Lisa Mills- "Fire Finds You"

"When the Fire Finds You"

Written By: Kathy Van Duyn

Proverbs 17:22 says, "Laughter is good medicine."  

We had the privilege of having some healthy medicine brought to our MOPS group this past Wednesday. We were introduced to Lisa Mills… a spicy, red headed, voluptuous ( I'm Honey Boo Boo in a Beyonce world) Georgia peach, that  keeps you laughing with her wholesome sarcasm. Her adorable accent only enhanced her jokes that were sprinkled with southern charm (bless your hearts). We chuckled and related as she light heartedly made fun of her travel escapades (when asked for her weight on a small plane, she said she was not divulging it, and that the plane was going to crash…because the 9 other women you asked before me lied about theirs….we goin’ down), her precious Mama who is her number one fan (we weren’t just poor…we were po’…the other 2 letters cost.  But we weren’t poor in love), her husband ( 21 years is a long time to pick up underwear, and remember when you marry them you have to feed them until Jesus comes) and her 2 boys (I homeschooled them because I hated fundraisers and I figured between google and my husband we could get ‘er done).

Not only did we shed tears as she shared her humorous life stories, but they fell some more as she became very open and honest about some of her life struggles.

As things turned a bit more serious, she said that God had given her a very specific message to share with MOPS groups in the area.  When she heard the theme for the year was “Find your Fire”...She felt that she needed to speak on what happens if the “Fire Finds You". That sometimes we assume that the flames that seem to be ready to scorch us at times, are specific attacks…that in the midst of smelling the smoke, and feeling the heat that that we think God isn’t there. When in fact, sometimes we need to feel the heat to know He is indeed with us.

Her personal fire found her in 2005.  She was in the midst of a full time, thriving ministry when she heard the Lord say He wanted to meet with her.  She found a place to lay face down in the dark, and began praising Him.  She then heard Him say “ Lisa, I need you to find your Dad”  She had not seen her father since she was in the 5^th grade and  the court had banned him from seeing his children until they were 18, and could decide for themselves.  He had not loved their family well, and their lives had been full of abuse and seclusion. Only the wonderful love and encouragement of their mother kept them going.  They were often left with no car, no phone, and no food or money. She and her brother had been chased by her Dad with a shotgun, and made to lay face down in the dirt with a gun held to their heads. She felt her life was a lifetime movie before the lifetime channel existed. Except now she was lying face down at the altar, instead of the dirt… and God was asking her to find her father.   He was asking the hardest thing of her….the very thing for which she had been through therapy and deliverance.

After kicking and screaming and being honest to the Lord in prayer, she came to the conclusion that no matter how uncomfortable she was with this request, that God had been good to her and would see her through the fire.  He has been her healer, her provider, and her Abba Father when her earthly father was not there for her.

When she was 30 years old she met with her Father on Father’s Day.   He lived on a farm and as he took her for a ride on the golf cart to show her around, she slipped her sandals off in case she had to run. What she found out that day was that her Dad was dying and under hospice care. He wanted to make things right with her.  He told her he was sorry, and that he was proud of her. For the first time in her life he made her dinner plate for her instead of the other way around. The years that the locusts had eaten were restored.

She realized that God needed to heal her life before He would fully give her His. The fire has found her, but she needed to be able to trust Him in the fire.  She understood now that God loved her Dad the exact way he loved her, and with their reconciliation He was giving her Dad the peace he could die with.

Her touching message finished with these encouraging words and a prayer over our group. The Holy Spirit is able to grow in to the shape of whatever hole you have in your heart. Trust Him when the fire finds you, and lean in to it. His intent is not to consume, but to purify.  Don’t think God cannot repair whatever you are going through.  He can heal every bit of it. If we feel the heat, we have to believe He is with us…He is who He says He is. 

Along with her comedy routine she brought a very touching message to our group and we were left with some encouraging words to bring home with us.