NOTE FROM STEVE SHULTZ: Almost two years ago, at a pivotal time in the life of my wife, our three children and myself, --we had a SUDDEN shift in LIFE DIRECTION by and from the Lord that was COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED--and from out of nowhere! Even though we were not fully prepared (except as the Lord had been preparing us), we grew to know that the Lord was intimately involved and blessing us with MUCH GRACE in this shifting of our life's situation. In the midst of this traumatic unexpected turn of events, which included a change in my job, ministry, Church, City, and State--ALL AT ONCE--- the Lord dropped this Word on me. I can't shake the fact tonight that I am supposed to send this article, first written in 1998--to THE ELIJAH LIST.

When this dramatic change came for us in 1998, I went right home and "penned" the conclusion to the Word the Lord had given me, having prepared me for this change (though I hadn't realized that preparation was going on). For some of you, He is doing the same thing right now--preparing you for sudden and radical change. I believe that at least one of the almost 14,000 ELIJAH LIST subscribers needs to read this word--as it applies to you right--- where you are-- this very day. Let me know if I'm right.

Here are the words I wrote that Saturday night in 1998:

PINEAPPLE THEOLOGY

Pineapple theology?

That's a strange term, isn't it?

That's what I thought too, when I was lying sleeplessly in bed a few nights ago, wondering and more importantly, WORRYING, about why my life wasn't turning out the way I'd planned. . .

. . . At least not my two-year or five-year plan. We all have times in our life when our plan isn't coming together--or more accurately stated, when the plan has suddenly fallen apart. Because we all come to those times in our lives---That's why I'm letting you in on this Word I received from the Lord within the last several days.

AGONIZING IN BED

I lay there agonizing over one of the more major decisions of my life that had quite unexpectedly presented itself---one of those "it can't wait until later decisions." You know, like you do when God begins to change everything in your life--again . . . as if He hadn't changed enough things already.

Suddenly, interrupting my insomnia over this issue, the Lord spoke two words to me . . .

"Pineapple Theology," His voice imprinted on my mind.

"What's Pineapple Theology, Lord?" I asked. But I heard only silence. Was God wanting me to explore my "theology", the study of God or of religion as it relates to the pineapple?

Strange!

THE LORD WAS "FIX'N TO TEACH ME SOMETHING!"

I've learned not to agonize too much over what the Lord speaks. I knew He was "fix'n" to teach me something . . . and I also knew if it was Him speaking, He would be faithful to clarify His Word. And I've come to understand that not only what the Lord reveals, but WHEN he reveals it --often signifies something. So I figured I'd leave the timing of the explanation He owed me---to His discretion. Good of me, wasn't it? Because for now, I could make neither head nor tails of "Pineapple Theology," so I just catalogued it and went to sleep.

Last night [in 1998] I had to finalize that tough decision that God had thrust upon me. It'll change significantly the life of my family and ministry. Part of me likes it (the excitement of something new) . . . while the other part is afraid of the unknown. The good news is that my wife and I (now married 20 years) had reached agreement on our new direction--or at least leaving the "old" direction. As always, we've made our decisions together, especially things related to following the Lord. Our marriage has been blessed in that way.

WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT, GOD SPEAKS!

So last night, after the big decision, we went to a high school play to unwind and then arrived home rather late. While everyone was getting ready for bed, my wife, Derene and our 14-year old daughter (a high school freshman) for some unknown reason got to feeling giddy. They started teasing and then . . . Derene chased Danielle down the hall and into the master bedroom where a raucous pillow fight ensued. I heard playful screaming and the thuds of pillows and then out-of-control laughter. It sounded hilarious, and I walked down the hall to check out this scene for my own entertainment. They were each laughing so hard, it was hard for either of them to catch their breath.

As I walked into the room, I discovered that Derene had managed to more or less pin Danielle down and she was "stuck." And they were both laughing uncontrollably. I wanted to know what was so funny. . . beyond the obvious. They seemed to be laughing about more than just the pillow fight itself.

PINNED DOWN, SO GOD CAN SPEAK!

It seems that before I had come into the room---right in the middle of being "pinned" to the bed, Danielle, (the one "child" in the family the Lord has told us a number of times would be a prophet), trying to catch her breath while laughing - had suddenly blurted out. . .

". . .Did you know that you can't put fresh pineapple in Jell-O?"

