🗑️ Be A Dumpster Diver✨ Stay In The Light. Wear Your PPE. Don’t Be Scared of Getting Dirty.

Before You Throw It Away, Look Again

I work as a custodian, so taking out trash is quite literally part of my job. And when I take one of those big bags of trash out to the dumpster, I have a habit that I honestly never thought much about, until the Holy Spirit began showing me there was a lesson in it.

Before I throw my trash into the dumpster, I look inside.

Why?

Because people throw away some GOOD STUFF! 😂

I have looked inside dumpsters and seen things that were still perfectly usable. Things that still had value. Things somebody else had decided were no longer worth keeping.

And if I see something worth retrieving, I'm willing to reach in and get it.

Baby, I'm a dumpster diver. 🗑️🧤😂

But here's the thing about dumpster diving: you need light.

I'm not going dumpster diving in the middle of the night when I can't see what's inside. I need enough light to see where I'm going before I even approach the dumpster. I need light to see the dumpster. I need light to see the lid so I can open it. And once that lid is open, I need the light to shine into that dark container so I can see what is actually inside.

That natural picture began teaching me something spiritual.

Jesus Christ said:

“I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
— John 8:12, KJV

And David wrote:

“…in thy light shall we see light.”
— Psalm 36:9, KJV

Sight is useless without the Light.

We can have eyes and still not properly recognize what we're looking at. We can see a person, a circumstance, an opportunity, an old dream, an assignment—or even ourselves—and completely misidentify its value because we're trying to examine it without the illumination of God Almighty.

That's why we have to stay in the Light.

And here's something the Holy Ghost has been showing me that changed the way I understand discernment: I don't need Him to illuminate the entire dumpster.

I don't need to know everything.

I don't need to examine everything.

I don't need to dig around in darkness trying to figure out whether there might be something else in there that I should retrieve.

I need to pay attention to what He illuminates.

When the Holy Ghost shines His Light on something, that's where my attention goes.

Sometimes He illuminates a person the world has discarded.

Someone other people have labeled according to their present location, condition, history, mistakes, addiction, poverty, incarceration, brokenness, or reputation. But their location does not determine their worth. They were created in the image of God Almighty, and dirt does not cancel design.

Sometimes the Holy Ghost says, in essence:

“Look again. There's still value there. Reach.”

But don't make the mistake of believing dumpster diving is always about rescuing somebody else.

No, silly goose. 😂

Sometimes the Holy Ghost shines that Light into the dumpster and you recognize something you threw away.

Maybe it's an assignment you thought had expired.

Maybe it's a gift you stopped using.

Maybe it's a dream you decided was unrealistic.

Maybe it's an idea you abandoned because somebody else appeared to be doing something similar.

Maybe it's something God told you years ago that you couldn't understand with the field of vision you had then.

And now, standing in greater Light, you can finally see:

That wasn't garbage. That was lumber.

🪵🔥

And sometimes what He illuminates isn't even a thing.

Sometimes...

it's you.

Remember that version of yourself before the hurt?

Before neglect?

Before abuse?

Before abandonment?

Remember the girl who could see good in people?

Remember the girl who could find something everybody else walked past, turn it into a toy, and spend hours playing with it—completely joyful?

Remember the little girl who could walk outside and become enraptured by the beauty of God's creation? The girl who wanted to explore? Who wasn't afraid to investigate? Who wasn't afraid of getting dirty?

Maybe life taught you that some of those parts of you weren't safe anymore.

Maybe pain convinced you to throw away your wonder.

Your creativity.

Your confidence.

Your willingness to dream.

Your ability to see possibility where everybody else saw nothing.

And now the Holy Ghost shines His Light into an old place and says:

“There she is.”

😭🙌🏽

Don't go back for the pain.

We'll deal with the pain. We'll feel it. We'll recognize what it was warning us about. We'll sit with it long enough to understand where it came from and what it affected. But pain is a signal, not a settlement. We don't have to build a shelter there and make it our permanent address.

Give that pain to God Almighty.

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
— 1 Peter 5:7, KJV

And then look again at what His Light is illuminating.

Because Scripture says:

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
— Ephesians 2:10, KJV

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (NIV)

Did you catch that?

His workmanship.

Before ordained.

THE PURPOSE WAS THERE BEFORE THE PAIN.

Your pain didn't design you.

Your rejection didn't design you.

Your abandonment didn't design you.

Your trauma didn't manufacture your gifts.

God Almighty is the Creator.

You are His workmanship.

