WISE MAGI is an acronym for Winters Invitation Seashells Epiphany Making A Giving Intents&tea!
This is Part 2 of 3 where I will share the meaning of Seashells Epiphany.
How I came to Seashells Epiphany began unexpectedly. My original and sustained interest in business comes from a desire to make abundant provision for the Kingdom of God. Nothing else. It is neither to my shame or praise, it is simply how I was designed. On July 13, 2007, I searched the internet with this phrase "how to change the world" and to my astonished delight, the very first thing that popped up was a newly published book titled, How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs & the Power of New Ideas. It was the first time I had ever seen or heard the words "Social Entrepreneur" but I knew in a flash that I was a Social Entrepreneur! If you've never heard the term, you probably understand like I did, that a Social Entrepreneur is someone who creates a business solution for a social problem. That's not all, but that is a general idea. Typically, financial sustainability is woven into the model of the good that is being accomplished in the world by a Social Entrepreneur, or through the model of Social Enterprise.
Since my discovery of Social Entrepreneurship in 2007, I have realized that while that shoe fits, it's not the best language to describe what I am after. Once upon a time, when praying for the thousandth time about Habakkuk 2:14, I thought Seashell! That is more of a fit! I am a Seashell Entrepreneur, which I decided then is someone who creates a business model for the purpose of seeing "the earth filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea." as Habakkuk 2:14 promises. And then it wasn't long before other prayers and ideas began to find themselves in the acronym SEA.
SEA: Something Everything Anything
Each of these words has come alive for me and become such strong confirmation for what God has called me to and how God has called me! Something-Everything-Anything are all brought to life by Jesus.
Something. Something came from my prayer that something must be done, which also is the title of a book by David Platt, which I both read and listened to in earnest. The word something, and the idea of something dominated my prayers. One day, I had the epiphany that the Something I was looking for is in the Gospel of Mark, in the story of the feeding of the 5,ooo. You may be familiar with the story. Jesus and His disciples had spent a good deal of time with a larage crowd of people, and the day was wearing on---Jesus' disciples were concerned about the people finding something to eat before it got any later, and suggested Jesus send them on their way so they could buy themselves something to eat. But he answered, "You give them something to eat." Their shocked response was that it would take more than half a year's wages to feed that many people, and then Jesus asked for what they had--which was 5 loaves and 2 fish. He gave thanks for it, broke it, and it was multiplied to feed 5 thousand men--not including all the women and children!
You give them something. Those words lodged in my heart and have been ringing there since I had that revelation. That is what I want to do, and the Holy Spirit was speaking life and power into my dream! It was the kind of confirmation that holds your thoughts steadfast when doubt and fear try to knock you down. As my friend Ashley says, "I know what I heard."
Everything. Everything comes from my life motto which is PINECONE. PINECONE is an acronym for Pour IN Everything. Cheer ON Everyone. This also comes from one of my favorite stories involving Jesus. The story of the widow who put everything she had to live on in the temple treasury, and Jesus pointed out that she gave more than the big boys with deep pockets because she gave everything she had, and they gave what was comfortable. This is a story I've prayed over for many years as well. How can we live like that? How can I live like that? I also connect Everything to Jesus' first miracle when He told the servants at the wedding to fill 6 stone waterpots with water, and they filled them to the brim. I have always loved that detail. They poured in everything. PINE. which Cheered ON Everyone! CONE. When the wine began to flow freely again! This is when Jesus manifested His glory and His disciples believed in Him.
And finally, Anything. Jesus said, "If you ask anything in my name, I will do it." I like to say in response, Alaska Anything! I'LL ASK YA Anything! ASK is in the heart of the name Alaska, which means "great land" or "mainland" or more specifically, and I love this, "the object towards which the action of the SEA is directed!" How amazing is that! This is the whole point and purpose of the action of the direction of the SEA! Psalm 2:8 says, "ASK me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession." And that is what I am asking! Alaska to me represents asking for the nations! The Alaska flag is the constellation of the Big Dipper and North Star against midnight blue. This reminds me of the WISE MAGI who studied the stars and patterns in the sky and followed 'the star' to Jesus so they could worship him and give him costly gifts. This makes me think that worship and giving costly gifts go together. North to the Future! is Alaska's motto, and a fun song was written about the quest for gold in Alaska, called North to Alaska! Many men gave their lives in pursuit of Alaska's gold, which reminds me of those who give their lives in pursuit of the nations! May we be counted in that number! Giving your life may mean you die while you're at it. Giving your life may also mean that asking for the nations becomes your purpose. The pearl of great price becomes your prize. The pearl found in Seashells Epiphany.
And so, there is Seashells Epiphany. This is the epiphany and revelation I have learned from seashells. Epiphany is also the celebration of the WISE MAGI coming to Jesus, and signals the Gospel going to the gentiles---to every tongue, tribe and nation!
Remember & Rejoice! We are Anointed & Sent! For Such A Time As This!
Share Good News! Of Great Joy! With All People!
