This is a little story I wrote a few weeks back on Facebook that I wanted to now share on my blog.  It's not based on real events, but is meant as a parable to show what is possible if one will only reach for God, and obey Him with all their heart, soul and mind.

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A man once bowed down at the alter of a busy city church, and said, "Lord, I want to do amazing, incredible things for you!  I want to change the world and turn it on its head!  I want to reach people nobody else can reach!"  So God asked him, "Are you sure you want to do this?  It will be hard and the way will be rough."  "Yes, Lord.  I will do anything for you.  Just name it."  The Lord smiled, and said, "Then go to the mountains and I will tell you what to do."

Being a city boy all of his life the man was perplexed, but he obeyed.  He drove out into the country turning down this road and that as the Lord guided until he found himself deep in the middle of the woods, far from road or house or civilization of any kind.  Eventually he ran out of road as the rapidly narrowing dirt pathway in front of him disappeared into a large grassy meadow.  The man got out of his car, a fancy BMW, and walked out into the middle of the field.

"What now, Lord?" he asked after some time.  "Do you see this land around you?" asked God after a bit.  "Yes, Lord.  But what about it?"  "I want you to sell all you have and buy it.  From as far as your eye can see in every direction, I want you to purchase it, and then when it is yours, I will tell you what to do with it."  The man's eyebrow went up in surprise.  He looked around the meadow and then towards the hills on all sides.

"All of it, Lord!?  There's got to be some thousand acres here!"  "Buy it all," came the firm reply.  The man was confused, but agreed to do what the Lord had called him to do.  So he found out who owned the land and negotiated for it.  To his surprise he discovered that it'd indeed take his selling everything he owned, and most of his available money to buy it.  But he obeyed.  He began by trading in his car for an older pickup truck, a better vehicle for the rough roads that led into his new place, and then sold his house, cashed in his investments, and even his entire savings, retirement and all bank accounts.

When he was done all that remained were a few meager possessions, which he loaded into the back of his truck, and $300 in his pocket.  He then returned to the meadow in the middle of his property, setup a tent, and sat down to pray.  "What now Lord?  I've done all you've asked.  But how does this answer my prayer?"  But the Lord did not answer.  For six days the man lived in the meadow and prayed, but still no answer came.  On the seventh day, early in the morning, he was awakened by a still, small voice.

"Take an ax, a saw, and a shovel and build yourself a house."  "But how, Lord?  I don't have the skills or knowledge to do that!"  "I will give it to you."  So the man set about building a house, and what a house it was!  While it was agreeably rustic, it was one of the most beautiful log cabins he'd ever seen, and that was saying something for a man who'd never done any of his own handyman work at home.  But it didn't stop at one building.  Soon another and then another went up.

After this he mowed down the grass that filled the meadow and sold it to the local farmers which gave him the money to buy the things he needed to survive the winter in his new home.  The next spring God moved him to plant a large garden, far, far more than he would ever need.  He was confused as to why he needed to do this.  But he obeyed anyways, assuming that he would in turn sell his surplus for more money to do whatever he needed.  But that wasn't what God had planned.  Around late summer a young man, who'd run from home and was looking for a place to hide from his parents, wandered onto his property.

"May I help you?" asked the man.  "I need a place to stay.  I've run away from home, and I can't go back," replied the boy.  So the man took him in, and over the coming weeks the young man helped him tend the garden and care for the new property in exchange for food and lodging.  In time the man led the young boy to Christ and changed his life forever!  Not long after two gangsters, hardened men of the inner city, appeared on his property looking for a place to hide out and grow pot.  At first they took the man and the boy hostage.  But after several hours of extensive discussion both men renounced their former life and accepted Christ!

This continued on for several years with people of all ages arriving at the remote property, as though by divine providence, and leaving with the joy of the Lord and the gospel firmly rooted in their hearts!  However, some of those who came in search of answers chose to stay and help, their numbers eventually growing to well over a hundred who lived and worked on the property year round.  In the process of this more houses and other buildings were added, as well as a wide and varied selection of animals until the land had become a very profitable, yet old fashioned farm.

Late one night, as the rest of the now small village of workers were winding down and preparing to hit the sack, the man wandered out onto his porch and sat down, gently stroking his beard as he did.  He sat quietly in his chair, rocking gently back and forth as he stared up happily at the stars.  "Lord, remember all those years ago when I asked you for the opportunity to reach people that nobody else could?"  "Yes, I do," came a smiling reply.  "Well, I never thought it'd be like this!  I was expecting an inner city ministry or something down in Haiti.  But this?"

"Did you not tell Me that you wanted to reach those who nobody else could?"  "Yes, Lord, but..."  "Have you not already done that?"  The man paused.  "What do you mean, Lord?"  "The young boy who ran from his parents.  Had you been where you'd wanted to be, you couldn't have reached him.  Or the two who tried to kill you and him?  Is not one of them your chief stable hand, and the other your foreman?  Or what about the couple who wished to die because they felt their lives were over?  Or the man seeking to get away from the trappings of the world.  Or the woman who fled from her abusive husband.  Had you been where you'd wished to be, you could not have reached them."

The man pondered this.  "Then I have indeed reached those who could be reached by no one else."  God smiled.  "You have, only it was not in the way you thought it would be."  The man smiled in return.  "And I thank you, Lord, that it did not happen as I'd anticipated.  For had I done it my own way, how sad would my life be now?  Or what would have become of these ones who you've brought to me?  I am so grateful for what you've done for me.  I only wish that I could do so much more than this."  God again smiled.  "Do not fear, my child, for all that I have given you is but the beginning.  There is much more to come!"

The man then smiled even wider.  "Let it be so, Lord.  Let it be so."