His Dreams can Become Your Dreams

Have you ever wondered what it would look like to just absolutely know that your walking in the plan and purpose of the Lord?  I went to a back-to-school night for my middle school son and heard an english teacher state that she Loves her job.  I started thinking, is it possible to love your job, really?  How many of us have really stopped mid-stream to re-evaluate our present life walks?  How can we?  Our lives are so wrapped up in stuff.  We're told what we need or think we need by observing the lives of others and evaluate whether we're succeeding in life based on comparing our lives to others.  They may have a really nice home, a new car, go on awesome family vacations every year, there kids are involved in every sport activity possible, and when that these activities run out there is still a multitude of other things that we can plug into such as clubs.  I find that we can populate and cram so much of our lives with "stuff" that we have no time of really enjoying life as the Lord intended it.

I was thinking about this recently when I began watching a series called Orange County Choppers which is about the custom manufacturing of motorcycles and the way that a family of sons interact with their father.  I found it interesting that each of them were looking ultimately for value and approval from a Father.  Those of you who know me know that I have a wild side that yearns for adventure and craves time with people.  I was thinking about all of this and discussing it with my Love when we started talking about my work.

My Love advised that maybe I should consider a career change and go back to school to be a mechanic, specifically a motorcycle mechanic.  She found a website that showed a school in Florida that required a year of intense training which included a period in which you could specialize your training in a particular area: Asian bikes, European Bikes, American Cruisers, or Custom bikes.  She saw this opportunity and advised that I should check it out.  She advised that: I know that you would love it and you were created for this.  She stated that I've sacrificed so much for the family and have worked a multitude of jobs, sometimes more than one to help get our family off the ground and to provide for the needs of the family.  She can not understand why I would desire to stay in a job that I don't particularly like.  So I found myself grasping with evaluating where I am at this juncture of my life.  So I went to read from a book that I'd been reading titled: "The Seven Longings of the Human Heart" by Mike Bickle with Deborah Hiebert.  Published by Forerunner Books 2006.  I immediately opened to the last page where I left off and began reading.  A synopsis of what I read is in the following:

1. Individuals have a dream
2. They pursue that dream
3. Life happens - disappointments after entering the real world
4. A choice must be made: take the easy or hard way
5. Or does it?  Is there another way?

Attached is a segment from the book listed above: 

"In that place of disappointment , they will enter a testing period.  In lieu of the perfect opportunity, what will they do?  Will they ignore the lessor opportunities at hand and hope to land a bigger one?  Or will they roll up their sleeves and get down to business?"

How I choose to view this life will determine the outcome.  How does the Lord view my current role in my job?  After all isn't He the one that help me get this job.  Has He told me that it's time to leave/move on or is it my flesh that's screaming to get out of this place?  These questions are hard to answer unless we are willing to be honest with our selves.  The book continues to tell a story about a young ministry leader who was working his way through Bible college.  During the Summer he had to take a job working at a gas station, the only gas station in the town.  He determined in his mind that all of his peers where out starting up new mega churches while he just pumped gas.  What he began to realize over time was that he had an opportunity to make in impact right where he was and that his assignment to pump gas was really provided by the Lord as an opportunity to learn about people and human nature.  In the story the student realized later that everyone needed gas.  He determined that he would treat everyone as the jewels they were.  So he gave the best full-service treatment he could regardless of whether they were new cars or old cars; people with lots of money or those with little.  One thing he gave them was value and a loving caring heart.  The Lord put him there for such a time.  Has the Lord put me where I am?  How about you?  What life lessons can we learn right where we are at if we're willing to face the music?  What if being at the job we are at is not about us? What if it's about what the Lord wants to do through us to connect with His people.  He desperately wants a relationship with His people.  Are you willing to be an extension of His hand and see the miracles happen as in the day of the New Testament church.  This is a new day where exciting things can and will happen.  Pray and ask the Lord for a new perspective, that he would open your perspective to His perspective.  We all want to finish the race well, right?  For in finishing well there will be a great reward as it is promised in the scriptures.  For more on this topic you might want to check out the following scripture:

Luke 19:11-27

The Journey of Life

Have you ever noticed that through out your life, your always looking for the next thing? When I'm old enough I want to be...; I'm going to do...; my dream to fulfill is...? Have you ever wondered what's happened to those declarations and when those things will come into fulfillment? I like many thought that all of these things would just naturally happen in the physical sense, but then I met the Father! Hallelujah!!

The dreams that I thought I had for my life no longer seemed important. I found myself without joy, endlessly seeking what it means to have Life and Life abundantly. Nothing of this world could fulfill the emptiness and sinkhole that seemed to resonate in my heart. I needed something new, something fresh. Something that would consume my life and yet give me True Life. Getting to know the Father through, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, has become the passion of my life. I'm reminded of part of a song: "The more I know Him, the more I need Him!" I'm finding that I can't live with out Him and have no purpose apart from Him. I feel more like a child in the things of the Lord today than ever in my life.

Isn't it funny that in our early years of life that we spend all of our energy trying to become something in the world that's of value, or purpose but ultimately will find nothing but a void. The only exception is when we invite the warm and touching embrace of a Father of Fathers who will never mock or shame, but instead Love unceasingly with compassion, and mercy. Who can love like the Lord? May I learn how! He's invited me on a journey to a pursue Him with my boys, other men, and people of all ages. That we may demonstrate what it means to be the church(His bride), to become to the world what He is for us and to know this love, become this love, and give away this love.

I'm amazed in wonder of the awesomeness of my Lord. Is it still possible to enter into the Fire'n Clouds of old? May I touch the face of God.., may I have influence with the Lord.., will He call my name and tell me to come up to the Mountain? The answer is: "Yes, when you seek me with all of your heart, soul, and mind, you will find me." The biggest decision of your life begins and continues to be with a question: "Will I continue to pursue the journey regardless of the cost it may have for your Life?"