If God can speak through a donkey, could He speak through a child’s toy?
It was a Tuesday morning.
I was making the 20-mile drive to work. The radio was off. I needed some silence.
I was praying. “God, it’s been nearly a month since my mother passed away. The memorial service is behind us. When should I let the church leadership know about my sense of calling to Japan?”
The still, small voice impressed upon me the word “today.”
“Really? Today? All right, God. If you say so… I just hope I’m discerning Your voice correctly.” I called Soo, told her what I was sensing, and asked what she thought.
She said that if that’s what God was calling us to do, we should do it.
I got to work and joined a staff meeting, during which my supervisor made a comment that confirmed to me that I should step down sooner rather than later– I didn’t want the leadership to make plans that included me if God were calling me to leave anyway. I shared my story with my supervisor, who then informed the senior pastor. Both of them blessed me to go, and we tentatively agreed that I’d roll off the Irvine staff in early October. What would I do then? I’d cross that bridge when I’d get to it. October seemed far off to me; it was in the fall, later in the year.
That night, as I was reflecting on the day’s turn of events, I started doing the math: early October was just ten weeks away!
I started to panic.
“God, did I do the right thing by telling Newsong today?” As I asked this in prayer, I got a clear image of a packaged Cars toy of the character Sally, which my son had really wanted but couldn’t find anywhere. It was out-of-production toy at the time and went for $20-$30 online.
So why was I getting an image of this toy right now? What did this have to do with our calling to Japan?
I got a strong impression saying, “You’ll hold this in your hand tomorrow, and you’ll know that this is the LORD.”*
I got another impression– that I’d find the toy at “A-Mart,” a specific supermarket, of all places– and that this would serve as confirmation that I was hearing God’s calling correctly and responding accordingly.
I went to bed with an odd sense of peace.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:6-7 NIV)
During the next morning’s commute, I got a weird, strong nudge to stop at a shopping center about halfway to work. There was store there that sold discontinued items. Maybe I’d find this out-of-production Sally toy there? I pulled into the parking lot and took the first space I came across, even though it was still a bit far from the store’s entrance.
As I stepped out of the car, I glanced up and saw that I was right in front of an “A-Mart.” I remembered getting an impression about this particular supermarket, so I thought I’d go in and check out the toy section, though I figured it would be a long shot.
I weaved my way to the toy aisle and scanned it. Rubber balls and jacks, Whoopee cushions, Matchbox cars, but no Pixar Cars toys in view.
I silently prayed, “God, they don’t even sell Cars toys here.”
“Look down.”
I looked down. Lo and behold, on the bottom shelf was a whole section of out-of-production Cars toys, with Sally right there in the front row! I didn’t even have to dig around to find it- it was right there, front and center.
I guess I was hearing God’s voice correctly.
I later prayed and asked why God would use something as seemingly trivial as a child’s toy to confirm my calling to missions. Perhaps He was assuring me that if I obeyed Him, He would not just take care of my family’s needs, but provide beyond our expectations. I had gotten a word two years prior that if I obeyed and did whatever God calls me to, He’d take care of my family, and with this toy that Matthew really wanted but didn’t really need, He was showing that He’d take care of my children better than I ever could on my own.
Perhaps He was reminding me that my kids are His kids first and foremost.
I had peace about my decision to step down from my role at church. I did my best to finish well during my last 10 weeks of work.
My friend Mark, who was with me on our first trip to Japan in March of that year, suggested that we try to visit Ofunato, since I knew nothing about it but felt called to. We didn’t know how we’d get there, though.
As I prepared to transition to missions, I began to contact several organizations, and one of the directors offered to take us to Ofunato since he’d lived in Japan for many years and was planning to go to Japan anyway. He, Mark, and I booked our flights and made plans for a scouting trip.
My last day was October 7, 2011. I’d be on a plane bound for Tokyo the next morning.
*I wasn’t aware of it at the time, but this echoes 1 Kings 20:13– “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do you see this vast army? I will give it into your hand today, and then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
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