Ep 107 | Daily Obedience For Big Visions

What do you do when God gives you a vision bigger than yourself? In this episode, Randy returns to share the powerful journey behind End the Wait, a movie and movement created to inspire kidney donation, mobilize faith communities, and bring hope to those facing dialysis and renal failure. 

Randy opens up about overcoming fear, discerning the right partnerships, trusting God’s timing, and learning to take one faithful step at a time. He shares how the movie became more than an awareness campaign, becoming a “pilot light” for a larger movement rooted in servant leadership, spiritual transformation, and practical impact.

Listeners will be encouraged to see obstacles not as signs to quit, but as opportunities to grow in obedience, humility, and intimacy with God. This conversation is especially meaningful for Christian leaders carrying a bold vision and wondering how to keep moving forward with faith. Tune in to gain insights on vision, perseverance, and trusting God with the bigger picture.

Transcript

Vision Behind End The Wait

SPEAKER_02 0:00

When you've got an incredible idea, sometimes there are just uh these in wonderful lessons that God gives us along the path. I'm excited to be again be joined by a wonderful brother, uh leader, business leader, uh Christian pastor, uh Randy here, looking at uh uh what God is doing in the midst of this end the weight movie. God give him a vision to start a movie, and we want to look at some of the lessons that we've learned along that path. Uh overcoming obstacles, abiding in him, understanding God's role versus our role. Listen, Christian leader, this is an episode you're not gonna want to miss on today's History Makers Leadership Podcast. Man, you've got uh just an incredible model that you're looking at here for doing something pretty revolutionary. Just from like that 30,000-foot view. Yeah. Explain for a second here. What is this model you're looking at? Um and and how how are you kind of seeing the various elements come together right now?

Building The Movement Beyond Film

SPEAKER_01 0:59

So it has expanded to start with. It was an awareness campaign through making the movie to get the message out there, but now it's it's sort of morphed into um the the movie is sort of the pilot light for the awareness campaign, but we've recognized that it's likely going to drive tens of thousands, if not more, donors. So we wanted to have what what is the right landing place for these people as we've learned more about you know the issues that exist in the medical community, uh, which transplant centers should be connected with this? And so as we've learned that we've partnered with organizations like the Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation, that's gonna help the process. Um, so that's a whole nother element. Um we also wanted to say to see um look Lacretia, the wife. Yeah, all right. So Lakretia said one of the things that we want to make sure is accomplished is that those that are in in need, that are in dialysis, are having to live with this right now, we want them to feel hope and know that they're not alone in this process. So we thought, how do we best accomplish that? And and a friend of mine uh names Troy, another pastor, he's told me the whole time, I've just got this discernment that there's a strong spiritual element to this. And it's not just which I knew that I felt the spiritual uh transformation when I donated the kidney. Um but he said, where does this fit best within the faith community? And then that morphed into us understanding that we need to have support groups set up all over the country to help those that are going through dialysis or renal failure right now. And so that's that's that's now turned into uh an opportunity through the website to engage faith communities, the medical community, um, and and the people that are that are going through this process right now. We also have on our website uh uh on on the the dashboard if somebody uh we have a question on of the questionnaire that says, Would you like a daily devotional? And so we've partnered with the national uh faith uh organization that just amp answering that simple question, yes, will link them into their community. So it gives them opportunity to receive daily devotionals. And so there's there's it's just a win-win in so many different ways. So but all that takes a lot of work. Yeah. Uh those uh those those partnerships coming together, which has been a little bit of the frustration of who are those partners supposed to be, and uh and and and and as we reveal more and more about what we're doing, we're starting to see that really come about in a big way. Man, I love that.

SPEAKER_02 3:30

And you know, we in uh at the International Leadership Institute, we talk about visionary leadership. And when we talk about the power of vision, we talk about seeing a need. Uh, and you saw a need for kidney uh transplants uh across this nation and really across the world. You saw a need for uh the the faith community to really be engaged with that. You were burdened for that and and connected into that. This is an audience of men and women who are Christian leaders that God is burdening their heart right now.

