I'm Just Going to Bless You...Because I Can.

I don't know how many of you know, but the gifts that I believe the Lord has given me to spread His message have always been specific.
Pictures, words and sounds...those are my tools. And over the years I've crafted them.

Everywhere I look I see a picture. I was born blind in one eye, and poor vision in the other, but I can see the light as if it's paint on the tip of my brush, and I can convey an emotion through an image.

When pictures won't suffice, out comes the words. I never have to force them. They flow. In fact, some days it feels like they come so fast and furious that's it's better explained as 'throwing up'. I can see something, and immediately I can see the thread. The stitch. The path by which to bring the reader down, to translate what's on my heart. When you finish reading what I've read, you know what I'm feeling, and you know a piece of me that's left behind.

And then there comes a deeper root. The visual just won't do, and words will not unlock what's coursing through these veins, and from down deep inside there comes a beat, a melody, a little blues mixed in with down-home hillbilly. The guitar starts picking and thumping out a melody and before you know it, we're swinging. Knees are bouncing, toes are tapping, and you feel a very raw and rough-cut emotion.

When we sold our business, our home, our possessions, and left for Haiti, the world turned upside down. Being there, living in the village among the Haitians, picking up on some of the lowest of lows and highest of highs, all courtesy of my Lord Jesus Christ, I've often found myself almost afraid of what's inside. Some days it's too much. I find I'm overwhelmed with tears and a great lump forms in my throat. I know if I don't pick up and change the subject, I might just blow. The feelings press down and even as I take in a deep breath and find calm again, I know it waits there. It's brewing.

He knows what's there. It's His story. And I don't write any of this to inflate myself or to puff up who I am. I only tell you because the Glory is His. All of me, all I've ever been and all I ever will be, is His workmanship. He designed me for a specific purpose, and I know my job is only to be obedient and available, same as yours. No one can stand in the way of what Christ has purposed any man or woman to be.

So, for me and what God's given me, what's the best way to put out pictures, words and sounds?
A website.

For a year we had what's called a 'vanity' site from Showit. 30 MB of free space, so long as you have an ad for their website designs, and a fair trade indeed. But I found over the course of the year that there was much more to show you. To help people understand, to see the Glory of God through these tools He's given me. There's a song with these words...."What shall I render to the Giver of Life, in Who all things are made, what shall I render to the One who paints the oceans blue?"

Lord, I'm going to use these gifts You've given me and trust You'll provide.

I decided to bite the bullet and take our free site to a subscription. It was time, worth it to pay for a way to tell you all more about Him. I'd setup a church site years ago through Showit, and in the process they explained they'd give a discount to a nonprofit, so I asked if that was still available since we are under a nonprofit.

I got a reply from Jason with Showit, asking me to please explain what we do, and so I shot him a quick reply about bringing Bibles to Haiti, working with pastors in the local churches, and starting discipleship. I clicked the send button and thought nothing more of it.

Then in the middle of the night I got a message back from Jason, and it was such a confirmation that Yes, God truly has the whole world in His hands. It reminded me of my all-time favorite attitude, the power, of what one Christian can do, when He's obedient and listening, available to Christ and His desire to reach out and speak into hearts: "I'm just going to bless you...because I can."
His exact words:

"Awesome. I love it! I think the ministry you guys are doing is so important and so incredible.
I went ahead and comped the account so you guys have a free lifetime subscription on us. No charge :) Use the money you would have used for a website and put some more Bibles into the hands of people in Haiti!
And please let us know if there is anything at all I can do to help you get your site up and online. Thanks for all that you are doing for the Kingdom!
Jason Lackey"

I was blown away. I woke up my wife. She praised God. I fell asleep telling Him thanks. I wrapped up in my blanket, rested my head on the pillow, and felt cradled in the arms of Christ.

Over the next weeks I'll be preparing our site. I hope to tell you more about my Rescuer through pictures, words, and sounds. I've got my marching orders.

What can you do today? Who are you going to bless today, simply because you can?