It is interesting how you are just going through life and new ideas interrupt your current path.
I am sorry I haven’t written an article for a couple of weeks, but a few new opportunities have arisen. I have been trying to discern where I am and what I am being called to do. You have to think and pray about what to do next. How can you make a difference in your life and for others? It is tough to say good-bye. Right now with the lock down we had to say good-bye to things we were comfortable with and hello to things we weren’t certain we wanted to say hello to.
Pastor Bryan’s sermons recently have centered on how God wants us to live. Are we living spirit-filled lives together with others in the community? We need to discern on a daily basis what we are doing. Then he talked about the awareness of God and being on our journey of awakening. I think many of us can relate to these themes.
I read an article recently that talked about how history’s great leaders managed anxiety. Winston Churchill said, “…we’re going to get through it anyway and we each have a role to play.” Ernest Shackleton and Franklin Delano Roosevelt didn’t know how they would get through their tough times, yet they took one step at a time. So, we all are taking it one step at a time and this is what I did. I started putting together my list of jobs and opportunities I had available to me. Then, I tried listening to God to discern what my role should be. I had multiple people seeking out my expertise about either creating surveys or analyzing results of surveys or data. I love to do all of this and especially enjoy finding out what people are trying to tell us when they answer surveys. Are there 3 or 10 or 400 people telling us that they would like to do something? Everything was going to touch on my academic research skills and interests. I am at a perfect time right now to stay home and do this. The tough part was deciding I needed to pull away from some of my church volunteer tasks. I really like working at the church and writing these articles, but maybe I need to figure out where I am on my journey. Then it became clear that I should move on to the research. I love my church and will still be part of this faith family to worship together, but my time outside of worship will be spent differently for the next few months.
Therefore, I wish the best to all of you. Try to discern what God is calling you to do and how you can take one step at a time on the path to get there. God is not pushing you but instead walking beside you. What is your role and how can you best serve God? How can you say good-bye to some tasks and hello to others? Go slow, be intentional, and be smart. He knows what is next, so listen to him.