And although God can redeem what happened—although He can take even the painful parts of our stories and work them together for good—the painful thing did not have to create your purpose, for God to use it.

God Almighty can make even the pain serve the purpose He already ordained.

So when Holy Ghost shines His Light on something that pain caused you to discard, don't climb back into the dumpster to retrieve the pain.

👐🏽 Release the pain.

🧤 Retrieve the purpose.

RELEASE THE PAIN. RETRIEVE THE PURPOSE.

Maybe Holy Ghost is restoring something in you that belonged to His workmanship all along.

Go get her back.

And if what He illuminates is some old lumber you discarded because you couldn't recognize its continued purpose before?

Well...

“And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time…”
— Jonah 3:1, KJV

THE WORD CAME AGAIN.

Same lumber.

Sharper sight.

And this time, before you call it garbage—

look again. 👀✨

Stay In The Light

Now that we've established that there may be something in the dumpster worth retrieving, we need to establish something even more important:

Do not go dumpster diving in the dark.

I mean that literally and spiritually.

If I walk outside at night and there is no light, I'm not climbing into a dumpster to see what I can find. Absolutely not. 😂 I can't even safely approach the thing because I can't see it. I can't see the lid to open it. I can't see what's inside. I can't distinguish what is useful from what needs to remain there.

I need light before I ever reach the dumpster.

And spiritually, so do you.

Jesus Christ said:

“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”
— John 9:4, KJV

Jesus Christ was speaking about accomplishing the works of the Father Who sent Him during the appointed time He had to do them. But look at the principle for our illustration:

The work is done while there is Light.

We don't go wandering around in darkness looking for assignments.

We follow Jesus Christ.

“…he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
— John 8:12, KJV

The Light doesn't merely help me once I arrive.

The Light gets me there.

The Light orders my steps.

The Light allows me to recognize the assignment.

The Light shows me where the lid is.

The Light illuminates what I'm supposed to retrieve.

And the Light remains while I do the work.

🔦 You Don't Need To See Everything

This is where the Holy Ghost has been teaching me something important about discernment.

Imagine opening a dumpster and sunlight enters through the opening. There may be all kinds of things inside that container, but in the spiritual picture He has been showing me, the Light is illuminating what belongs to my assignment.

That means I don't need to climb around investigating everything else.

I don't need to know what is hiding in every dark corner.

I don't need an explanation for everything I cannot see.

I need to respond to what God Almighty has illuminated.

That's freeing.

Because sometimes we think discernment means God needs to tell us everything about everybody and everything.

No.

Sometimes discernment looks like God Almighty giving you exactly enough Light to recognize what concerns your obedience.

And Scripture tells us:

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally…”
— James 1:5, KJV

Wisdom is available from God Almighty. We don't have to manufacture it.

So if Holy Ghost illuminates one piece?

Deal with that piece.

If He illuminates one person?

Pay attention to that person.

If He brings one old assignment back before you?

Look again.

And if something remains outside the Light He has given you?

Don't go digging around in darkness trying to find it.

That may belong to another worker.

It may belong to another season.

It may simply be none of your business. 😂

Stay where the Light is.

🗑️ And Keep The Lid Open

Here's something else about dumpster diving:

Once you lift that lid, you don't close it while you're still working.

Think about it.

You're searching.

You're examining.

You're reaching.

You're lifting something out.

And somebody walks over and—

SLAM!

Closes the lid?!

Baby, now we have a PROBLEM. 😭😂

But even with that illustration, the Holy Ghost led me deeper.

Before I ever approached that dumpster...

I prayed.

Before I got dressed for work...

I prayed.

Before I knew exactly what that day's assignment would contain...

I prayed.

I don't wait until I'm in trouble to establish communication with God Almighty.

I stay ready so I never have to get ready.

And I trust the protection of the God Who sent me.

David wrote:

“The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”
— Psalm 34:7, KJV

And Hebrews asks:

“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”
— Hebrews 1:14, KJV

God Almighty has not sent His children into His work and then abandoned us at the job site.

Now, this does not mean we deliberately put ourselves in danger and demand that God rescue us. Satan himself tried to tempt Jesus Christ by quoting Scripture concerning angelic protection, and Jesus refused to tempt God.

Protection is not permission for presumption.

I don't jump into random dumpsters because I believe angels will protect me.

I go where God Almighty sends me.

There is a difference.

🔥

And when He sends me, I can trust Him while I'm doing what He instructed me to do.

✨ Stay Under The Light Until The Lift Is Finished

This may be one of the most important parts.

