It was April 26, 2008...a cool Saturday morning with an early light drizzle that had turned to gray skies. As I made my way through the streets of Metro Center office park, the muscles in my legs began to weaken, my body started to feel heavy and my brain was telling me to stop and rest. At that moment, a passenger van slowly passed by with the sliding door open. The people inside asked, "Do you need a ride?" The day had started for me well before sunrise, but this journey had begun months earlier. I, and two of my friends, had set out from our homes that morning, just outside Clarksville, TN, heading for Nashville. It was a day to follow through on a challenge and commitment we had made to one another the previous September, to do something none of us had ever before attempted. We embarked upon the process of training to run a marathon...that is a 26.1 mile long-distance run. I remember vividly, the first day I ran a mile on my training plan, I was so winded that I could hardly breathe. But, over the intervening months, I slowly advanced in my stamina, strength and distances. The short runs, the Saturday mornings dedicated to the long runs, learning about hydration and nutrition, meeting up with my buddies to encourage and cheer each other along on those increasingly lengthening Saturday runs, all added up over the months to prepare us for this day. So, our training was being put to the test. As we approached mile 18, my friend, Eric, and I, began to experience what is called "hitting the wall." It is when the body has expended the fuel is stores and the energy dips, impacting the physical as well as the mental functioning of the runner. It is a point at which the runner has to take steps to push through and not give in to the slump and give up. The passing van that was provided to transport injured or fatigued runners to the finish line, offered an added temptation to give in to the thoughts in our minds to stop and not finish the race. However, there was something that took place in that moment that got us through. We began to talk to each other. We coached one another, we encouraged and told one another, "We can't give up." We were completing 18 of 26.1 miles...we had come too far to stop. We had trained and we had worked hard to prepare for this day. As we pumped one another up, and grabbing energy gels and hydration at the next station, we pushed through that wall. We were not going to be stopped. And, you know what? We made it. The next 8 miles were not easy, but they were not defeating. We kept going because we could visualize in our minds what it was going to be like to cross that finish line. It didn't matter what our time would be. It only mattered that we were going to finish...we were going to cross that line. And, I will tell you, I couldn't have imagined what it would be like to make that final turn and see the finish line in view. As we did, Eric and I looked at each other with smiles that engulfed our faces. I was thinking, "We are going to do this!"...thinking it, until I was saying it! And, we did...we crossed the finish line that day, completing the challenge and the commitment we had made 7 months earlier. I can't tell you how good that felt! I would go on to run another marathon and 11 half marathons over the coming years. Never fast, but always finishing. Life is a Race, Purpose Gives Us a Reason to Run I share this story to illustrate an important concept of living a purposed life. However, let me be quick to say, this isn't original with me. A writer, led by the Holy Spirit, wrote about it a few centuries ago. Therefore since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God's throne. Hebrews 12:1-2 Run the Race in Community A "cloud of witnesses" describes those who have gone before us on this journey of faith. The picture that is painted is that those who have finished are cheering on those who are still in the race. Like a marathon runner coming into the stadium on the last leg of the course, the cheers in the bleachers rise. This picture reminds us that we are not meant to run this purposed race alone. Just as Eric and I were encouragers to one another when we hit the wall, we are to be encouragers, cheering one another on, providing support and reminding ourselves of the reason we run...to fulfill our purpose and to bring glory to the One who created us for this race. Sometimes, our engagement in community lifts us when we are weak. Sometimes, it challenges us to lay aside the things that weigh us down or the sins that will trip us up. Always, it points us toward the finish line. Keep Our Eyes on the Finish Line Part of the words that Eric and I spoke to one another when we hit the wall, were reminders of what we had set out to accomplish. We talked about the finish and how we would feel when we finally crossed that line. We could visualize that moment and it was an encouragement to keep going through that tough phase. In the same way, we are reminded to keep our eyes upon Jesus in the life marathon. He is the One who gives us our purpose...the "source and perfecter of our faith." In his place at the right hand of the Father, he advocates for us, and he has sent his Spirit to encourage and empower us. When we start to lose focus on why we are running this race, He is the One who reminds us of our purpose. He has already paved the way for us. Following Him, keeps us on the right course. Our encouragement of one another to maintain that focus is actually a part of the purpose we are called to fulfill. Celebrate Every Mile and the Ultimate Finish The picture that the writer of the Hebrew letter paints for us is as if the crowd is cheering us across the finish. But, there is also a sense in which their victory is a celebration of our completion of every mile. After Eric and I pushed through that wall at mile 18, I can assure you that we celebrated every tick of those last 7 miles. Each mile marker was a step closer to the goal. God's Spirit encourages us, and so do His people. Every step of the way, we can find support and help from those with whom we are running. When the course gets tough, we find the grace and strength we need from the indwelling Holy Spirit and through the incarnational ministry of Christ through our fellow runners. Then, when we finally reach that last turn and the finish line is in view, we will be able to celebrate that we have lived a life of purpose, not perfection, but one of purpose that has made a difference in this world. I can't think of a better way to finish...finishing strong. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. In the future, there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved His appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 What can we learn from this about living a life of purpose, 365 days a year? Allow me to summarize:
Who do you look to for encouragement when life gets tough? Who is in your community? Who are you encouraging and supporting to find their purpose and run the race well? What are you doing to keep your eyes on Jesus? What do you have to celebrate today on this journey of purpose? SHARE YOUR TOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.
