Where Are We Now, and Where Do We Want to Go?
I had a conversation with my roommate Adam last night about how in college, it's very easy to get around people. They're everywhere (except for the weekends in Montevallo; it's a ghost town during that time). It's very, very easy to build relationships in college, and it's very easy to get into a spiritual conversation (compared to any other time of your life).
"But what now?", we asked. We've graduated and live in Moody, AL in a sweet 3-bedroom apartment, everyone else has moved on to pursue their careers in and out of state, and we spend a heck of a lot more time alone than we do with people - mainly because of pursuit of "careers". How are we going to continue building relationships with people if they aren't around? At what point do we take time out of our day to meet new people and spend time with old ones?
I think the conclusion we came to is this: Where are we now, and where do we want to go? Right now, Adam is an aspiring musician working his tail off trying to get exposure. His mission field is his audience and the people he works with to get the gigs. I work at a church as a youth minister/worship leader. My mission is mostly the youth and the church, with my music audience on the side (We also agreed that the people that live in our apartment are our responsibility as well). Where do we want to go? I think our answers were similar in that we want to use our gifts, abilities, experiences, and responsibility to impact nations for the gospel. I personally am considering the help of a record label (not promising, but praying about) that can help get me on the national platform, which will hopefully send me out of the country where the NEED is. One thing I've learned is that if you want to impact the nations for the gospel, you need a team.
Basically, we may not be in a place right NOW where are fulfilling our calling 100%, but we can stop and ask ourselves, "Where are we now, and where do we want to go?" The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers few". Oh Lord, get some Christians out of this country and into a place of need!
"But what now?", we asked. We've graduated and live in Moody, AL in a sweet 3-bedroom apartment, everyone else has moved on to pursue their careers in and out of state, and we spend a heck of a lot more time alone than we do with people - mainly because of pursuit of "careers". How are we going to continue building relationships with people if they aren't around? At what point do we take time out of our day to meet new people and spend time with old ones?
I think the conclusion we came to is this: Where are we now, and where do we want to go? Right now, Adam is an aspiring musician working his tail off trying to get exposure. His mission field is his audience and the people he works with to get the gigs. I work at a church as a youth minister/worship leader. My mission is mostly the youth and the church, with my music audience on the side (We also agreed that the people that live in our apartment are our responsibility as well). Where do we want to go? I think our answers were similar in that we want to use our gifts, abilities, experiences, and responsibility to impact nations for the gospel. I personally am considering the help of a record label (not promising, but praying about) that can help get me on the national platform, which will hopefully send me out of the country where the NEED is. One thing I've learned is that if you want to impact the nations for the gospel, you need a team.
Basically, we may not be in a place right NOW where are fulfilling our calling 100%, but we can stop and ask ourselves, "Where are we now, and where do we want to go?" The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers few". Oh Lord, get some Christians out of this country and into a place of need!
posted by Rick at 4:28 PM
2 Comments:
Hay-Shack,
Thank you for blogging again! I've missed reading your thoughts. This is at the heart of my e-mail I sent you recently. An interesting observation that I made the other day is that we, especially those of us growing up in a city, tend to view our world as our world, and not as a part of the stranger's world next to us. I ate lunch at a small sandwich shop yesterday and of course tried to keep to myself and my small conversation I was having with my mom. Everyone else around us was doing the same, as we all often do. But a colleague of mine, Jay, was there to eat lunch by himself that day. Jay heard a comment from a table near by that intrigued him, so he apologized for being rude and asked about the subject matter. That opened a conversation between his table and the other, one that I eventually slide into myself. I had a good feeling going back to work after that...a feeling of community...very similar to that we have at the cafeteria tables in college. The problem is now that we are in the "real world" we don't see those opportunities to have that fellowship at lunch with people you may not even now, because we're afraid of invading their space. It's not that bad to just seek out a conversation and possible friendship over a sandwich sometime. I'd encourage you to do that sometime...to stop and just strike up small talk with strangers at Subway or other places you may frequent in Moody or Chelsea. I frequent Subway now...I can easily keep it a business transaction, or I can try to become friends with the owners and workers. You and Adam are on the right track. Where are we now, and where are we going? Are we going to keep in spot and abide by the modern day social perimeters of space, or can we slip out of those comfort zones now to fall back on a more community feeling, whether in a small town or large city. Those moves and changes of heart and mind will better us for the moves we need to make in our future. It will also prepare our hearts for others unlike us, so that we can openly give and receive where we may have once been uncomfortable.
Hmmm...
Maybe I shouldn't call this blog Rick's "Space" anymore... j/k Thanks for those thoughts, man. I agree. I have a hard time as it is making phone calls to potential music clients, though. But God is Sovereign and I can do all things through Him. I can trust Him. I really can.
peace
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