Sometimes God shows us something and we make the mistake of thinking:

Okay, Lord. I see it now. I'll take it from here.

No ma'am.

The same Light that helped you see it must remain while you handle it.

You need Holy Ghost while you're searching.

You need Him while you're reaching.

You need Him while you're lifting.

You need Him while you're discipling.

You need Him while you're restoring.

You need Him while you're rebuilding.

You need Him while you're deciding what the next step is.

You need Him all the way through the lift.

Because remember:

The Architect has the blueprint. The builder only has today's instruction.

God Almighty may not show you the entire building.

He may give you a glimpse of what He's building and then illuminate one piece at a time.

And that's enough.

You don't need tomorrow's instruction to obey today's.

And don't close that lid prematurely.

Don't close the lid until everything God Almighty illuminated for you to retrieve, has been successfully lifted out.

Don't abandon somebody halfway through an assignment because the work became inconvenient.

Don't put an old calling back into the dumpster because retrieving it became uncomfortable.

Don't throw your restored joy back away because living differently feels unfamiliar.

Don't discard the lumber again simply because you haven't yet been shown where every piece belongs.

Keep the lid open.

Keep listening.

Keep obeying.

Keep lifting.

And above all—

STAY IN THE LIGHT.

Because you cannot safely retrieve what you cannot see.

You cannot properly identify what God hasn't illuminated.

And you cannot finish by human strength what required His Light to begin.

“…in thy light shall we see light.”
— Psalm 36:9, KJV

So don't run ahead of the Light.

Don't wander outside the Light.

Don't go searching through darkness for something God Almighty never told you to find.

✨ But Who Is The Light?

Before we go any further, I need to make something absolutely clear.

When I tell you to stay in the Light, I am not talking about positive energy, good vibes, human intuition, the universe, or some vague spiritual illumination.

I'm talking about Jesus Christ.

Jesus said:

“I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
— John 8:12, KJV

Jesus Christ did not merely say that He has light.

He said:

“I AM THE LIGHT.”

And Scripture goes even further concerning God Almighty:

“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
— 1 John 1:5, KJV

So throughout this teaching, whenever I talk about the Light, understand what I mean.

Jesus Christ is the Light of the world.

God Almighty is Light, and there is no darkness in Him.

And the Holy Ghost does not lead us independently of that Light. He reveals and glorifies Jesus Christ, guides us into truth, and brings the Word of Jesus Christ to our remembrance.

Jesus said of the Holy Ghost:

“He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”
— John 16:14, KJV

So this isn't about developing some mystical ability to see things on our own.

The clearer our sight becomes, the more dependent we become upon the Light.

That's why David could say:

“…in thy light shall we see light.”
— Psalm 36:9, KJV

We see because He illuminates.

We recognize because He reveals.

We discern because He gives wisdom.

We move because He directs.

And whatever we believe we're seeing must remain consistent with His character and His Word.

That's important because not everything that gets our attention was illuminated by God.

Not every thought is instruction.

Not every opportunity is assignment.

Not every open door was opened by God Almighty.

Not every person we could help is somebody He assigned us to lift.

This is why we stay close to Jesus Christ, remain submitted to the Holy Ghost, and test what we believe we're receiving against Scripture.

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV

So when I say:

Stay in the Light...

I'm saying:

Stay with Jesus Christ.

Stay in His Word.

Stay in prayer.

Stay submitted to the Holy Ghost.

Stay where God Almighty can correct your vision when you're interpreting something incorrectly.

Because here's what I've learned:

SIGHT IS USELESS WITHOUT THE LIGHT.

You can have excellent eyesight and still be staring into darkness.

You can have gifts and still misidentify what you're looking at.

You can be intelligent and still lean unto your own understanding.

You can have experience and still interpret the situation incorrectly.

You can even see the right thing and draw the wrong conclusion from what you saw.

Ask me how I know. 😮‍💨

More than twenty years ago, while working as a customer service representative for Consumers Energy, God gave me a vision.

I saw people struggling.

I saw customers who needed assistance with their bills but didn't know where to find it.

I saw churches, nonprofits, and community organizations with resources scattered throughout different communities.

And I began gathering information.

I made a notebook.

I organized resources.

I connected people who had needs with places that might be able to help meet those needs.

And God gave me a name:

Spirit Led.

Then, about a year later, United Way launched 211.

And because of what I could see at that time, I concluded:

Well, I guess somebody else built it.

I thought the assignment was over.

So I let it go.

Years later, the Holy Ghost would bring that same vision back into view.