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Guillaume Néry stands on the sandy floor of the Caribbean Sea, just off Long Island, Bahamas, contemplating the dark hole before him. He is somewhat of an amazing man...perhaps he could be called an adrenaline junky. As a French athlete, his endeavors include base jumping as well as achieving championships in free diving. Free diving is a form of underwater diving that relies on holding one's breath rather than the use of scuba gear. While most of us can hold our breath for 45 seconds before we start to become uncomfortable, if we hold on for over a minute, we may feel that we are about to pass out, our lungs starting to struggle to take in air. As Nery stands there, a few feet below the surface of the water, it isn't just the fact that he is doing so with no apparatus to assist him with breathing, but it is that he is about to free dive into what is known as the deepest sinkhole in the world. It truly appears as though it were a dark abyss with no discernable bottom. If you watch the video of his free dive into this dark hole, you will find yourself on the edge of your seat and perhaps even trying to breath for him. It is as if he steps into an unknown darkness that swallows him up. To say the least, it can be a little scary to watch. Stepping into unknown territory is like that...risky, scary, an adrenaline rush. In this week's podcast, we hear an interview with Contemporary Christian Music artist, Hannah Schaefer, as she talks about her journey into the unknown and taking the risk that was necessary for her to pursue that purpose for which she was created. If you haven't done so yet, jump over to the podcast and take a listen before continuing with today's blog post...I'll see you back here after the interview. Photo by Nariman Mesharrafa on Unsplash Until you step into the unknown, you don't know what you're made of. Roy Bennett In the pursuit of our purpose, the journey takes many twists and turns...much of which is the adventure of discovery and fulfilment that is a part of the experience. Sometimes that journey can be exciting, sometimes it is more of the mundane, sometimes it takes us through a season of the unknown...a wilderness of sorts. Now, spiritually speaking, we may often refer to a wilderness as a period of dryness, in which we may not hear or feel the presence of God...a time when we have to rely upon our faith that He is who He says He is, and He will do what He says He will. While that may be true, in some ways, about this season of stepping into the unknown, this phase of our journey is also a scary and adrenaline rushing time of abandoning the preconceived expectations of others, or even those we have for ourselves. It is about jumping into that uncertain space, where we find that God is certain and real and present in powerful ways we would have never known, unless we had taken the leap. Why Step Out of the Boat? Peter and the other apostles were out on Lake Tiberias late one night, when a storm arose and they were having quite a bout with the wind and the waves. Suddenly, they saw the figure of a person coming toward them, as if walking upon the water itself. They immediately became fearful...the man walking on the water, of course, was Jesus. He called out to them and told them not to fear, that it was he who was coming to them and to have courage. When Peter saw that it was Jesus, in very Peter-like style, he shouted... “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter answered him, “command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. Matthew 14:28-29 Now...I have to say, this is classic Peter, in his boldness and a bit of spontaneous impulse. But you have to give it to him...he was only bold because he was trusting in Jesus to do the miraculous, and to respond to Peter's willingness to step into the unknown. Had Peter never believed Jesus could make him walk on water...had he never dared to believe that there was something that Jesus had to show him through his faith to step out of the boat...Jesus would not have had the opportunity to display his power in this particular way to Peter and the apostles. Yes, we know what came next...Peter got his eyes off of Jesus and onto the waves. That's when he began to sink. But, even that was a learning experience. Don't give Peter too hard a time over that...Jesus was teaching tremendous lessons about trust, rescue, recovery and sustaining power that would come in handy in the years ahead, as Peter led the first century church. Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those in the boat worshiped him and said, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:31-33 God Never Wastes Anything You'll hear me say that often. I suppose it is because I've seen it over and over in my own life...even when I've messed up royally...when I have made a mess of things...the Father, in His love and grace, uses every bit of it to fashion a masterpiece that is an ongoing work of art. That is why we can trust Him...trust Him when He calls us to step out of the boat. When He says it's time to step into the unknown, that dark hole that is a little scary to consider, only to open up all of the wonderful possibilities and opportunities to experience His purpose for our lives and the glory it will bring to Him. When we do, there are some things that we can count on as a result. His Peace Stepping out into the unknown may mean we make a decision that leaves others scratching their heads. Perhaps it will disappoint those who had their own agendas for our lives. Maybe it will mean giving up a relationship, or an expectation, or a comfortable environment. But there is one thing for sure...It will never mean giving up the peace that only comes from knowing we are following the will of the Father. His