SPEAKER_01 3:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:58

There are people right now that God has given them a vision for a need, right? Whether it be a new church plant in a place or or maybe it's to start a business that causes uh uh just a redemptive change uh for employees or for uh a particular market segment. Um as a visionary leader, we can sometimes see these things, but there are hurdles along the way, there are obstacles that we face. Absolutely. Sometimes there's wounds from our past. Yeah. You're you're you're rounding, you're rounding third right now in the midst of this end the wait process. And if uh hey, listen, leader, if you're listening to this and you haven't listened to the first recording, I want to encourage you uh take a listen to the first recording, hear a little bit more about end the wait, an incredible uh uh movie and movement that uh Randy and his team have started uh to see a hundred thousand kidneys donated to change lives uh and to uh impact eternity for men and women as they encounter uh that kind of self-sacrifice that Christ exemplifies for us.

SPEAKER_00 4:56

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 4:57

Um and so, Randy, the leaders that are listening, they they've got a bold vision, their hearts are excited around it, but sometimes the enemy speaking lies to them. Sometimes they're encountering obstacles. Can you share a little bit from your story? Like where yeah, where have you seen some of these things? How how have you uh uh overcome some of those? Uh what what are some of the pieces there that you might offer to them just as a brother? Uh that's that's again a little further along that journey.

SPEAKER_01 5:23

Well, Daniel, I'm I'm no different than everyone else. I had those same thoughts um, you know, that the when the vision first sort of popped in my head uh of doing this, my the the enemy immediately planted the seed of this is too much for you. You're a local pastor, you've only been a pastor 10 years, and and you're you're a ditch digger. So, you know, you're nothing special. Yeah, you know, how can you do you know the something of this magnitude? And so I battled with that a little bit. And and I think I was able to uh uh sort of take a step back and reflect and pray about that and and and and realize that God is going to open those doors. There was a day, it was actually Ash Wednesday of this past year. I remember this that morning, I was sitting on my couch, it was five o'clock in the morning or so, and I started getting that overwhelming, even though we've already started this process. We're we were around second base, heading towards third, and and I'm I'm I've had this feeling this is too big. Yeah, this is too much. How can I manage a nonprofit and impacting these lives and and and moving forward with the momentum of everything related to in the weight and the chapters and the partnerships, and be a good shepherd at our church and run a family business. And I started getting overwhelmed. I could feel the anxiety building up, and I started praying about it, and immediately uh God just laid on my heart, I just need you to be obedient today and let me worry about the big picture. And then I realized you and I actually were talking about this a little while ago. I realized the the the reality of this situation, the foundation for for this movement has come from two really dark valleys. Uh for me when my son disappeared, uh, the the focal point of the first movie, The Way Home, yeah, um, and realizing how broken of a father, of a leader in my church. I was the minister of music at my church then. I was chairman of the board of deacons. Wow and yet I was so superficial. Um uh so being in that valley of of realizing how um insignificant I was in the kingdom at that time, and then the valley that Russell and Lacretia and so many like them were in, uh, those points in the valley were the foundation for all this happening. So even though we're in low points, perhaps in our ministry, in our lives, in our walks, um, there's still learning that's going on, and there's still opportunity to to um to learn in the middle of that valley. Count it all joy when you're going through trials and temptations, James chapter chapter one, verse two and yeah, yeah. So those things built things within me that helped grow me as a leader to to uh to be able to handle the obstacles that that we face. But yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:12

Would you say that you're you're you've seen God redeem those sufferings?

SPEAKER_01 8:16

Oh, no, no doubt. Yeah, yeah, because you get to the point that you when you start seeing the other side, and you, you know, it's like when I was hiking on the trail. Yeah, it's a struggle going up that mountain. And then when you get up there to that summit, you all that hard work was worth it. And there's a redemptive nature to uh seeing the look on someone's face when they realize they're gonna get a kidney, or even better, is seeing the look on the face of someone who just found out they can donate and the joy. That's the thing that was sort of surprising to me. One of my church members is donating a kidney to a high school classmate that had a heart transplant when he was 14, and he just found out that he needed a kidney like two months ago, and their transplant is miracle number 15 that's scheduled for May 25th. And I at church Sunday, he was just like, I can't wait. I'm so excited. He had so much joy. That's a gift from the sp the Holy Spirit is to fill you with that joy. That's that fruit of the spirit joy, right? That Galatians 5, 22 joy. That's right. And uh it's so beautiful to see that.