Not a different calling.

Not a replacement vision.

Not a new assignment.

The same one.

Eventually, Spirit Led became more clearly understood as Spirit Led Ministries.

And suddenly I could look backward and recognize something I couldn't properly see before:

I threw away the lumber because I thought the building had already been built.

😮‍💨🔥

The problem wasn't necessarily what I saw.

The problem was my field of vision.

I could see the piece in front of me, but I couldn't yet see how that piece belonged to something much larger.

And that is why sharper sight by itself isn't enough.

SIGHT IS USELESS WITHOUT THE LIGHT.

Follow the Light. Work while it is day. And keep the lid open until the lifting is done.

Because when God Almighty sends you into a dark place, He doesn't send you there to become part of the darkness.

He sends you there carrying Light. ✨🙌🏽

Wear Your PPE

Before I ever make it to the dumpster, there is something else that has already happened.

I got dressed for work.

As a custodian, I know I'm going into an environment where I may encounter dirt, trash, bodily fluids, chemicals, dust, germs, and all kinds of things I don't necessarily want to touch my bare skin. I don't know exactly what I'll encounter on any particular shift, but I know enough about the nature of my work to understand:

This is not the kind of work you show up for unprotected.

So I wear PPE.

And one of the first things I do after clocking in and getting situated?

I put on my gloves. 🧤

I don't wait until I encounter something dirty and then start running around looking for protection.

I'm already wearing it.

Why?

Because—

I STAY READY SO I NEVER HAVE TO GET READY.

And the Holy Ghost began showing me that I should have the same posture concerning the work of the Kingdom.

Paul writes:

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
— Ephesians 6:11, KJV

Keep reading Ephesians 6 and you'll find the believer dressed for work.

Truth.

Righteousness.

The preparation of the gospel of peace.

Faith.

Salvation.

The Word of God.

Prayer.

This is spiritual PPE.

And notice something important:

God Almighty didn't give us armor because He promised we'd never encounter anything.

🛡️He gave us armor because He knew we would.

🧤 PPE Doesn't Keep You From the Work. It Equips You to Do It.

Think about that.

Nobody hands a custodian gloves and says:

“Now that you're wearing these, make sure you don't touch anything dirty.”

😂😂😂

Then why am I at work?!

The gloves are there precisely because dirty work is part of the job.

A hard hat doesn't mean nothing could fall.

Safety glasses don't mean there will never be flying debris.

Gloves don't mean you'll never handle something dirty.

PPE acknowledges the environment without making you afraid of the environment.

And spiritually, we have to understand the same thing.

The whole armor of God isn't decoration.

It isn't our cute little Sunday outfit.

It's work clothes.

🛡️🔥

We stay prayed up.

We stay in the Word.

We stay praising God Almighty.

We stay rejoicing.

We stay submitted to the Holy Ghost.

We stay aligned.

We stay in the Light.

We don't wait until all hell breaks loose and suddenly remember:

“Oh! I should probably pray!” 😭😂

No, baby.

We prayed before we left home.

Actually, I prayed before I even got dressed.

I talked to God Almighty before I knew what I would encounter that day.

I asked Him to order my steps.

I trusted Him to protect me.

I stayed in communication with the One Who gave me the assignment.

I came to work already dressed for work.

👼🏽 God Didn't Send You Alone

This is also why I don't have to approach the dumpster terrified that somebody is going to come along and slam the lid while I'm still inside doing what God Almighty instructed me to do.

My confidence isn't in myself.

My confidence is in the God Who sent me.

Scripture says:

“The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”
— Psalm 34:7, KJV

And:

“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”
— Hebrews 1:14, KJV

And Psalm 91 says:

“For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”
— Psalm 91:11, KJV

God Almighty is fully capable of providing protection for the work He assigns.

Now don't get foolish on me. 😂

Satan quoted from Psalm 91 when he tempted Jesus Christ to cast Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple. There was truth in the Scripture he quoted, but he was attempting to entice Jesus Christ into misusing that truth—deliberately creating danger and then demanding that God prove His protection.

Jesus answered:

“Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”
— Matthew 4:7, KJV

So this teaching is not:

Go anywhere.

Do anything.

Put yourself in unnecessary danger.

Ignore wisdom.

God will protect you.

Absolutely not.

Protection is not permission for presumption.

I don't climb into every dumpster because I'm wearing gloves.

I don't enter every dark situation because I'm wearing armor.

I don't involve myself in everybody's problems because I'm capable of helping.