peace is beyond all comprehension and will guard our hearts and minds from the attack from within and without. "In the end, it's between you and God. No one will truly understand your heart the way that God does. In that moment, I knew He had me wrapped up in His arms...I knew that it was going to be okay, and that by jumping into the unknown, I was going to find out my true purpose." Hannah Schaefer Growth and Fulfillment When we take that first step off of the ledge, so to speak, there are all kinds of processes that begin to take place in us and around us. God's Spirit is released to do His work in us...to take us to that next level of fulfilling His purpose in and through us. Because it requires faith to take that step, our trust and reliance upon God grows and matures. We learn what we need and what we can live without. We begin to see the real priorities of life in light of eternity. You can bet that Peter saw this growth in himself over the coming years. Even when he met with Jesus on the seashore for breakfast, after Jesus had arisen, that process was being worked out in him as Jesus told him, "Feed my sheep." Just as Hannah Schaefer realized that her journey through the unknown meant she would learn new skills and understand new concepts, our step onto the water opens up opportunities for us to learn and develop our gifting and talents to fulfill that to which we are called. Someone has said, "God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called." But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 So what will it take to get you to that point of willingness to step out of your comfort zone and into the awesome things God has in store? Discovering, fulfilling, expanding and realizing your purpose often takes you through that season of the unknown. It can be a little scary, but it is a wild adventure that ultimately opens the door for a purposed life.
Check out Hannah Schaefer's music here. Listen to her song, Wild, that is all about answering that call to live our purpose. What is the dream, purpose or calling that is tugging at your heart? Is God calling you to step into the unknown in some way? Share your thoughts and hopes in the comments and let's get a conversation going. It was a near miss! A sunny summer afternoon on I-40, my family and I were heading east on vacation. My wife and daughter were whiling away the time, napping, as the radio played softly and I was clicking off the miles toward our destination. Not realizing it, I had succumbed to what has been called highway hypnosis. Also called "white line fever," it is the mental state in which a driver can operate a vehicle for extended distances, responding to external events in the normal, safe and expected manner, without having recollection of doing so. Perhaps you have experienced this...you're driving along on the interstate and suddenly you realize, "I can't remember anything about the last 30 miles I've driven." It's a little unnerving when you recognize it. Most of the time, things are okay, and we don't experience this state for long. On this particular day, however, it didn't take long for the situation to turn critical in a matter or seconds. As I crested a rise in the highway, I suddenly saw the rear of a travel trailer at what appeared to be a dead stop, directly in my lane. Without thought, as a spontaneous response, I swerved the vehicle into an adjacent lane to avoid a collision. Thankfully, there were no other vehicles in the lane beside us, and we avoided a very critical situation. God's angels of protection were on their toes that day! This is an example of how operating on "auto-pilot" can be a dangerous thing to do. While airliners rely on computer assisted navigation every day with high levels of safety, and we now have self-driving and self-parking cars that amaze us, living our lives on auto-pilot is not the best way to go! At best, it can lead us to undesired circumstances. At worst, it can lead to a crisis. Think about it, regardless of the good that auto-pilot, self-driving cars and artificial intelligence serve, they are limited in their usefulness. At some point, a human must intervene. Otherwise, there is going to be a crash! In life, it is easy to live on auto-pilot. We've probably all been there. At some point, we look back and ask ourselves, "Where did that time go?" We wonder what happened to all that time...with our education, career, leisure time, family? We can sometimes live life with "highway hypnosis." Turning off the Auto-Pilot In contrast, the person who is living a life of purpose, recognizes that we do so by choosing to live life with intentionality. Simply put, the "why" that we are discovering, is informing the "what" of our daily lives so that there is meaning for all that we do. It's almost like a roadmap that helps us navigate our journey...remember the days when we used those? Roadmaps? That was before GPS and smart phone navigation apps. We had to plan out a trip by reading a roadmap and determining the best route to take to our destination. Sometimes, there would be an obstacle or situation that required us to re-route our journey in order to make the best possible time, or avoid unnecessary delays or, even worse, getting lost! Of course that never happened to me. *wink. When we speak of living with intentionality, we aren't referring to time management. Though that is a worthwhile topic to consider, that is a discussion for another day. Intentionality actually comes out of the uniqueness of our Creator and our design as His creation. Our Creator is the most intentional being in existence. Think about it, the Scripture tells us that, even before time began, He had a plan that would transcend time (1 Peter 1:10-21), and that plan was blowing the minds of His angelic host (1 Peter 