This week, the inaugural episode of the Purposed 365 Podcast airs, setting the stage for the exciting and inspirational series that we hope will make a difference in many lives over the course of this year. There is no better way to get things started, than to cast the vision for why P365 exists...and that is exactly what we have done in this episode. If you haven't done so yet, take a moment to jump over to the podcast and take a listen, then come back and read the rest of this week's blog post that expands on the vision that our founder, Jasman Rolle, shares with us. When you come back, you're invited to engage with our community here in the comments section and continue the conversations. Stuck for Three Days In January 2012, I found myself on a flight, along with a group of other individuals from the U.S., on our way to the Philippines. We were en route to the southern island of Mindanao on a mission to bring humanitarian aid, care and hope to the victims of Typhoon Pablo, which had devastated many areas of the eastern part of the island. After our rendezvous in San Francisco, we had flown to Guam, our last stop on American soil. Having passed through customs, we were re-boarding our plane for the last leg of our international flight into Manila. As our team was boarding the plane, I was the last one in line to show my boarding pass and passport to the gate agent. As he looked at my documents, he called me aside and consulted with a colleague, then told me I would not be permitted to board the plane. It seems that the fact that my passport would expire in 5 months from then, put me within a 6-month window that prohibits entrance into the country of the Philippines. Even though I was only going to be there for 14 days, it didn't matter. Rules were rules and I would not be able to join my team as they continued their journey. They assured me that they would be in touch as soon as they landed in Manila. There I was...stranded in Guam...no idea where to go, who to seek for assistance, or what my next step needed to be. To make a long story short, the next two nights and three days I spent on Guam brought feelings of uncertainty, disappointment and frustration. I won't go into all the details, but little tidbits like depending on a taxi driver at midnight to recommend a place to stay, a hotel room with a bullet hole in the window, long hours in the airport terminal awaiting phone calls and messages, and efforts to assure my wife and friends back home that I am okay, may give you a glimpse into what I was experiencing. There were moments in those three days that it looked as though I may have to board a plane back to the U.S. and abort my intended mission to provide crisis counseling, prayer and support to hurting people, as a part of our medical aid team. I prayed...people back home prayed...my team prayed. However, I never lost sight of why I was on this journey. I knew my mission...the vision I had of what God was going to do through me and my team to touch people's lives. That is what kept me focused and determined not to give up. At one point, God brought a man into my life...on the second day...who spoke into my situation, giving confirmation. This man worked in the car rental agency at the second hotel where I stayed. I told him about my situation, my mission, and my concerns. It turns out, he was a Filipino pastor there on Guam. I will never forget his words to me that confirmed my vision and assure me that God would open the door to complete the mission for which I had traveled so far. He looked me in the eyes and said, "You are a white man, but you have a Filipino heart." Somehow his words reminded me of the vision I had for this mission and reassured me that God would be faithful to get me to the Philippines. A day later, I was landing in Manila, greeted by special security escort to an office where I was given a letter from the Philippines Department of State, declaring that I was permitted to travel freely throughout the country with my passport that would expire prior to the required date. VICTORY! Vision, when related to our purpose, keeps us going when everything around us says something different. In this week's podcast, Jasman "Jazz" Rolle establishes for us the vision that is behind Purposed 365. Why Another Podcast? There is no lack of podcasts available in the digital world and, frankly, no lack of blogs either. You can even find podcasts and blogs that are encouraging and inspiring...seeking to touch people's lives with truth. But, there was not a Purposed 365. You may argue as to whether the world needs another podcast, but you can't argue with the work of the Spirit when He moves upon a person's heart, producing a passion that comes out of one's purpose and leads to a vision for a specific pursuit. The bottom line? There is always need for encouragement and hope...there is always a need for people to be pointed to the redemptive power of Jesus Christ and there is always a call for each of us to use our unique gifting to share these things with our world. That explains why this online community has been created. Jasman Rolle, and all those who are becoming a part of this movement, are using their gifting, unique personalities and experiences to proclaim the powerful work of God in lives when they surrender to His purpose and calling. That is the vision that is P365. The Power of Transparency In his own words, Jazz demonstrates transparency that will be a characteristic of this community, as he admits he had to overcome some barriers in establishing P365. As a "behind the scenes" kind of guy, Jazz had to step out of his comfort zone to follow the passion to which God was calling him. He had to face his fear and move into the next steps. I think he would tell us that this was a process that continued to challenge him at various points along the way. It was the vision that God had given him that continued to enable him to step into those places that were not comfortable and familiar. His second barrier was his tendency toward perfectionism. Like we have discussed in a previous post, over-analysis, or waiting for perfection, can be paralyzing. However, Jazz had people who spoke wisdom into his life and he realized he needed to move forward and do his best, leaving the rest to God. Sometimes we have to take that first step in obedience...even if we don't have all of the details figured out. Knowing your purpose and having a vision of what that looks like for you, will empower you to fulfill that purpose and allow God to get the glory in the process. Visioneering "Visioneering" is a word Andy Stanly created to describe the process of making one's God-given dreams a reality. In his book by that title, he writes, "Visioneering is the course one follows to make dreams a reality. It is the process whereby ideas and convictions take on substance." For the dream of Purposed 365, visioneering has led to this statement: Purposed 365 exists to point people to hope in Jesus Christ, encouraging them to dream and be intentional about pursuing those God-given dreams. This is about more than a man's dream. It is bigger than one or two people. It is about how God wants to work through each of us to accomplish His ultimate plan of bringing people to Himself...offering them hope, redemption, purpose and fulfillment. There will be many stories shared on this platform over the coming months. Each one will be unique and beautiful, but all will be examples of how we can discover our purpose, develop our vision, overcome barriers and, through the grace of God, see Him work in and through us for his glory. That is why even being stranded on an island in the south pacific can't stop the plan of God in and through a life lived on purpose. What have you discovered so far about your purpose? Can you recognize particular talents, interests, or spiritual gifts that may give you clues to what unique way you can live out your purpose? Share in the comments and get the conversation going.
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AuthorWith over forty years of ministry experience, Randy Kinnick continues to live a life of pursuing the purpose for which he was created. Whether teaching God's Word to adults, coaching youth and young adults in finding their purpose, or caring for the hurting and abused in Southeast Asia, the adventure has taken him around the world in ways he could have never dreamed. The adventure continues! Archives
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