Remember:

Ability is not instruction.

I go where God Almighty directs me.

I handle what the Holy Ghost illuminates.

And I trust the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, who assigned the work, to provide what is necessary for the work He actually assigned.

🥽 Protect Your Vision While You Build

And can we talk about safety glasses for a minute?

Because this one almost took me OUT. 😭😂

When you're doing construction work, debris can fly.

Dust gets stirred up.

Pieces get cut.

Things break apart.

And one of the most important things a builder can protect is their eyes.

Why?

Because—

YOU NEED YOUR VISION FOR THE BUILD.

👀🔥👷🏾‍♀️

We've been talking about sharpened vision.

We've been talking about God Almighty allowing us to see what we couldn't properly recognize before.

We've been talking about the Holy Ghost illuminating what belongs to our assignment.

So, while you're building, guard your vision.

Don't allow offense to cloud it.

Don't allow disappointment to cloud it.

Don't allow somebody else's opinion to cloud it.

Don't allow comparison to cloud it.

Don't allow impatience to cloud it.

Don't allow pain to convince you that the only thing in front of you is pain.

And certainly, don't let the dust created by the building process convince you that you can no longer see what God Almighty showed you.

Sometimes you don't need a new vision.

You need to protect the vision God already gave you.

🩸 And When You Get Dirty, There Is Cleansing

Now let's be clear.

PPE does not mean you'll never get dirty.

I'm a custodian. Trust me.

You're gonna get dirty. 😂

After work, I need to shower thoroughly. Sometimes I need to get home and get those work clothes OFF, immediately!!

The PPE protects me during the assignment, but afterward, I still cleanse what needs cleansing.

And spiritually, I know something no industrial cleaner on my custodial cart can accomplish:

Only the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse sin.

John writes:

“…the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
— 1 John 1:7, KJV

I can reach.

I can lift.

I can encourage.

I can feed.

I can serve.

I can teach.

I can disciple.

I can sit beside somebody in an ugly place.

I can help somebody stand.

But I need to remember something while I'm reaching into that dumpster:

I AM NOT THE CLEANING SOLUTION.

😭🙌🏽🔥

Jesus Christ is the Savior.

I am a servant.

God Almighty may strengthen me to lift, but only Jesus Christ can save.

That protects the person I'm helping from being made dependent upon me.

And it protects me from developing a Savior complex.

My assignment is obedience.

His job is transformation.

🧤 Don't Carry Home What Doesn't Belong to You

This is another lesson custodial work has taught me.

When I'm finished handling trash, I don't come home and climb into bed wearing dirty work clothes.

Immediately no. 😂

There are things that belonged to the environment I worked in that do not belong in my home.

Spiritually, we need to learn that too.

You can love somebody without carrying their chaos home.

You can minister to somebody without adopting their burden as your identity.

You can enter a difficult environment without allowing that environment to take residence inside you.

You can listen to somebody's pain, without making their pain yours.

You can help lift somebody without climbing back into the dumpster, after you've both gotten out.

Don't carry home what God only assigned you to encounter.

🔥

Give God Almighty what belongs to Him.

Keep your hands clean.

Keep your heart guarded.

Keep your mind renewed.

Stay in prayer.

Stay in His Word.

Stay in the Light.

Keep your PPE on.

And this is why I can say:

🛡️ WEAR YOUR PPE.

Not because the assignment won't get messy.

Not because nothing will ever affect you.

Not because believers are invulnerable.

But because God Almighty has not called us into Kingdom work unequipped.

And this brings us directly to the next part of our title.

Because once you've stayed in the Light...

Once you've recognized the assignment...

Once you've put on the whole armor of God...

Once you've accepted that some Kingdom work requires reaching into places, other people would rather walk past...

There's really only one thing left to say:

🧤 Tighten those gloves.

🦺 Check that hard hat.

🥽 Protect that vision.

And baby—

DON'T BE SCARED OF GETTING DIRTY.

Because if God Almighty called you to build it...

there's work to do. 🔨🪵🔥

Don’t Be Scared of Getting Dirty

Now we have looked again.

We have established that we must stay in the Light—and that the Light is Jesus Christ.

We have put on our spiritual PPE.

So now it's time to work.

And baby, I need you to understand something before we start:

YOU ARE GOING TO GET DIRTY.

😂🧤🔨

There is no way around it.

I am a custodian. Dirt is part of my job. Trash is part of my job. Cleaning up things other people don't want to touch is part of my job.

In fact, during the pandemic, custodians were considered essential workers.

Think about that.

