I've been reading this book called Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller, because he's one of my favorite authors and I like the way he writes. He writes like it would sound if he were to be thinking out loud... a little bit scatterbrained, and most definitely raw. He writes what he believes, and he challenges me to do the same.
This particular book is about trying to figure God out, and making faith a science. He describes our "walk" with God as us trying to follow a formula. As if it were a three-step equation, and we're done. The saddest part is that we often peg God as a simple math problem. The truth is that life is complex and people come and go, and there isn't a simple three steps to help us solve the worlds problems.
Recently, I've been asking God what the next step of my life is going to look like... He hasn't said much, and I think he's playing a joke on me. For years I've asked him to take me on an adventure. I've asked him to "just light the next step" so that I'm forced to hold his hand and trust Him. I guess that's what we're doing.... and I'm not opposed because I think this is the best kind of adventure.
The truth is that we don't have to graduate from high school or college and know exactly what we are going to do with our lives. And we don't have to stick to that one thing either. I think more than anything, God takes us along different paths in order to meet different people. That's ultimately his plan anyway, right? For us to all meet each other and work together to make the world look like what he intended it to be thousands of years ago.
I, along with many of my peers, are beginning to panic because it seems that our college hourglass is running out... What's next? Maybe you're not in college. Maybe you're a recent grad, or a single mom, or a soldier. Maybe you're a young entrepreneur, or a newly wed. Maybe you're willing to do whatever it takes to fight on behalf of orphans, or you're ready to find someone to love and do life with him or her. Maybe you're a nurse who's decided to go back to school. Or a football coach who's ready for something more... You're not going to be in this job, or this place, forever. It's only a pit stop. You've been places before this, and you'll go places after this. If you're ready for more, ask God. His heart has never been to withhold any good thing from you, but rather to unleash his power and blessing over you. His desire is for you to experience his goodness and to share it with everyone you meet.
I've recently been thinking about teaching. I love to teach people about Jesus. Especially women, because I think God has revealed so much of himself to us to remind us what we are worth and how much he desires us. I want to empower women to live with passion and purpose. I want them to know that they were created to live this way. But I'm not talking about bible studies and small groups; I'm talking about class rooms. Tonight I was reading something I wrote a few months ago...
"My mom recently mentioned to me an idea about teaching a women's studies class at the high school. I do believe there is much for high school students to learn about themselves before they head to college, or have babies or get a job. I want to teach them that they are important; that they each were created to roam the earth this very day. I want them to know they have potential. I want them to learn to dream. I want them to face their fears and take them head on. I want them to discover what it is about themselves that makes them tick. What makes them move? What wound do they see in the world that they need to actively hold their palm against in order to stop the bleeding? I want them to know that we have power in our words - over ourselves, and over others. I want them to know they are the most prized possession; that their hearts are gentle and tender for a purpose. I want them to talk. Discuss. Interact. I want them to feel known by one another. I want them to know what is going on around the world. I want them to see the hell that people are living through even if for only a second. I want them to value their bodies and respect themselves. I want them to stop treating their bodies like objects, and I want them to stop allowing others to do the same to them. I want them to know that "we accept the love we think we deserve" and I want them to know how much they deserve, because they were bought for a pretty steep price. I want them to enjoy being 16 or 17 or 18. I want them to stop and enjoy the roses. I want them to learn to value simple and delicate things. I want them to be gentle with others. I want them to know, though their stories may be tough, they matter."
Until this summer, I never thought about teaching a class or a curriculum. I don't know if that's the path I'll end up on, but I know that God puts ideas and dreams into our hearts for a reason.... and it seems that these dreams are constantly changing. The foundation of changing the lives of women has never changed, but the way in doing that will continue to change throughout my life, because I am choosing to follow Jesus wherever He goes, whether it be to the brothels and bars of Thailand, or the buildings and classrooms of Norman.
Just like mine, your life won't be the same forever. Life isn't a formula, and neither is God. He wants to get to know you and have an intimate relationship with you, just like he desires for you to have with others. Donald Miller says, "The truth is there are a million steps, and we don't even know what the steps are, and worse, at any given moment we may not be willing or even able to take them; and still worse, they are different for you and me and they are always changing. I have come to believe the sooner we find this truth beautiful, the sooner we will fall in love with the God who keeps shaking things up, keeps changing the path, keeps rocking the boat to test our faith in Him."
