On more than one occasion (hundreds) I’ve seen the term #blessed float around. I’m going to be honest, I think it’s utterly ridiculous. People posting on Instagram about every minute detail of their lives while adding the “#blessed” to the end. Maybe they shot a buck in the woods, got a particularly beautiful hipster breakfast, or got to have a simply wonderful day at the lake.
Every single thing is #blessed.
In this way I think the word blessed has lost a lot of meaning to me. Being blessed is hard for me to grasp because I associate it with such skin level, shallow ideals. From people who throw the word around without really understanding what it really means.
Beyond a petty rant about the more stupid parts of social media, I’ve realized that being blessed is hard for me for another reason.
I don’t accept gifts well, and therefore I don’t accept blessings well. I feel as if I will somehow burden someone if they go out of their way to bless me. If they infringe on their own life for me somehow I’ll feel as if I owe them something. Couple that with a slight feeling of being undeserving and the feeling that I can take care of myself and boom…. You have a guy that’s not easy to bless.
But here’s the thing, I realize all of this. I’ve actually been working on it for quite a while. So this isn’t a new idea for me, as it is inmost of my blogs. Usually they have to do with some sort of revelation that I’ve recently discovered. Not in this case. Actually what this idea led me to was something pretty cool.
I’m enormously blessed. Not #blessed, mind you. Not my burger is immaculate and I need to take a photo of it with 16 filters blessed. And not, look it’s a pretty day #blessed. I am tremendously, incredibly, astoundingly blessed.
To look at it by the numbers, I’ve been fundraising for my Race, CGA, my job with the World Race, and squad leading straight since October 2012. That’s 3 and a half years and something around $35,000 raised. I mean, who does that? And more to the point, who is so extraordinarily blessed to receive that? I certainly don’t deserve it. Not at all.
What about relationally? You’ll just have to take my word here, but the people in my life are amazing. They are beyond some of the best humans this world has to offer. They challenge me, they encourage me, the pour into me and help me grow. They make me laugh and they push me to new heights. What’s more, they’re the next generation that’s going to change this world. I’ve got friends that are in pilot school so they can help supply missions in difficult to reach areas. I’ve got numerous friends that are going to be doctors or dentists or therapists, including a recently wed couple that I think will eradicate cancer. I’ve got friends starting businesses, organizations geared towards travel and helping third world countries. Friends that are changing lives, discipling generations, living all over the world, setting up trips for people to see the whole world. I could go on and on. And still not get to all of the things that my friends are doing. So basically yeah, I’m pretty blessed in this area.
I don’t even think there are enough pages to describe how blessed I am in the Lord. Let’s just say, I’m pretty friggin blessed.
It took a conversation I had recently I about a blessing I received from a close friend’s family to truly realize this. That receiving blessings is just part of the game, and that I had many to count. It isn’t a burden, it isn’t taking handouts, it isn’t weak, and it isn’t giving in.
It’s accepting the abundance of the Lord, and it’s learning to accept it from others. Which is often the way He likes to give it. It’s interesting how sometimes we’re much more willing to accept supernatural, crazy things form the Lord rather than just the simple help of a friend. We can be a little messed up sometimes, ya know?
All that to say, I have a continual opportunity for you to help me learn this lesson. I’m roughly halfway funded for my squad leading trip, which has been amazing. But I’ve still got $3,000 more to go so that I can rejoin the squad back out on the field for their debriefs. An experience that I can tell you is not only important, but awesome for the squad. I’ll tell you all about it once I get there, but I need to get there first. Please prayerfully consider partnering with me financially. Those 3 and a half years couldn’t have happened without your support!
Please follow the links below to give if you feel led!!
If you’re interested, please follow this link: https://www.adventures.org/give/donate.asp?giveto=worldrace&desc=Seth%20Powell&appeal_id=POWELLSETH
Or mail a check made out to Adventures in Missions to this address. Also, make sure you put my name in the memo line so that it gets to me.
Adventures in Missions
P.O. Box 742570
Atlanta, GA 30374-2570