When so much of the world shut down, cleaning and sanitation could not simply stop.

Why?

Because dirty work is essential work.

And there is a spiritual lesson in that.

Some Kingdom work is beautiful.

Some Kingdom work photographs well.

Some Kingdom work gets applause.

And some Kingdom work looks like rolling up your sleeves, putting on your gloves, and reaching into a place everybody else has decided is too messy to fool with.

Don't despise the dirty work.

🗑️ Somebody Has To Be Willing To Reach

When I look inside an actual dumpster and see something useful, seeing it doesn't retrieve it.

At some point, I have to reach.

And spiritually, I've had to understand the same thing.

God Almighty has given some of us the ability to see value in people and places other people have written off.

But seeing is only part of my assignment.

As I remain aligned with God Almighty, sometimes the Holy Ghost directs me:

Reach.

And when He does, He strengthens me to become a lifter.

That may mean feeding somebody.

Serving somebody.

Sitting beside somebody.

Advocating for somebody.

Teaching somebody.

Correcting somebody in love.

Helping somebody find resources.

Walking alongside somebody while they learn how to stand again.

Discipling somebody.

That's dirty work sometimes.

Because real people come with real histories.

Real wounds.

Real consequences.

Real habits.

Real questions.

Real mess.

And if our version of ministry only works once everybody is already cleaned up, healed, financially stable, emotionally healthy, biblically knowledgeable, appropriately dressed, and sitting politely in a church pew—

who exactly are we ministering to? 😮‍💨

Jesus Christ said:

“Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
— Matthew 25:40, KJV

That Scripture is foundational to Spirit Led Ministries for a reason.

We don't determine somebody's worth by the condition in which we found them.

Location does not determine worth.

The dumpster didn't make the thing garbage.

Somebody's decision to discard it, put it there.

And sometimes people have been discarded too.

Rejected.

Abandoned.

Overlooked.

Mistreated.

Counted out.

Labeled according to the worst thing they've ever done or the worst thing that's ever happened to them.

But Scripture says:

“So God created man in his own image…”
— Genesis 1:27, KJV

Their value did not begin when you noticed them.

Their value comes from the God Almighty, who created them.

👉🏽DIRT DOESN'T CANCEL DESIGN.

🩸 And Remember: You Are Not The Cleaner

Now, dumpster diver, don't get beside yourself. 😂

If God Almighty tells you to reach, reach.

If He tells you to lift, lift.

If He tells you to disciple, disciple.

But don't confuse your assignment with the work of Jesus Christ.

I can pull something out of a dumpster.

I cannot make it clean.

And spiritually?

Baby, I don't have any cleaner on my custodial cart strong enough for that job. 😭🙌🏽

Scripture says:

“…the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
— 1 John 1:7, KJV

ONLY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST CAN MAKE US CLEAN.

I am not anybody's Savior.

Neither are you.

We are servants.

We are laborers.

We are witnesses.

We can reach.

We can lift.

We can love.

We can disciple.

We can point.

We can walk alongside.

But Jesus Christ saves.

And that means I don't have to be afraid of getting close enough to somebody's mess to love them, while simultaneously remembering that their transformation does not depend upon my human ability to fix them.

I lift what God tells me to lift.

I let Jesus Christ do what only Jesus Christ can do.

🪵 And Sometimes The Dirty Work Isn't A Dumpster. It's A Construction Site.

Now here's where the lumber comes back.

Because we've been talking about dumpster diving, but the Holy Ghost showed me something else:

You get dirty when you're building, too.

Think about an actual construction site.

There's sawdust.

Dirt.

Mud.

Grease.

Oil.

Debris.

Things get cut.

Things get moved.

Walls get opened.

Old material gets removed.

New material gets installed.

And depending on what you're building, there may be machinery involved, that leaves you looking like you actually worked when the day is over.

😂🔨

You cannot accept the assignment to build and then become offended because construction produced dust.

And here's the part that really got me:

Don't expect to stay clean during the building process.

Don't even expect the building you're building, to stay clean during the building process.

🔥🔥🔥

A construction site is not a showroom.

Stop judging something that's under construction, by the standards of something that's already been completed.

Your ministry may get messy while it's being built.

Your business may get messy.

Your family may get messy.

Your relationships may get messy.

Your personal restoration may get messy.

Discipleship can certainly get messy.

There may be mistakes.

Corrections.

Revisions.

Things installed in the wrong place that have to be removed and installed again.

There may be good lumber that needs to be rotated because you finally realize:

“Ohhhhhh. THAT'S where this goes!”