SPEAKER_02 9:16

I mean, I know that a lot of leaders, they they look for that moment, right? Where they've hit the peak, they're looking out and they're seeing it. Uh, and yet I know we've both been leaders in a context where we're not there yet. Yeah. We're feeling that pressure, we're seeing some of the obstacles. Maybe what we thought was a peak is a false peak, right? You get there and you realize, oh no, uh, I still can't quite see it. Like there's another one right over there. I gotta, I gotta get over that hump. Um, as you've been going through this end the weight creation process, uh, as you've kind of been uh confronted with um uh things along the way, can you tell us just, I mean, what what's one of those obstacles uh that maybe you encountered along the way and and how has God met you in the midst of that? Um how do you see yourself really practically practicing that? Hey, just be obedient today, Randy, just be obedient today. How how are you doing that, man?

SPEAKER_01 10:09

Well, to say it metaphorically, to use your metaphor, while you're hiking up, seeing that summit up ahead, uh, you look around and realize that the journey itself is beautiful, that you're walking, even though it's a struggle, the beauty's already all the way around you. And so uh I think you know, there were a lot of times when I'm given a message and I've I've just felt all week long that Lord is really inspiring this message, this sermon. And then you give it and there's no response. And you're like, wait, well, did I miss the boat? Or or there's a frustration where other people don't see what God's laid on your heart. I've definitely experienced that, and that's that's something I think in ministry that a lot of people experience that that um other people aren't seeing what I'm seeing. Why not, God? And we have to realize, no, this is something God's working on in me. All I can do is what I'm supposed to do and be obedient, and then let Him handle the rest. He's gonna convict, and or maybe it's just seeds are planted right now, and then it's not up to us, it's up to God to and and others that He um that He calls to inspire and grow those seeds along the way. So you just have to I think that just comes with spiritual discipline and going through those valleys a a period of time and being in prayer, uh uh being you know constantly in the Word, all of those spiritual disciplines that we talk about and we hear about at church, those are the things that give us the foundation to know, you know what, this isn't my movement, this is God's movement. So I'll I I'll just be blessed by going through this journey. That's it.

Partnerships That Fit The Calling

SPEAKER_02 11:39

Man, it's it's it's incredible that that faithful practice of intimacy with God, forming the foundation on which we can overcome those obstacles and and see the beauty of what he's working out in the midst of those things all along the journey. So in the process of of really developing a different uh formula for solving a problem, right? You're you're looking at making this movie in order to solve this this underlying issue and to mobilize um I love how you keep saying this word pilot light. Like the movie is just a pilot. It looked like at first like it was the end destination, but it's it's actually just something that ign ignites uh right this this this movement. Um you've talked a lot about a number of partnerships that have come to be because of this, right? Yes.

SPEAKER_01 12:25

Uh you mentioned the American uh American Paired Kidney or the Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation, APKD. APKD, yes.

SPEAKER_02 12:33

Uh okay, so you groups like that that you've been connected to and that you're you're kind of seeing some of these partnerships come together. I think effective Christian leadership looks like mobilized mobilization, right? There's some mobilization that has to take place here. How how did you get some of these relationships, connections? I mean, is this something that happened uh like all at once, or is this the fruit of of something over a longer period?

SPEAKER_01 12:55

Yeah, this has been a almost four-year journey, three and a half, three and a half year journey, which is uh actually very quick when you take a step back. Uh for the movie, the nonprofit and and the the whole visions. And frankly, I think we're still you said we're rounding third. We really don't know. We really don't, we may be rounding first. You know, uh we don't know where all this is gonna ultimately lead. Where's God's plan here? Yeah. And so um, no, it's it's been a long process, and and so there's been obstacles where there have been some that said no, or you don't get a response and you assume there's a no, and then all of a sudden you get an email like, yes, I'm interested in this. I've had COVID for the last two weeks. Oh so you know, so uh a lot of these these uh fears and trepidations we bring on ourselves. Um uh but uh so yeah, it's it's um it's just understanding that that that that it is a process. And so it's about just being obedient right now and and uh and allowing God to to open the doors. And so I had to learn to accept the nos and realize that there's that that they might that might not be the right right fit. Like as we're working towards what's the right partnership for a distributor.