1:12). Consider, for a moment, just a few examples of the intentionality of God: Intentional in his Creation So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female. God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth. Genesis 1:27-28 Intentional in His Plans For I know the plans I have for you" --this is the Lord's declaration-- "plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 Intentional in His Timing But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law. Galatians 4:4 Intentional in His Sacrificial Gift This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10 Like Father; Like Child We are unique, in that, we are created in the image of God. No other member of God's creation can claim that distinction. He invites us into relationship with himself, through his Son, Jesus Christ. In so doing, out of that relationship, comes our opportunity to live with intentionality like our Creator. Intentionality is essential to the understanding and pursuit of our purpose. The greatest expression of ourselves and, in turn, expression of God's glory, is to reflect the Father's intentionality. It brings us fulfillment, peace, joy and, most of all, brings the presence of God to a world that desperately needs Him. I love what the Apostle Peter wrote: Since we are approaching the end of all things, be intentional, purposeful, and self-controlled so that you can be given to prayer. 1 Peter 4:7 He places an urgency on our calling to be intentional and purposeful. It seems to say that we don't have time to waste. We can't afford to live on auto-pilot...risking white line fever. The time is now...to care about how we live, to prayerfully pursue our purpose and to make a difference in the lives of others. The Apostle Paul put it this way: Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Ephesians 4:15-17 In other words... It matters that you choose to live your life intentionally. Make the most of your time. Make an impact on others as a result. So What? We always ask, what does it mean for me? What does it mean to live my life with intentionality? The answer to that question is as unique as you are. But there are three things that will help you figure it out. Think Intentionally - develop the mindset that daily values and seeks to know why you are here on this earth. Plan Intentionally - make your plans in the context of understanding your purpose and filtering them through the truth of God's Word and the leadership of His Spirit (Proverbs 3:5-6). Act Intentionally - Ask yourself, "Is what I am doing, fulfilling God's purpose in me?" (Micah 6:8) Respond What is one thing you will do intentionally this week to pursue your purpose and make a difference in our world? As a 10-year-old, I remember sitting on my bed in the darkness and peering out the window of my bedroom at the headlights of the cars on the distant highway. Even at that age, I had a sense that there was a big world out there, as I imagined where those cars were going. I would even picture in my mind, traveling on that highway for as far as I could remember the lay of the road, and then letting my imagination take over to create a journey into new places that were just waiting for me to explore. It was both an escape, and an excitement, to consider the possibilities that I may one day be able to experience. The curiosity and imagination, I think, was somehow linked to wanting to figure out how I fit into that big world that lay beyond my bedroom window. It is an intrinsic characteristic of the human heart to want to understand one's purpose and place in the world. Someone has said that every person is created with a God-sized hole inside, that only He can fill. However that meshes with theology, the reality rings true. We want to know why we are here. This has sent explorers on adventures for centuries, led thinkers to fill books with volumes of philosophical writings and driven heroes to pay the ultimate sacrifice for what they believe in. You, my friend, are no different...and, the fact that you are reading this may mean that either you are searching too, or you are on this exciting journey and want to expand your horizons even further as you travel that highway into all that God has in store for you. So...What can you expect from the PURPOSE 365 Blog?
Come Along... As my 10-year-old self lay back on my bed and I looked up at the stars at night, I thought about how those same stars (or others like them), would be seen by millions of other people around the world...somehow tying us all together on this terrestrial ball on which we live. Somehow it made me feel a connection to something bigger than myself. Now, as a grown man, when I walk out onto my patio at night and look up into that starry sky, I'm reminded of the journey I've traveled since those days of innocent childhood and the amazing things God has done for, in, and through me over these years...all because I set out on a highway to discover meaning in life...His PURPOSE for 365 days a year. Won't you join us? The conversation in each podcast, the interaction in this community around the blog posts...these are opportunities to connect, share and grow in our pursuit of purpose. It's an exciting adventure and there's never a dull moment. Our amazing Creator makes sure of that! Continue the Journey...Go the the latest blog post here |
AuthorWith over forty years of ministry experience, Randy Kinnick continues to live a life of pursuing the purpose for which he was created. Whether teaching God's Word to adults, coaching youth and young adults in finding their purpose, or caring for the hurting and abused in Southeast Asia, the adventure has taken him around the world in ways he could have never dreamed. The adventure continues! Archives
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