😂🙌🏽

Mess does not automatically mean God Almighty isn't working.

Sometimes dust is evidence that work is underway.

Don't mistake construction dust for demolition.

Now—discernment matters here.

We don't excuse sin, abuse, dysfunction, disorder, or disobedience by calling everything “construction dust.”

No.

Remember:

Stay in the Light.

Let the Holy Ghost identify what you're looking at.

Because He can tell you whether you're seeing ordinary mess from a work in progress—or damage that needs to be addressed.

🏗️ While You're Building, God Is Building You

Paul writes:

“For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.”
— 1 Corinthians 3:9, KJV

Wait a minute.

We are labourers...

AND—

we are God's building.

😮‍💨🔥

So while God Almighty is using us to build, He is also building us.

While I'm handling lumber, He's working on the builder.

While I'm discipling somebody else, He's correcting something in me.

While I'm learning how to recognize His voice, He's developing my discernment.

While I'm helping somebody stand, He's strengthening my own legs.

While I'm learning how to obey today's instruction without demanding the entire blueprint, He's developing my trust.

The builder is still being built.

And that explains so much of my own story.

Twenty-something years ago, I had the vision.

I had the name.

Spirit Led.

I had the instinct to gather resources, organize them, connect people with help, and build something that would serve people in need.

The lumber was already in the yard.

But I couldn't yet see the whole building.

And when 211 appeared, I discarded the lumber because I thought somebody else had already built what I had been shown.

But God Almighty wasn't finished.

Not with the vision.

And certainly not with the builder.

Years later:

“And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time…”
— Jonah 3:1, KJV

THE WORD CAME AGAIN.

And now I can see something I couldn't see then:

The vision wasn't dead. The builder was still being built.

😭🙌🏽

👷🏽‍♀️ And Eventually, Builders Build Builders

This is where discipleship enters the construction site.

Imagine God gives someone the skill and material to build.

They obey.

They build.

The work grows.

Eventually, the assignment becomes bigger than what one person should carry alone.

So God sends help.

At first, that person may simply look like a helper.

But while they're helping...

they're watching.

Learning.

Practicing.

Developing.

Being corrected.

Becoming trustworthy.

Growing in character.

And eventually you realize:

Wait.

God didn't merely send me somebody to carry lumber.

He sent another builder.

🔥

Paul told Timothy:

“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”
— 2 Timothy 2:2, KJV

Paul.

Timothy.

Faithful people.

Others also.

Discipleship makes obedience travel.

The person God Almighty instructed you to help today may eventually stand beside you and help build tomorrow.

The person you once had to lift may one day help lift somebody else.

The person who entered the work as a helper may become a builder who trains other builders.

And suddenly your yes, has traveled farther than you ever imagined.

That's why we cannot always know what God Almighty has attached to our obedience.

You don't know what God has attached to your yes.

🗑️ And Sometimes You Have To Dive Back In For Yourself

But before we finish, I don't want you thinking all this dirty work is about everybody else.

Sometimes you need to go back and retrieve something.

Remember that girl?

The one before the hurt?

Before the neglect?

Before the abandonment?

Before life convinced her she needed to become somebody else just to survive?

Remember the girl who saw possibilities everywhere?

The girl who could make a toy out of something other people walked past?

The girl who could spend hours outside completely fascinated by the beauty God Almighty created?

The girl who wasn't afraid to explore?

The girl who wasn't afraid to get dirty?

Go get her back.

Not her naïveté.

Not the environments that harmed her.

Not unhealthy relationships.

Not the lack of boundaries you gained wisdom enough to establish.

Retrieve what God Almighty put in her.

Wonder—with wisdom.

Joy—with discernment.

Curiosity—with boundaries.

Tenderness—with truth.

Love—with the direction of the Holy Ghost.

Same girl. Sharper sight.

Because sometimes what we've been calling restoration has involved retrieval.

And maybe that's part of what God Almighty means when He tells you He's restoring you to your default settings.

Not returning you to an age.

Not pretending the painful years didn't happen.

But restoring pieces of His workmanship that pain persuaded you to discard.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
— Ephesians 2:10, KJV

There it is again.

Before ordained.

Which means:

THE PURPOSE WAS THERE BEFORE THE PAIN.

Pain didn't write the original code.

God Almighty did.

🙌🏽 Release The Pain. Retrieve The Purpose.

Pain matters.

Pain is a signal that something hurts.

So feel it.

Acknowledge it.