Coming completely outside of any context, this sudden fact about pineapples had undone them both and they could barely talk, they were laughing so hard. Derene was laughing at the absurdity of this popping out of Danielle's mouth at such a strange moment, and Danielle . . . well, she was just giddy and laughing out of all control!

As they told me this, I realized amidst the laughter that the Lord had just spoken to me!! Not just in the "words" but in the "deed." Danielle, against her will was "pinned" and couldn't move and at that very instant she blurted out the beginning of the interpretation of what the Lord had spoken a few days earlier to me. . .

". . .Pineapple Theology."

GOD WILL SPEAK WHEN AND HOW HE WANTS TO SPEAK

It turns out that Danielle had just finished science class at school about pineapples (which I had no knowledge of) and this was the odd timing she'd "chosen" to convey her newly-found "fruitful" knowledge--about pineapples. As Derene and Danielle eventually settled down from their laughter, I started questioning Danielle---telling her that God was actually speaking to me through this.

She explained that her science teacher had said that nobody has ever eaten FRESH pineapple with Jell-O.

What?

That's right.

PINEAPPLE THEOLOGY

People have eaten pineapple-flavored Jell-O, and they've eaten Jell-O made from canned pineapples, but no one has eaten fresh pineapple with Jell-O. And the reason that can be said with certainty is that fresh pineapple will NOT gel in Jell-O. It can't be done!

I went to the Internet to research it for myself and it's true. It turns out that the process of making CANNED pineapple takes the protease (enzyme) in the real pineapple and completely denatures it by the heat involved in canning. In short, the enzymes (the substance that speeds up chemical reactions) are altered and made of none-effect, so CANNED PINEAPPLES don't interfere with the "jelling" process--and that's how you get pineapple Jell-O.

However, if you don't cook the pineapple, but rather, put it FRESH into Jell-O, the enzymes in the fresh pineapple simply won't allow the Jell-O to gel. Period. That's why you've never eaten fresh pineapple in Jell-O. Which brings us to "Pineapple Theology."

So what is God saying here?

Let me tell you what I'm hearing. . .

GOD'S WAY OR MY WAY?

QUESTION: Do you want the real thing? The Power of God? The healthy (not cooked up). . . genuine - God Himself-- in your plans?

Then you can't put God into YOUR plans, because your plans simply WON'T GEL--in YOUR plans.

God PLUS your plans won't gel.

You want fresh pineapple AND Jell-O? You want God AND your plans? Then you're going to have to have an altered, artificial pineapple. You'll have to have a God that YOU HAVE ALTERED in order to get HIM to gel into YOUR plans. Try to put God into your agenda, and it simply won't be the "plan of God" in your life! It'll be your substitute for the plan of God.

GOD KNOWS WHEN TO SPEAK TO GET HIS POINT ACROSS

Isn't it funny --- or interesting --- or convicting --- and yes, again, funny... that the Lord's "voice" came when Danielle (and therefore, you and I) was STUCK? BURIED! PINNED! IMMOBILIZED! She couldn't get out of her own mess. When Danielle was "pinned" and she didn't know how to get unstuck - that was when she laughingly said--and when I believe the Lord chose to reveal the prophetic answer to the prophetic clue:

". . .Did you know that you can't put fresh pineapple in Jell-O?"

Pineapple theology isn't something you are supposed to have or not have. It's a reality that exists by the will of God. You can't mix God's plan with yours and prosper. They don't mix. They don't gel. It won't work.

SUDDENLY IS ALWAYS WHEN YOU DON'T EXPECT IT

Just like all of us at one time or another, I wasn't expecting to suddenly make the next decision or move in my own life and that of my family's. But I found myself stuck and not knowing what to do to get unstuck.

Ring any bells with you today?

"I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU, SAYS THE LORD--FOR A HOPE AND A FUTURE!"

No Believer really knows what to do when God puts him or her or the family in that "PINNED" position. We often just try to follow our own best wisdom, but then God faithfully and ultimately shows us how our plans are not His plans.

You know the rest of the story. God comes through and shows you the next step and it was something you least expected--and usually NEVER expected. . . but it always turns out, at least in the long run, to be the very best thing that could ever have happened to you. The things that have happened in the last two years have been exceedingly, abundantly beyond what we could think or ask!

But it wasn't what we planned it, was it?

Come to think of it, have you ever known a Believer that didn't eventually confess, "This wasn't how I planned it, God."? It was better than I planned it!

I don't know what you've got planned, but chances are good that God's going to surprise you soon with HIS plan!