Transformation

(Adapted from an address to Messiah Lutheran Church in Fargo, North Dakota by FFHC founder, Kerrie Holschbach.  5,19, 2013)

 

     



 









When I became a Christian in 2001, the Holy Spirit did a radical and miraculous transformation changing me from atheist to missionary.  The Holy Spirit filled me with a passion to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the poor in Tanzania, empowered me to share that passion with others and sent others to help build Food for His Children (FFHC) into a ministry.   

Each Food for His Children volunteer has different gifts and they all come together to form one body. God is always faithful to provide someone with the talents we need to take the ministry to the next stage in God’s plan.  As of this month, 182 families, about 900 people are involved in some stage of the program- starting training, preparing to get their goat, have received their goat, or have passed on a goat.  Were it not for the work of the Holy Spirit, Food for His Children would not exist.

Through the Holy Spirit, Food for His Children goat recipients experience Jesus’ love and go from hopeless to hopeful.  They are better able to meet their immediate needs and can make plans for their future.  For some it is to start a business, for others to send their children to school.  

On our mission trip, the Holy Spirit revealed God’s truth to us during a visit to Esta Bura’s home.  Esta and Petro have 5 children under 10.  They live in a mud and stick home with a dirt floor in the middle of what appears to be a desert.  No running water and no electricity.  In fact, the closest water is a 4 hour walk.  Their 2 room home is about 5 ft by 15 ft.  As Jon and I sat in the fly infested home talking to Esta, one of the children carried in a dirt-covered toddler.  The flies swarmed around her immediately.  We were overwhelmed by the poverty and the stark contrast to American life. 

On the brink of tears, God gave me His eyes.  Instantly, I saw the blessing the Food for His Children goats were bringing to the family.  I experienced the entire scene differently.  I saw joy and love rather than despair.  We heard about Esta’s plans to sell goats and milk.  There was hope and promise here.  There was a smiling mother, loving her children and grateful for the promise her goats give her. Suddenly instead of being uncomfortable in the sweltering home, I was reveling in the God moment, the sights, the sounds, the feelings that I would treasure forever, the knowledge that God was making a difference here.  We allowed Him to use us to do His work and help His children.  The Holy Spirit opened our eyes and our hearts and showed us order in the midst of disorder, joy in the midst of material poverty, beauty instead of ugliness, freedom and peace instead of pain.  We saw Jesus.  We witnessed Holy Spirit transformation. 

With the gifts of the Holy Spirit, Food for His Children volunteers and staff come together to form the body of Christ.  Working together, God uses us to transform, not just individuals or families, but communities drawing together to help each other and share what they are learning.  The Holy Spirit is working through God’s people to be the hands and feet of Jesus and use their spiritual gifts for God’s glory.  As 1 Corinthians 12:11 states, it is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts.  Food for His Children starts with the individual and the Holy Spirit transforms generations.   

Of course, the Holy Spirit doesn’t just work in Africa.  This message would not be complete without bringing it home and talking to those who are going through or who have experienced transformation. 

Transformation is a process and often makes us squirm.  Holy Spirit transformation is almost never without some level of discomfort, or "stretching" as many say.  In fact, sometimes it’s downright painful, excruciating even.  Envision, if you will, sunburned skin.  First it blisters, then it bursts and peels.  Sometimes the layers just slough off like flakes, sometimes they peel off in painful sheets.  When we experience transformation, the Holy Spirit is peeling layers off of us.  He is peeling off layers for crying out loud, what do we expect but pain?!  But do you know what?  Under all those layers is something amazing and beautiful.  In fact, with every layer we shed, more and more beauty is revealed. 

We may have periods with lots of layers shed and periods of healing and rest. We can fight it and hold on to the dead layers and prolong the process, or we can choose to submit to the Holy Spirit completely, not just on our knees, but laying flat on our face at the foot of the cross in complete surrender, offering every bit of our spirit to Him to change as He wills.  When we do this, the Holy Spirit works miracles in us.

 Let’s talk about Jesus for a moment.  Jesus’s transformation certainly wasn’t without pain.  When He was being flogged and beaten, he didn’t fight back.  When he was they hung him on a cross he didn’t command them to stop.  He didn’t even speak.  He didn’t stop it Himself.  He didn’t ask God to stop it.  He submitted.  He surrendered completely to the pain, trusting that God the Father had it all under control and that something beautiful was coming.  He was willing to endure whatever he needed because he believed and trusted God.  And Jesus was transformed.  TRANSFORMED!  And look at the impact of his surrender, his transformation!  The savior of the world was revealed for all to see.  Unimaginable beauty.  Indescribable love and glory. 

If you are in one of those seasons, you need to hear that God has NOT forsaken you.  He has not left you.  He is right there by your side.  If needed, he will even carry you through the fire.  He will not let you perish.  AND He has a plan.  He will be with you as your wounds heal.  He WILL use this for His glory.   And He needs you to know He loves you so very much and can see how much you are hurting.  He has not missed a minute of it and there was not a moment that didn’t pain Him. 

Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God.  He will be waiting for you on the other side of the fire, mirror in hand, to show you the beauty that was revealed.  You will be refined, just like when precious metals are put through the fire to be refined.  We have seen the Spirit at work in Tanzania and in the lives of individuals.