SPEAKER_02 14:04

Yeah, yeah.

Alignment Discernment And Inner Peace

SPEAKER_01 14:05

Um, and we we've we're having those conversations now, but we've and I won't be specific for obvious reasons. Yeah, yeah, sure. But there was one particular distributor that uh offered us some significant marketing dollars with certain promises behind it. Um, and I I did not have a good discernment about that. And there were also strings attached that were not strings that I were I was willing to do, because in this whole process, we have to keep the main thing the main thing. Keep this focused on uh on it's a God-centered thing, it's a medical thing, it's about kidney transplants, but ultimately this is a spiritual thing, you know, and it's and and so uh that has to be our main focus. So um it was hard to say no to something that uh looked like from a secular standpoint such a great deal. Yeah. Uh, but um uh it it has led to a better partnership on down the low, on down the road that is God-led. And and when you come across the partners that have the same, that they get the vision, yeah, then you realize, okay, that God's had this whole plan um uh from the beginning, and I'm just working through the process, growing through this process of of defeats and obstacles along the way for uh for the the the plan that he has in mind. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:22

So I love that. Like this is this is what I'm hearing here. I'm hearing it as as as I look for effective partnership, as I look for effective people, uh, not only for mobilization, but to to join in the effort. Um, it really does begin with vision, right? Uh it begins with sharing that vision, being aligned around that vision, uh obviously a faithful practice of discernment around that.

SPEAKER_00 15:45

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 15:45

Um, but but Randy, I I think that also carries an impact in in our own souls, right? When we encounter those obstacles and we're surrounded by people that are aligned, they're gonna if our faith is lacking, maybe theirs is strong. Absolutely. Or or vice versa, where we get to, but if we've got partially aligned or maybe even misaligned relationships in the midst of some of that, um, that's when we start to feel uh the pressures, some of those those, you know, questions that that begin to uh kind of break down some of those relationships. Um I know you've you've spent time in in the you know in in business and in the market and in trying to navigate uh faithful Christian leadership in the marketplace as well. Uh, how have you seen uh either in that in that context or even in the in the first movie? Because this is I can't believe I'm saying this is not your first, it's not your first movie, Randy. Um, how have you seen uh that kind of leadership uh where where being in alignment has created uh health in the midst of obstacles or protection in the midst of obstacles? Uh and how have you seen maybe the opposite if you've if you've experienced the opposite of that?

SPEAKER_01 16:54

I think you can apply that to any relationship, any scenario. Uh my wife and I have been married for June will be 35 years. Uh-huh. And there are times when um I'm in a weaker place spiritually, and she's in a stronger place. And so we feed off of each other and there's accountability. So in it whether it's a work relationship, church relationship, um, you you seek you seek people that or you seek um opportunities in that relationship to hold each other accountable, to lift each other up. And that absolutely applies in what we're doing in our ministry and in the weight and all of it, that uh we we have to try to make sure that the the people that we're working with have the same vision and are using the same source of strength in that vision. And um, and so that's important to to know and get to know those people to to make sure that we're aligned. And so I hope that answers your question a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 17:49

Yeah, it's just I I again I'm I'm I'm listening and I'm looking at a leader that that it seems like uh uh man, all these pieces just seem to be falling together, right? And I know like there's there's a degree of truth behind that that is wow, praise the Lord. Like God, you just keep bringing the pieces together. But I also want to, in some senses, demystify that for others, right? Like, hey, uh I I I think based on just the conversations we've been having, you'd say that that, hey, this is one step of obedience after another. Like that's that seems to be the message that I would think you'd offer to the Christian leader today is it's one step of obedience in the direction that God is putting on your heart. I mean, is that is that right?