Ask God Almighty to help you understand where it came from and what it affected.

But don't turn pain into your permanent residence.

Pain is a signal, not a settlement.

There comes a point when the wave needs to be allowed to move through.

Release it.

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
— 1 Peter 5:7, KJV

Give the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, what hurts.

Let Him heal.

Let Him redeem.

Let Him transform your pain into purpose—not because pain created the purpose, but because God Almighty is so sovereign, so wise, and so good that even what hurt you does not have to be wasted.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
— Romans 8:28, KJV

It doesn't say everything that happened was good.

It says God Almighty can work it together for good.

There's a difference.

So open your hands.

Because you can't keep both hands wrapped around yesterday's pain and use those same hands to retrieve what God Almighty is illuminating today.

RELEASE THE PAIN.

RETRIEVE THE PURPOSE.

🙌🏽🔥

The shelter wasn't wasted.

The rejection wasn't wasted.

The years weren't wasted.

The lessons weren't wasted.

The notebook wasn't wasted.

The vision you temporarily put down wasn't wasted.

The mistakes weren't wasted.

The lumber you discarded isn't necessarily lost forever.

Even the parts of yourself you thought were gone, may still be sitting there waiting for the Light to reveal:

“That still belongs in the building.”

Because in the hands of God Almighty—

NOTHING IS EVER WASTED.

Selah. 😮‍💨

So, dumpster diver...

Stay in the Light.

Wear your PPE.

And when the Holy Ghost illuminates something and tells you to reach—

don't stand there worried about keeping your hands spotless.

🧤 Reach.

When He tells you to lift—

💪🏽 Lift.

When He hands you lumber—

🔨 Build.

When He shows you something you mistakenly discarded—

🗑️ Go get it back.

And when the work gets dusty, messy, uncomfortable, or inconvenient, remember:

Dirty work is still holy work when God Almighty assigned it.

You were never called to remain in the dumpster.

You were sent to retrieve, not reside.

And you were never called to build alone.

“For we are labourers together with God…”
— 1 Corinthians 3:9, KJV

So don't be scared of the dumpster.

Don't be scared of the construction dust.

Don't be scared to reach.

Don't be scared to build.

DON'T BE SCARED OF GETTING DIRTY.

Because the Light is on.

Your PPE is on.

The Architect has the blueprint.

The Holy Ghost is giving instruction.

Jesus Christ has already made provision for cleansing.

And there's still lumber in the yard.

We have a building to build. 🪵🔨🔥🙌🏽

🙌🏽 Before You Go…

Maybe you came into this devotional believing something was gone because it had been discarded.

Maybe somebody else discarded you.

Maybe pain caused you to discard pieces of yourself.

Maybe you threw away an old dream, assignment, gift, or vision because you couldn't understand how it fit.

Or maybe God Almighty is illuminating someone in front of you right now and saying:

“Look again.”

Whatever He is showing you, don't go digging through darkness trying to find more.

Stay in the Light.

Keep your spiritual PPE on.

Follow the instruction of the Holy Ghost.

And when He tells you to reach—reach.

When He tells you to lift—lift.

When He tells you to build—build.

And when He shines His Light on something you mistakenly discarded—

Go get it back.

Because the purpose was there before the pain.

Release the pain. Retrieve the purpose.

And never forget:

NOTHING IS EVER WASTED.

Selah. 😮‍💨🙌🏽

🙏🏽 A Spoken Prayer

Father God, in the Name of Jesus Christ, thank You for being the Architect of our lives and for never losing sight of what You created us to be. Thank You that Jesus Christ is the Light of the world, and that in Your Light, we can see.

Holy Ghost, sharpen our vision. Illuminate what belongs to our assignment and give us wisdom to leave alone what does not. Show us anything we have mistakenly discarded that still has purpose in what You are building. Give us courage to go back and retrieve it, in Jesus Name.

Father, help us release the pain we have been carrying and retrieve the purpose You ordained, before the pain ever came. Restore what belongs to Your workmanship in us. Keep us clothed in the whole armor of God, aligned with Your will, submitted to Your Word, and sensitive to Your instruction, in Jesus Name.

And when You send us into dirty places to do Kingdom work, give us courage to reach, strength to lift, wisdom to disciple, and humility to remember that Jesus Christ alone is Savior.

Order our steps. Direct our hands. Protect our vision. And use every piece of lumber You have placed in our yard for Your will and Your glory.

We trust the Architect. We will follow the Light. And we will build what You tell us to build.

In the mighty Name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. 🙌🏽🔥