Your Calling

I was very challenged and encouraged by a lunch I had with one of my college friends yesterday. We are both in Youth Ministry and he recently accepted a job at a church in Omaha so we were trying to catch up before he moves next week. I consider him to be somewhat of a youth ministry role model. Everytime we meet I can see his passion and thirst to learn and connect in ministry. In other words, this guy is doing ministry the right way.
I shared with him that the past year or so when I think about my role in ministry, I feel inadequate to serve at a place other than FPC where I am now. I have somehow convinced myself that my experience here wouldn't translate to another church and I wouldn't have much to offer them. I guess I have a pretty low view of myself as a youth pastor. In telling him that, I also mentioned that I wasn't sure if I wanted to work at another church after this. I guess I my main fear is that I will be found out that I am a really good faker. I don't have it nearly as together as I try and make it look like I do. And I have developed bad habits and routines that I know aren't healthy in a growing ministry. In other words, I can be lazy.
But what he told me was both encouraging and a wake up call. He just said that "you can't let those things, those fears and feelings, get in the way of your calling." He talked about Jonah, and how he ran from what God was calling him to do, and it not only affected him, but it affected the people on the boat with him.
I have been wrestling with this statement for the last 24 hrs and for some reason it is difficult to put my mind around. My Calling. Its just tough to define what i feel my calling is. I remember feeling called to be in ministry. But I never felt I was called to something specific. But I guess what I am realizing is that because of my gifts God has given me, I have to be willing to serve and answer the calling no matter what kind of ministry I am called to, instead of letting my fear of inadequacy keep me from fullfulling what God has made me for.
My challenge to any of you is what are the things that are getting in the way of what God has called you to? There are 2 ways of looking at that. 1, you are called to a specific role or job in this world. Maybe God called you to be a dentist, or a accountant or a baker. Whatever. Maybe you were just called to be a helper and whatever job enables you to do that, you are fulfilling your calling. The other way to look at it, which I think is universal to all Christ Followers is that we are called to do specific things. Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for orphans and widows, go and make disciples, be the Hands and Feet of Jesus. We are all called to do that if we have accepted Christ. But what things have gotten in the way of our calling? Our desire to please ourselves first? Our busy schedules? Our lack of concern? Our friends? Families? What is it that is keeping you from your calling to be Jesus to those who need Him?

Summer Goals

Today is June 1st and summer is in full swing. I have been waiting for summer since it dropped below 50 degrees several months ago. Now that it is here I am starting to look at my calendar and hope that I have time to enjoy it. Around the 1st of March I started making a list of summer goals. Things I wanted to do, to live, to be about, this summer. So I wanted to share that list in hopes of inspiring anyone else who is reading this (anyone?) to do something this summer. I realized while looking at the list that there are a lot of things on this list. So I am going to put down a top 10 of the things I really want to happen this summer and then the rest will kind of just be add ons for what I hope to do. Some things are big adventures, some are small little adjustments, and others are just life changes I want to make. Enjoy.

1. Solo Camping Trip - Just for a day or two I want to go out into nature and just be one on one with it. 

2. Have a meal with a homeless person - After reading Under The Overpass, I am inspired to do more of this kind of stuff. 

3. Go Cliff Jumping - I don't know where to go. But this sounds like a blast.

4. Go to more concerts - I think it would be great to go to some concerts of bands I have never heard of, and also attend a hip hop concert. Even if I stick out like a white guy at a hip hop concert. 

5. Take my wife on a random adventure - Not sure what this would be, maybe just an afternoon or maybe a day or two spontaneous vacation.

6. Be Missional - This could mean a lot of things, but I would like to start serving those in need somehow, be it at a rescue mission or just on my own. 

7. Scream at the Top of my lungs - I'm sure this will feel really great.

8. Start Mountain Biking - I bought a good mountain bike, now I have to use it for what it was built for. 

9. Make new friends - I don't mean make new acquaintances. I want to develop some honest friendships. 

10. Picnics with my wife - I really just want to spend my entire summer spending time with her. But its good to have a plan of something to do together. Maybe that will be my next list.

Here are some of the other things I have on my list. Some of them may not make sense or they may seem silly, but i don't care. So there.

Read More, Start writing a story, start living a story, live dangerously, take some chances, Try something I don't think I can do, go fishing, spend a night on the streets with the homeless, choose a masters program, run 10 miles in one outing, get a tan, start conversations with complete strangers, take a nap outside in the grass, be at peace in nature, watch less tv, sell the tv, reconnect with old friends, learn some new songs on guitar, start playing piano, make money doing a job that is tough, start doing yoga, put a list of original songs together.

As you can see they are all pretty random, but I think they are all good. Feel free if you see me to say, have you been doing these things? And if you live close by, feel free to join me in some of them. I hope that you will also make the most out of your summer.