Among the lessons I learned pretty early in life was this: Create simple word pictures with which to explain complex things.

One of the greatest lessons I began learning early in my life involved what I called “Papa’s Pipeline”. I wanted to help explain to my family and others how giving should work.

I pictured God or, as I affectionately refer to Him, Papa, being not only the first, but also the best giver. I saw all these pipes or avenues of blessing, coming down from Heaven. Into these pipes, Papa pours all good things (and only good things according to James). These pipes reach into all of our lives. There are also smaller pipes branching out of each of our lives. We receive what we need from Papa and pass along the overflow. We pour things into our outgoing pipes into the lives of others. Thus, Papa’s Pipeline.

I want to share a current example of what I’m talking about. One of my best friends, Charlie, lives in Atlanta. He and I have explored and expanded this concept of Papa’s Pipeline over a 26 year time span. Charlie works for Norm at Peachtree Media.

Recently, Charlie called and asked me if I could use some high speed tape duplicating equipment. In cleaning out a closet at work, these machines surfaced. I immediately agreed to take them. Our son, Tim, on a trip to visit his sister in Ft. Oglethorpe, picked them up from Charlie in Atlanta. I got them from Tim in Ft. Oglethorpe, GA while visiting Kathleen a few days later. After hauling them back to Sarasota, I discovered that I didn’t have room to install them.

I remembered a brother at a ministry in Albuquerque who, at one time, would have given an arm and a leg to have these machines, if only for spare parts. I called him and he let me know that even though these tape duplicators were the outstanding work horse of the industry, they’d switched to another model because of the unavailability of parts. He did, however, steer me toward an international ministry that might need them.

I came up here on the Net and got an address of a recording company to which mail could be directed. I wrote a blind letter, asked whomever read it to please forward it. Well, that was over a month ago and nothing materialized. Finally, three nights ago, I received a call from a brother named Doyle from San Antonio, TX. Doyle told me that he’d received my letter that very day and was extremely interested in getting the machines. He agreed to pay packing and shipping (no small amount!). The very next day, UPS left with two huge packages.

That’s how Papa’s Pipeline works. Let me share another current example with you. Tim, Debbie and their three children practice Pipelining regularly. They’re always on the lookout for garage sales, people’s trash-by-the-road, dumpsters, etc. Their garage always has stuff in it designated for missions in the U.S. and abroad.

A local friend of theirs, for instance, makes day old bread, pies, cookies, etc. available to them. They keep some for their needs and pass the rest along to folks who are in need. One of these beneficiaries is a single mother with five children. The children’s “father” bailed out. Tim learned that she needed tires on her vehicle. Tim and Debbie’s kids (our grandchildren) spotted four nearly new tires sitting out by the road around the corner from their home. Destined for the landfill, these four tires are now safely doing their job on this mom’s vehicle.

Papa’s Pipelining is not for sissies or lazy people. In order to really be blessed and bless others, we must learn to be observant, creative, and generous. We look for things that might be used by others and acquire them. We ask Papa how to best use His blessings. At the time I received the phone call from San Antonio, I was beginning to wonder if I’d missed hearing from Papa. I had no idea what to do with these highly specialized recorders. However, Papa knew where they belonged. Doyle had been praying for these very items. Papa came through again.

I’ll be sharing more about Papa’s Pipeline in future editions of “Inside Out”. I believe I’ve shared enough with you to get you started or encourage you to continue what you’re doing. I’d really enjoy hearing from you about your experiences with Papa’s Pipeline. Maybe I’ve given you a name for what you’ve been doing or want to do.

Keep this in mind: When we take a healthy, vibrant creek and dam it up, we end up with a frog pond that is essentially dead. Keep the Pipeline flowing.

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Happy Pipelining!

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