It's not a formula. It's time we stop treating life like a three-step equation, and start living the adventure, as different and changing as it may be.
This particular book is about trying to figure God out, and making faith a science. He describes our "walk" with God as us trying to follow a formula. As if it were a three-step equation, and we're done. The saddest part is that we often peg God as a simple math problem. The truth is that life is complex and people come and go, and there isn't a simple three steps to help us solve the worlds problems.
Recently, I've been asking God what the next step of my life is going to look like... He hasn't said much, and I think he's playing a joke on me. For years I've asked him to take me on an adventure. I've asked him to "just light the next step" so that I'm forced to hold his hand and trust Him. I guess that's what we're doing.... and I'm not opposed because I think this is the best kind of adventure.
The truth is that we don't have to graduate from high school or college and know exactly what we are going to do with our lives. And we don't have to stick to that one thing either. I think more than anything, God takes us along different paths in order to meet different people. That's ultimately his plan anyway, right? For us to all meet each other and work together to make the world look like what he intended it to be thousands of years ago.
I, along with many of my peers, are beginning to panic because it seems that our college hourglass is running out... What's next? Maybe you're not in college. Maybe you're a recent grad, or a single mom, or a soldier. Maybe you're a young entrepreneur, or a newly wed. Maybe you're willing to do whatever it takes to fight on behalf of orphans, or you're ready to find someone to love and do life with him or her. Maybe you're a nurse who's decided to go back to school. Or a football coach who's ready for something more... You're not going to be in this job, or this place, forever. It's only a pit stop. You've been places before this, and you'll go places after this. If you're ready for more, ask God. His heart has never been to withhold any good thing from you, but rather to unleash his power and blessing over you. His desire is for you to experience his goodness and to share it with everyone you meet.
I've recently been thinking about teaching. I love to teach people about Jesus. Especially women, because I think God has revealed so much of himself to us to remind us what we are worth and how much he desires us. I want to empower women to live with passion and purpose. I want them to know that they were created to live this way. But I'm not talking about bible studies and small groups; I'm talking about class rooms. Tonight I was reading something I wrote a few months ago...
"My mom recently mentioned to me an idea about teaching a women's studies class at the high school. I do believe there is much for high school students to learn about themselves before they head to college, or have babies or get a job. I want to teach them that they are important; that they each were created to roam the earth this very day. I want them to know they have potential. I want them to learn to dream. I want them to face their fears and take them head on. I want them to discover what it is about themselves that makes them tick. What makes them move? What wound do they see in the world that they need to actively hold their palm against in order to stop the bleeding? I want them to know that we have power in our words - over ourselves, and over others. I want them to know they are the most prized possession; that their hearts are gentle and tender for a purpose. I want them to talk. Discuss. Interact. I want them to feel known by one another. I want them to know what is going on around the world. I want them to see the hell that people are living through even if for only a second. I want them to value their bodies and respect themselves. I want them to stop treating their bodies like objects, and I want them to stop allowing others to do the same to them. I want them to know that "we accept the love we think we deserve" and I want them to know how much they deserve, because they were bought for a pretty steep price. I want them to enjoy being 16 or 17 or 18. I want them to stop and enjoy the roses. I want them to learn to value simple and delicate things. I want them to be gentle with others. I want them to know, though their stories may be tough, they matter."
Until this summer, I never thought about teaching a class or a curriculum. I don't know if that's the path I'll end up on, but I know that God puts ideas and dreams into our hearts for a reason.... and it seems that these dreams are constantly changing. The foundation of changing the lives of women has never changed, but the way in doing that will continue to change throughout my life, because I am choosing to follow Jesus wherever He goes, whether it be to the brothels and bars of Thailand, or the buildings and classrooms of Norman.
Just like mine, your life won't be the same forever. Life isn't a formula, and neither is God. He wants to get to know you and have an intimate relationship with you, just like he desires for you to have with others. Donald Miller says, "The truth is there are a million steps, and we don't even know what the steps are, and worse, at any given moment we may not be willing or even able to take them; and still worse, they are different for you and me and they are always changing. I have come to believe the sooner we find this truth beautiful, the sooner we will fall in love with the God who keeps shaking things up, keeps changing the path, keeps rocking the boat to test our faith in Him."
It's not a formula. It's time we stop treating life like a three-step equation, and start living the adventure, as different and changing as it may be.