Redefining Success Through Humility

SPEAKER_01 18:31

Am I Yeah it is, and and the the example uh or uh when I was hiking the Appalachian Trail, I thought that was the plan. You know, that that was me being obedient was hiking for six months. So I had to question did I did I misunderstand the vision of being on this trail that God had planned for me and and did I do something wrong? Um why is this not working out? Why is there a blizzard? Why are things going wrong at church or work? Not that things were going wrong, but you know, there was I had I had to go back and shepherd and lead the circumstance. Um but so you start questioning those things, and then you you you have to take a step back and realize that that even that process, you have to like and I said this in the other other video that we did earlier, is I had to realize that I just had to step through this one door today and and and not try to plan out what that path after I step through the door looks like from now on. Step through that door and then look both left and right and say, God lead me. I just want to minister wherever my feet are right now. And and if this vision is your plan, then what I'll let I'll wait on your timing. You show me the next steps, you show me those opportunities, you close those doors that need to be closed. And so that really takes you to a place of great humility when you realize that you're as a leader of this, you're not in charge of it. You're a participant, and you and that's why I try to be as prepared as I can to listen, uh, to see where he leads it. And it puts you in a great place. Uh it's very liberating to know that I'm I'm not in charge of this. So I don't have to worry when I hear a no. Yeah. Uh, but it is frustrating. I mean, there's a human element to it, and and uh, you know, there's been opportunities we've reached out to friends and family. Hey, we're doing this as a fundraiser. We have this app called Your Change that people can round up their bank card to the nearest dollar, you know, and and then when you're when when you have people that are really close to you and they're like, Yeah, I'll do it. And then you know, you look at the list of names and like they didn't do it. They haven't done it. It's like, come on, don't you see what I see? And so there's there's an element of frustration, but you don't know everything that's going on in their life, and yeah, you know, and it's not a place of judgment, but we just don't know. We we cannot see everything that God sees. Our thoughts are not his thoughts, our ways are not his ways, and so we just have to be content with that. And um, one thing that I would say is I really get a strong um the way the Holy Spirit speaks to me that I interpret it is if if I make a decision and and it's of him, I have such a peace about it. And if it's not of him, I have an unsettled spirit. Something seems off, and to me that's a nudge of okay, take a step back. This this direction's not where I want you to go. Yeah. But it also takes me being grounded in what is right, which we we learn righteousness by reading the scriptures, that's right. And by by the prayer and discernment.

SPEAKER_02 21:35

So it it reminds me, I had a uh conversation with a a buddy of mine um uh in Atlanta. He owns a a company. I think I think at its peak, he probably had 250 employees, give or take. Uh and uh really starting around COVID, um man, his company's just been hammered. Uh and I think he's down probably around eighty now, right? So just to give you an idea of the trajectory. I mean, he and it it's been Hard. It's been really hard seasons. And uh as we were sitting and talking and just kind of working through some things, he did. He he said, you know, Daniel, I've got to constantly remind myself uh God is the owner and I'm a steward of what he's entrusted. Um and because he's the owner, he's the one that has to carry a different burden. Right? Yeah, he's the one that carries that. And he said, and and one of the most helpful things that he has worked on is to sit down and write out God's job description for the business. Because he said, every time I feel stress, frustration, anxiety, I look and I realize I'm taking hold of his job, not mine. And I'm taking, I'm taking, uh, I'm uh I'm taking those things on as if as if they're something I'm to carry. Exactly. But they're his to carry.

SPEAKER_01 22:49

That's right.

SPEAKER_02 22:50

And and you know, as I think about the I mean, look, releasing a movie in the United States is no small thing. I mean, the the money necessary for advertisement alone, we are in a unbelievably media saturated country, culture, and context. And and just to break through that noise with this life-transforming, uh, you know, kingdom advancing, uh, end the weight uh uh uh uh pilot light of a of a of a movie, man, that that's no small feat. And yet uh the sense of peace and confidence and joy that's in your presence, um, and I again I'm I'm I'm pointing out you, but only because you're the vessel by which God has made all of this happen. But I'm watching that in your life and I'm going, man, that's that's a a transformational uh experience. And I think I think Christian leaders today, uh no matter where we are in the world, if we uh recognize the call is to daily obedience and daily faithfulness, uh, and and let tomorrow worry about itself. That's right. Um man, there's so much freedom in that. That's right. Um, and and I think also a freedom to know, uh I don't know how I don't know how to say this, Randy, but I know that frustration to go, man, is it this is great? How do you not see this? Yeah, how like I think every every leader uh with a vision has had that moment where you go, man, how how can how can this person not not see it? Um and the remembrance or the recognition, man, that's uh there's a degree to which that it is God to to work on the heart of a person to bring them either in uh to what you got going, yeah, or or he's got something else for him. Yeah, uh, and that's okay too. Uh in fact, that's probably the better thing because God's plan is is the better plan. Uh how do you how do you balance some of those things in your own mind, man? I mean, do you think I'm off base here? I mean, you're no brother. I mean, give me give me some thoughts here if you think I'm I'm I'm missing something.

