april update (why i do what i do)
Greetings from St. Paul, MN
Well, I'm not writing to you "…from the creek" this time, I'm actually writing from Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, MN. I'm up here for the spring 'intensives.' This week (April 24-28) we're studying The Gospels, next week (May 1-5) we're studying "Ministry Leadership Foundations," then its back to Chicagoland.
Occasionally I'll sit and think and try to figure out what in the world I will write each month, or what I think you all might want to hear. Last month a gave you a snapshot of what I actually do, this month I decided to write about 'why I do what I do.' Hopefully this will give you some insight into my own mind and what I was thinking when I made the decision to pursue a master's degree and do this internship thing, and what I think about, among other things, while I'm here.
Why I do what I do
Many people face or struggle with the question(s), 'what am I here for?', 'what is my purpose in life?' or better yet 'do I even have a purpose?', and if so, 'will I ever get a clue?' This is a question people face whether they are people of a faith tradition or not. One of my favorite quotes comes from a book titled Uprising: a revolution of the soul by Erwin McManus, it says:
It no longer matters anymore what anyone else thinks or what others say. It only matters if you live and die fulfilling the mission you were born for.
I can't say I've arrived at a concise statement of my own life purpose, but over the last couple years, and on increasing occasions, I have gotten and am getting glimpses of when, where, and how my unique God-given gifts and talents, interests and passion, and my personal life experiences all align or converge. I feel most comfortable and 'in my element,' so to speak, when I'm one-on-one with a student or leader or with a small group of people listening to their stories, their life, and their heart and helping them see where and how God is active in their life and helping them discover how God has uniquely gifted them and is preparing them for meaningful service (finding their purpose) in the broad realm/reality known as the Kingdom of God (that doesn't necessarily mean serving in a traditional church context, i.e. clergy, for everyone). I love that kind of stuff.
Many of you are familiar with Biblical verses that refer to God having a plan, purpose or will for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11; Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 12:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) - if you're not familiar with these, I encourage you to read them. A verse I sort of stumbled across but seemed to scream at me came from Proverbs, chapter 20, verse 5, it says:
The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters,
But a man of understanding draws them out.
I want to be a 'man of understanding' who helps people explore the deep waters of their purpose. And I want to surround myself with men/women of understanding who continually challenge me and help me explore the deep waters of my own purpose…and I believe this is a lifelong pursuit.
That's one reason I love working with high school students. They are in a very formative season of life, many are preparing for college where they will continue learning and getting equipped for a career or vocation to which they will devote the rest of their life, and otherwise beginning to consider questions of purpose and life meaning. They are full of life, passion, and energy and there is never a dull moment in the life of high school students. My goal is to believe in them and help them begin to explore and discover how to live in their own unique identity. That, in short, is why and how I work with high school students in ministry and also decided to coach track.
I also don't think we can discover our ultimate purpose and meaning in life apart from God's purpose for the created world, and what he did/demonstrated through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I hope you will be challenged/inspired to consider why you do what you do. How and where do you find purpose and meaning in life? That is, if you think you've found it.
If you’re interested in being a supporter/contributor, or know someone who is, contact me for address information and other details for making contributions…or if you don’t know what I’m talking about, I’ll explain.
swimming in the deep end,
-jeremiah
Well, I'm not writing to you "…from the creek" this time, I'm actually writing from Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, MN. I'm up here for the spring 'intensives.' This week (April 24-28) we're studying The Gospels, next week (May 1-5) we're studying "Ministry Leadership Foundations," then its back to Chicagoland.
Occasionally I'll sit and think and try to figure out what in the world I will write each month, or what I think you all might want to hear. Last month a gave you a snapshot of what I actually do, this month I decided to write about 'why I do what I do.' Hopefully this will give you some insight into my own mind and what I was thinking when I made the decision to pursue a master's degree and do this internship thing, and what I think about, among other things, while I'm here.
Why I do what I do
Many people face or struggle with the question(s), 'what am I here for?', 'what is my purpose in life?' or better yet 'do I even have a purpose?', and if so, 'will I ever get a clue?' This is a question people face whether they are people of a faith tradition or not. One of my favorite quotes comes from a book titled Uprising: a revolution of the soul by Erwin McManus, it says:
It no longer matters anymore what anyone else thinks or what others say. It only matters if you live and die fulfilling the mission you were born for.
I can't say I've arrived at a concise statement of my own life purpose, but over the last couple years, and on increasing occasions, I have gotten and am getting glimpses of when, where, and how my unique God-given gifts and talents, interests and passion, and my personal life experiences all align or converge. I feel most comfortable and 'in my element,' so to speak, when I'm one-on-one with a student or leader or with a small group of people listening to their stories, their life, and their heart and helping them see where and how God is active in their life and helping them discover how God has uniquely gifted them and is preparing them for meaningful service (finding their purpose) in the broad realm/reality known as the Kingdom of God (that doesn't necessarily mean serving in a traditional church context, i.e. clergy, for everyone). I love that kind of stuff.
Many of you are familiar with Biblical verses that refer to God having a plan, purpose or will for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11; Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 12:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) - if you're not familiar with these, I encourage you to read them. A verse I sort of stumbled across but seemed to scream at me came from Proverbs, chapter 20, verse 5, it says:
The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters,
But a man of understanding draws them out.
I want to be a 'man of understanding' who helps people explore the deep waters of their purpose. And I want to surround myself with men/women of understanding who continually challenge me and help me explore the deep waters of my own purpose…and I believe this is a lifelong pursuit.
That's one reason I love working with high school students. They are in a very formative season of life, many are preparing for college where they will continue learning and getting equipped for a career or vocation to which they will devote the rest of their life, and otherwise beginning to consider questions of purpose and life meaning. They are full of life, passion, and energy and there is never a dull moment in the life of high school students. My goal is to believe in them and help them begin to explore and discover how to live in their own unique identity. That, in short, is why and how I work with high school students in ministry and also decided to coach track.
I also don't think we can discover our ultimate purpose and meaning in life apart from God's purpose for the created world, and what he did/demonstrated through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I hope you will be challenged/inspired to consider why you do what you do. How and where do you find purpose and meaning in life? That is, if you think you've found it.
If you’re interested in being a supporter/contributor, or know someone who is, contact me for address information and other details for making contributions…or if you don’t know what I’m talking about, I’ll explain.
swimming in the deep end,
-jeremiah
posted by jeremiah at
6:16 PM
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