few
times ago.
We were talking about Abraham,you know, and, and just his
willingness.
You know, even just goingthrough Genesis again right now,
and just you know, even inspite of his Thinking, you know
that, oh yeah, you're gonna do apromise to me, and he goes the
(32:50):
wrong direction and says, okay,well, I guess it was gonna
happen and I'll try to figurethis out, we'll do it through.
You know the handmaiden.
And then this happened I get anishmael and and yet you know,
I've said in my life many timesI don't want any.
I don't want any ishmaels, youknow, but the reality is I have
them.
The reality is I have them, weall do, but it still is not.
I keep God from the promise,and so my encouragement Today
(33:14):
for you all who are listening orwatching, is that the promises
of God, the purposes that he hasfor you Are, are not being
thwarted.
So what God wants for you is towalk this journey, and so we
want to invite you to join us,to hear God's voice, to follow
(33:35):
his lead, to thrive as adisciple.
So I, just I want to encourageyou.
It doesn't matter where you'vebeen, where you're at in the
journey that he is desiring thatfor you as a good, good father.
And so, michael, why don't youpray for us close the same for
today All?
Michael Blue (33:52):
right.
God, you're good, and we arejust grateful that you have
sought fit to invite us on ajourney that's you.
You're already walking, and andso I got.
I pray that for us here, danand I, and for those listening,
that we would Just seek clearlythe, the way that you have set
(34:12):
before us, and that we would seethat as joy, even when it feels
hard and seems difficult.
So, god, give us the faith andcourage to take a step Towards
you, trusting that that the,what you invite us into, will be
the, the times that we dothrive.
And so I just pray for eachperson listening that they would
begin to hear, follow and obeyyour voice in Jesus name, amen.
Dan Schilling (34:35):
Michael, awesome.
Thank you so much for sharingtoday.
Thank you all for listening thefeed sheet podcast.
We'll see you again next time.
God bless you.
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