SPEAKER_01 24:50

No, I I think you're you're a hundred percent right. And it it's for me, it's remembering that that um you know it would be real easy for me to to focus on uh success as being how many transplants we have. Where can this ultimately lead to? And frankly, we don't know the answer to that. Uh, but but the the liberating part is knowing that um the spiritual uh awareness that people have when they go through this, when they're impacted by this, that has so much more value than the medical. Um I I I've made the statement before a hundred thousand kidneys doesn't equal one soul. That's right. And so realizing that, and that's sort of why I said what I did about we're just could be just rounding first base, because I believe that that the the ultimate wonder, wonderful thing about this is that it's going to uh present one opportunity for people to uh break through the bubble of what they see into a whole nother world of servant leadership. You know, I I love what John did in the gospel about that night in the upper room. All the other gospels had talked about the Last Supper. John went a different route and he shared that story of Jesus washing their feet. And so when we engage in that part of it, we did that at our church on Monday Thursday.

SPEAKER_02 26:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:10

And where we've we, our staff, the four of us, got down and washed and dried the feet of of all of the church members that were there that night. And it's the most humbling experience to be a servant, and it's humbling to be served. Yeah. And so that's what we see here when you you're pairing donor and recipient together, both are receiving such a deep spiritual experience, and and then that's just an opportunity for that light to shine brightly in each one of their communities.

SPEAKER_02 26:38

And and the the theological part of my head goes, man, original original sin of pride.

SPEAKER_01 26:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:43

And and the gift of God that humility can help to break through that and to to reveal Christ as glorious and magnificent and uh to help soften someone to to hear uh that gospel message for the first time, uh, or maybe just to receive it uh at all. Uh man, I love it.

SPEAKER_01 27:04

Wouldn't that be worth it all?

SPEAKER_02 27:05

Oh, yeah. Yeah, just one.

SPEAKER_01 27:07

Man, just one would be worth it all.

SPEAKER_02 27:09

Randy, I love I love what you got going. Um if somebody wanted to know more about the movie, what what's the website? Can you tell them where to go and maybe follow up with uh uh you know, follow up with you guys or or maybe get connected in some way? What's the best place?

SPEAKER_01 27:23

E-n-d, t-h e w a i t dot net. And so uh we welcome people to email us, Randy at in in the weight.net and reach out to us. We're we're actively recruiting people to to lead these chapters all over the country that are interested in knowing more about what we're doing. Um if if you feel uh that you're being convicted to how I want to help too. I want to save a life. A lot of people struggle. What's my purpose? Maybe this is it. Maybe this is what God's leading you to by listening to this podcast. So um go to nweight.net, reach out to us. We'd be more than happy to to touch base with you and and uh see where God's leading you.

SPEAKER_02 28:02

Amen. Randy, I love your heart and your vision, man. It's so exciting and wonderful to see. Hey, Christian leader, I just want to remind you uh in this moment, uh, intimacy with God is gonna be the foundation that allows you to overcome those obstacles, uh, to identify uh with discernment, those partnerships that are line around the vision that God's placed in your heart. Uh, and along that path, you're gonna discover that God meets you there. And uh, as Randy said, sometimes even has a vision bigger than what you initially thought. Uh, we love Christian leaders here at the International Leadership Institute, and we're so thankful for you. If you want to find other resources to help you grow in your life and leadership, you can check us out at Ili Team.org. Or if you haven't, go take a listen to that first podcast. Listen to how God transformed Randy's life, uh, did something incredible uh as he was on one trail and path, uh, and God brought him uh in to a cup of coffee and a life transforming conversation. Uh, thanks for joining us today on the History Makers podcast.