There are things I am sure of and then there are things that
I am CERTAIN about. And when I say
sure, I mean [shoulder shrug] sure…?
I have been patiently waiting for October to arrive so that
my adventures around the world could begin. Patiently waiting has turned into preparing and preparing is
a TEDIOUS process. Not necessarily
packing up or making sure everything is in order for me to leave the country,
but tedious in the fact that I am discovering new things about myself and uncovering
lies that I tell myself.
Last night I was holding my little over a month old niece
Emerson Kate and we were just rocking and staring each other in the eyes. I can’t really tell you how long this
went on, but I am certain that I saw God through her eyes. That is not something I say lightly, I
mean I really saw God through her eyes. It was one of those gazes that you get when you stare off into the vast
starry night sky or when you look so deep into a campfire that the colors start
to separate before your very eyes. There was a calming effect in her eyes and it sent all kinds of thoughts
flooding through my mind.
If God has tried to teach me anything in the last few days
it has been to let go of chance and instead adopt PURPOSE, something that I
have found to be hard.
I couldn’t look into my niece’s eyes and not believe that
purpose was not following close behind her. I tend to set big dreams for people and she definitely has
not been the exception. She is
going to be something special and that is not just me being a proud uncle.
Here is the thing, I got a chance to hang out and talk with
an awesome friend this week. The
question came up, “what will you miss the most?” The truth was almost too easy, “you, my friends, my
community and my family”. I have
had a little more time to soak that question in and it seems as though
relationships have been what I treasure most in my life. And for some reason this has been my
thought process, I thought back on all the friends that I have made in my life
and all the opportunities that I have seized and those that I have let slip
away and for the life of me I can’t take any of them for chance, every person
in my life up to this point and every decision that I have made seems to have
led me to this moment in time.
The thing is that is when I look into the past this is easy
to recognize, but when I look to the future there is so many things that I take
for chance. There are so many
things that I want to take control of in my life. Things like what I want to take place over the next year,
what I want to come back to (crazy considering we haven’t left yet) and what I
want my life to look like on down the road. I think these down to exact details. And don’t take me as a planner, because
that is not me at all. I am as
laid back and fly by the seat of my pants as they come.
I believe that there are good things and there are God
things. My idea of my future is a
good thing, my taking a step to trust God is a God thing!
So here is my prayer as of this morning..
“Hey God, take my moments and define them by PURPOSE.. Fill my life with a HOPE that only You
and You alone know what is best for me. I want to let go of this idea of CHANCE and to FOLLOW YOU on the path of
life. You know the plans for each
and every one of us, a plan to prosper and grow us… To nurture us in Your Holy
Presence… Redefine my life by YOUR standards, put relationships in my life that
point to YOU and give me the guidance to point others to YOUR LOVE!”
What is God telling you today? How can I be praying for you? Keep me and my team in your prayers..
You are a CHILD OF GOD!! You have a VOICE!! And have you have A PURPOSE!!
Thomas
