a purpose driven God
so these stories stem from several different instances, but they're all connected. and after each instance i thought "i should write this down" and never did. so here it is. my latest evidence that God is good, He is paying attention, and He has me right where He wants me. (something i certainly need to be reminded of often in this uncertain transition period of life!)
last summer i spent 7 wonderful weeks in vienna, austria. definitely the time of my life. but there were struggles in the midst of it all... getting used to a different currencies; calculating the time difference when calling home, and being so far away for so long; not being able to read signs and menus and communicate with everyone clearly; getting lost on the way home because we could understand the german announcements or why the ubahn went back the way it came from when we got off; the hottest summer since the reign of maria theresa (1700's); the night train to venice; eating tough meat; the frighteningly fast cab drivers and them not being sure where 76 elisenstrasse was in the 23rd district... by the end of the 7th week it was bittersweet. excitement for my family, my own bed, driving my car, understanding the language and eating american food... and the knowledge that i had fallen in love with the city and would miss it terribly until i returned.
one of our last few nights i was on the street car home with karen and liz. we were talking, i don't even remember what about, and a woman behind us turned around and said "do i hear people speaking english?" she and her husband were from tennessee, and had been living in vienna running an english speaking non-denominational church for 2 years. she chatted with us about where we were from, what we were doing in europe, what she was doing in europe, the performance she and her quiet husband had just seen. for no apparent reason she showed us the book "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. they were handing them out to people at their church and she just went on about what a great book it was and that we should read it. their stopp approached, and they said goodbye, wishing us the best in our last days there and trips home. just after they got off the tram, a black man who had been sitting not far away got up to leave also. he looked back at us just as he descended the steps and said "God bless you".
needless to say, i bought the book as soon as i got home.
i didn't start reading it however until june 20th of this year, almost a whole year after the vienna encounter with God on the street car. it's set up in 40 short chapters, intended to be read a chapter a day for 40 consecutive days. i really wanted to wait until i could commit to reading it everyday before i started (i'm failing at this, by the way...) and so i began. and so God was there.
the whole thing felt applicable in some way or another, but chapters 7-9 God confirmed were just for me at just the times i read them. first the book says "the way you're wired is not an accident". right there in black and white, a reminder of what i already believed: God put certain passions and talents and desires in my heart for a reason. (several chapters alluded to this, but not til chapter 7 did i really grasp it.) chapters 8 and 9 continue this concept by assuring that each person's individual passions are meant for God's glory. to use those passions is to bring Him glory, to worship Him, and God will smile upon that. talk about exactly what i need to hear! try telling people that you're going to graduate school for poetry, watch the reactions, tell me you don't feel just a twinge of doubt now and then.
in the midst of one of these chapters was a quote from the movie "Chariots of Fire" where the main character talks about running as his passion, and how he can't explain it, he just knows he need to run. and when he runs, he can feel God smiling. so lo and behold, i'm at a chapel service at camp fowler in the adirondack mountains of new york (possibly one of the most beautiful places i've ever been!) and the pastor says the exact same quote, the morning after i read it. coincidence? i think more likely God...
the whole service that morning was about having a vision of hope, and basically continued to remind me of all these things i had been reading. that God has a purpose for me, and He stitched and wove the tools for me to achieve His purposes into my heart long before i discovered i had passions for them. if i can touch just one life through my poetry, through my dancing, then that's it! i have done what God placed in me to do. imagine if i can touch many lives? through performing, reading, publishing, editing, working with others, teaching... so what if i don't have a plan for life after grad school. God does. and for now, i know i'm on the right track for it. maybe i'll end up doing a multitude of different things throughout my life. i kind of hope i do. as long as i continue to follow my dreams and passions, God will continue to guide, and bless, and provide...
last summer i spent 7 wonderful weeks in vienna, austria. definitely the time of my life. but there were struggles in the midst of it all... getting used to a different currencies; calculating the time difference when calling home, and being so far away for so long; not being able to read signs and menus and communicate with everyone clearly; getting lost on the way home because we could understand the german announcements or why the ubahn went back the way it came from when we got off; the hottest summer since the reign of maria theresa (1700's); the night train to venice; eating tough meat; the frighteningly fast cab drivers and them not being sure where 76 elisenstrasse was in the 23rd district... by the end of the 7th week it was bittersweet. excitement for my family, my own bed, driving my car, understanding the language and eating american food... and the knowledge that i had fallen in love with the city and would miss it terribly until i returned.
one of our last few nights i was on the street car home with karen and liz. we were talking, i don't even remember what about, and a woman behind us turned around and said "do i hear people speaking english?" she and her husband were from tennessee, and had been living in vienna running an english speaking non-denominational church for 2 years. she chatted with us about where we were from, what we were doing in europe, what she was doing in europe, the performance she and her quiet husband had just seen. for no apparent reason she showed us the book "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. they were handing them out to people at their church and she just went on about what a great book it was and that we should read it. their stopp approached, and they said goodbye, wishing us the best in our last days there and trips home. just after they got off the tram, a black man who had been sitting not far away got up to leave also. he looked back at us just as he descended the steps and said "God bless you".
needless to say, i bought the book as soon as i got home.
i didn't start reading it however until june 20th of this year, almost a whole year after the vienna encounter with God on the street car. it's set up in 40 short chapters, intended to be read a chapter a day for 40 consecutive days. i really wanted to wait until i could commit to reading it everyday before i started (i'm failing at this, by the way...) and so i began. and so God was there.
the whole thing felt applicable in some way or another, but chapters 7-9 God confirmed were just for me at just the times i read them. first the book says "the way you're wired is not an accident". right there in black and white, a reminder of what i already believed: God put certain passions and talents and desires in my heart for a reason. (several chapters alluded to this, but not til chapter 7 did i really grasp it.) chapters 8 and 9 continue this concept by assuring that each person's individual passions are meant for God's glory. to use those passions is to bring Him glory, to worship Him, and God will smile upon that. talk about exactly what i need to hear! try telling people that you're going to graduate school for poetry, watch the reactions, tell me you don't feel just a twinge of doubt now and then.
in the midst of one of these chapters was a quote from the movie "Chariots of Fire" where the main character talks about running as his passion, and how he can't explain it, he just knows he need to run. and when he runs, he can feel God smiling. so lo and behold, i'm at a chapel service at camp fowler in the adirondack mountains of new york (possibly one of the most beautiful places i've ever been!) and the pastor says the exact same quote, the morning after i read it. coincidence? i think more likely God...
the whole service that morning was about having a vision of hope, and basically continued to remind me of all these things i had been reading. that God has a purpose for me, and He stitched and wove the tools for me to achieve His purposes into my heart long before i discovered i had passions for them. if i can touch just one life through my poetry, through my dancing, then that's it! i have done what God placed in me to do. imagine if i can touch many lives? through performing, reading, publishing, editing, working with others, teaching... so what if i don't have a plan for life after grad school. God does. and for now, i know i'm on the right track for it. maybe i'll end up doing a multitude of different things throughout my life. i kind of hope i do. as long as i continue to follow my dreams and passions, God will continue to guide, and bless, and provide...
posted by KTB at
11:25 PM
1 Comments:
T-
you are an inspiration!
I recommend you print this reflection of yours, keep it in a prominent place, take it out in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, 25 years... and keep yourself along the philosophy that life's path is driven by God. Wow will it be awesome to see where you go & the profound impact you'll have on the world. I hope that you will see this impact; you are a humble woman who has already significantly influenced many more than you realize. Talk about a purpose driven life! You could be the poster child!
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Lo, at 9:08 PM
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