Following the Breadcrumbs

When I committed to Mission 227, I didn’t really have a specific plan. I did the math and figured that if I contribute to two nations per month, I would reach my goal in less than ten years.

How I would select those two nations each month, I didn’t know. I could go in alphabetical order. I could cover one continent at a time. I could flip a coin over my world map and give to whatever country it landed on.

I already have contacts in several countries so those nations will be easy. But I don’t have contacts in most countries. So, how will I determine where to direct my attention each month?

I’ll follow the breadcrumbs.

By following the breadcrumbs, I mean that I will keep my eyes and ears open to opportunities as they surface. I’ll be sensitive to needs that I discover over time and explore those possibilities.

When you choose to follow the breadcrumbs in life, you choose a destination, then a path, and you begin the journey. As you proceed in the journey, God drops breadcrumbs in your path to help you determine the way. The analogy originally comes from the story of Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm. (It’s a rather disturbing story but I’m using it for good.)

Imagine what the early settlers did as they explored the Western United States. With no maps or GPS, they headed west using the sun as their guide. They took their adventure one day at a time. If they came upon a river, they crossed it. If they stumbled upon a desert, they endured it. If they saw a herd of deer, they killed them for food. If they ran into wild Indians, they fought them.

They chose their final destination. They traveled in the right direction and they dealt with their circumstances as they revealed themselves day by day. They followed the breadcrumbs.

I’ve broken this process down into 6 F’s:

• Foundation
• Focus
• Faithful
• Fruitful
• Fulfilling
• Follow through

First, you have to determine your foundation. If you’re going to follow the breadcrumbs, you need to determine what you’re going to stand on. Your beliefs, values, character traits, etc. Your foundation is who you are on the inside.

As a follower of Christ, I have chosen His way as my foundation. It is the basis for who I am and what I do in life.

Second, you have to focus. Where do you want to go? What is your destination? Why were you placed on this planet and how are you going to get there?

Third, you have to be faithful, i.e., faithful in the little, daily things. Doing the basics well. For me, that means living the Christian life as I know I should. Loving God. Loving people. Practicing the daily spiritual disciplines set out before
me, e.g., prayer, meditation, reading, and giving.

The next way to follow the breadcrumbs is by being fruitful: Serving God and man. Have a humble servant’s heart. Be ready to help those in need, give counsel to those in distress, and show love to all.

By doing these things, you will live a fulfilling life. Learn to live according to your giftedness, passions, and values. Find your sweet spot. Work toward living your dreams.

The final F stands for follow through, i.e., to finish an action that you have started. Follow through is often examined in athletics. A bad follow through indicates a bad start. A baseball player cannot follow through on his swing correctly if the beginning of his swing isn’t strong. Follow through is an indication of how well the process started. A good coach can tell if the beginning of the players swing is sound based on how the swing ends.

Follow through in life is an indicator of how firm your foundation has been.

So, how will I determine my direction with Mission 227? I’m going to follow the breadcrumbs. I will live by the 6 F’s as I’ve briefly described them and I will respond to the things that are placed in front of me as I go.

In my next post, I will reveal the two countries that have been dropped in front of me this month. I’ll look forward to sharing that with you soon.

I don’t want to reveal them yet. I want you to come back and visit here again. And, hey, by the way, have you told your friends about my site? I’d love it if you did!

And please visit my Facebook page. I’d love for you to give me suggestions, ideas, contacts in other countries, ministries, or organizations that I might connect with during Mission 227. You can also leave a comment below.

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