Drywall Buckets
His name was Lance. He was one of two students that showed up at the first prayer breakfast for Crossroads Farm. It wasn’t much of a breakfast.
I had forgotten that the house we were meeting in was under renovation. It was the farm house on the property where Crossroads Farm South-Central now operates. I had to arrive at 5:30, and using my flashlight, worked my way to the generators sitting outside, I fired one up and began to string the extension cords together in a winding snake-route through the downstairs and up the steps to the second story. I plugged the construction lamp into the cord and there was light. A power strip allowed us to power a toaster. I arranged the drywall buckets in a semi-circle around the toaster which I had perched on a ladder rung. Toaster Strudels and orange juice comprised the first monthly prayer event.
Lance and Noelle, praying for God to show this start-up ministry, favor.
That was 20 years ago.
Tonight I sat on the stoop of our home, the same place where that first prayer breakfast took places. I was getting ready to take a walk with my wife and a red SUV pulled into the driveway, stopped and a family piled out. It was Lance, Christie and his boys. They were standing in the home of those prayers over 20 years ago. A death in the family had brought Lance back to us. We walked through the Shed, a million dollar dream and prayer 20 years before. Lance and Christie beamed. Dawn and I did as well.
We talked about that prayer breakfast so many years ago. We introduced Lance to the new space, the Milking Parlor, The Gamer’s Mow, The Barnyard, and he smiled. We explained that since the first prayer breakfast over 6000 students had heard the gospel here. A few times I caught all of the adults wiping tears away. We prayed for each other and then they were back in the family ride and gone. It wasn’t much of a breakfast, but it was an incredible prayer.
Today I took two messages from leaders across the country. I gave the tour to a couple that is interested in considering a ministry launch in another region. We get to do this about twice a month. Inevitably, everyone wants to know what the secret is to launching a rural ministry. I think I have my answer.
You need to find a few drywall buckets. Fill them with students who are willing to ask God for something impossible. Stay at the plow until you can show them the answer to their prayer. Let them know that they began a legacy.
Yep. We need more buckets.