How does compelled happen? How does someone get a God-given passion deep in the marrow of their bones that keeps them up at night thinking about how they will accomplish it?  How do people find a calling of such significance that it launches them into significant impact in the world?

I don’t know.  I mean…I really don’t know.

There seems to be no formula for it.  Sometimes it happens in what seems like random ways.  Take for example this story from Food Rescue:

Several months ago, an acquaintance of mine devoted an article on his blog to Food Rescue, and I received an email from Bill and Marispy Fitzgerald in Austin Texas, expressing interest in starting a Food Rescue chapter in Austin Texas.  Since that time, Bill and Marispy have scheduled 32 monthly “Food Rescues” in Austin, with an estimated retail value of food of over $100,000.  While a story like this has become common with Food Rescue, the unique part of their story was that Bill and Marispy did not know the author of the blog.  They stumbled upon his blog for “no particular reason.”

What?  Did you catch that?  A couple in Austin, Texas randomly read a blog from someone in Indy that just happens to mention Food Rescue, and now food is being saved to the tune of $100,000 dollars annually. How does this happen? Randomly searching a blog turns into Food Resuces?  I say again…what?

Doesn't this picture just say it all when it comes to Food Rescue?

There is no formula to becoming compelled.

What do you think are some of the factors that lead to getting compelled? Please comment!

Today’s post comes to us from Kirsten Johnson, a Grace attender and recent participant on a New York City Relief short-term trip.

Serving on the relief bus will change your life…it certainly has changed mine!

God knew just what I needed just when I needed it…About 2 years ago I had one of two life changing moments…I was a divorced, 31 year old mother of a 3 ½ year old son.  I grew up in a Christian home and knew I wanted the same for my son Brennan.  I had recently made some bad decisions and had also ended a six year marriage.  I was not attending church regularly.  There was this day where I so vividly recall God asking me what I was waiting for…Brennan was almost 4!  I thought well that is a good question.  When was I going to form this Christian home?  When he was a teenager?  God truly told me that day that I needed to make my life what I wanted it and we went to church that weekend.

The second life changing moment was within that first fews weeks at Grace when there was a video on the New York City Relief Short-Term trip.  Words can not describe what happened that day in church.  God tugged on my heart in a way I have never experienced or maybe never noticed.  I leaned over to my mom and said I am going to do that.  I went home that day, got on the Grace website and signed up for the February 2008 trip.  There is a sign in NYC at the Hope Center that says DANGER…Serving on the Relief Bus will Change your life.  It truly changed mine…I learned in that four days that our role was to love people. I can do that!

After the NYC trip God continued to tug on my heart more and more…I started serving dinner at the Wheeler Care Center for Women and Children in November.  I love it!  It’s really not glamorous.  I didn’t bring someone to Jesus that first meal but I got to serve about 50 women and 10 children filled with amazing moments of eye contact and smiles which were each an absolute blessing!

Brennan helps me rescue food from the Noblesville Panera Bread one Wednesday a month.  What a blessing this organization is!  We go to Panera about 8:55 p.m., right before they close, and pick up all the food that they have left.  We go to Third Phase food pantry, load it into grocery carts and take it in.  It has been really amazing to see Brennan grow through this experience.  At first he went in to Panera with me but then waited in the car at Third Phase.  Now he wants to carry things into Third Phase so he can help me and so he can see everyone.  He will even tell you all about what we are doing with the food and who it is for.

In June we began joining the Grace folks at Wheeler on Sundays serving dinner to the men and then playing games.  If you haven’t had the opportunity to serve at Wheeler I recommend just giving it one chance.  I will admit to you that even after a trip to New York and serving at the women’s shelter I was nervous about how it would go playing games with the men after dinner.  Immediately the first time I went I thought what on earth was I worried about?  It was wonderful and a really great opportunity to connect with people.  When we go now Brennan has his entire game agenda planned out prior to dinner.  It is something we both really look forward to.

I will hopefully be leading a trip to New York next June and I would love to share this experience with you if you are interested in being forever changed!

Compelled:        

1. to force or drive, esp. to a course of action

2. to have a powerful and irresistible effect, influence, etc.

Meet John Williamson

John Williamson is compelled.  After half-listening to his wife read an article about Freegans, people who have a home but will scour dumpsters in search of free food…he was bothered.  Weeks went by and he couldn’t shake the idea of people looking through dumpsters for food.  Unemployed at the time, he began to investigate. 

 It turns out 27% of all food in our country is thrown away.  Simply tossed in the garbage. 

 Fast-forward a little more than a year and you find Food Rescue, a Frontline Ministry of Grace Community Church.  Food Rescue has 44 chapters in 19 states with their mission being to rescue food (their name really says it all).  

 John was Hamilton County’s 2008 Citizen of the year. Others are taking notice of the work that is being done. 

 What is so amazing about Food Rescue, beyond the simple act of service it provides that makes such a huge difference, is how John’s life is having such a powerful and irresistible effect, influence, etc. on other people.  One woman in Jacksonville, Florida went from hopeless, unemployed, and without faith to employed, full of hope and faith.  Food Rescue played a small part in her larger transformation, but she is now the leader of a thriving Food Rescue Chapter.  In Minnesota, another woman was so inspired by the mission of Food Rescue, she started her own chapter and went on to start her own not-for-profit food pantry in her town.  Over a thousand volunteer on a regular basis with Food Rescue every month!

 44 Chapters lead by volunteers in 19 states!  Food worth over 3 million dollars in retail value has already been rescued.  Over a 1000 volunteers every month all over the country have joined in the rescue. 

Perhaps a chapter of your story may be found with Food Rescue.  Click here to find out how you can join John and thousands of others in this amazing ministry.