When I was in my teens and early twenties I literally thought I could do anything - become fabulously rich and famous, become a rockstar etc etc etc, the usual stuff. It's amazing how little I actually can do. I've discovered, having done both full-time and part-time work, that due to crippling anxiety attacks and depression, I can't sustain 40 hours a week without eventually having a complete meltdown.
I have discovered that, having worked in church and in secular jobs, I much prefer ministry work.
I have come to accept that I will probably never be rich. Rich people work their backsides off, well over 40 hours a week, and that is something that I simply physically can't manage. I might as well abandon riches as a pursuit. It's easy to dress riches up as 'security', but I guess it depends what you are PURSUING primarily. Am I thinking about getting my degree and getting qualified with a primary motive of money? Honestly, yeah I probably am. Is that morally right for a Christian? No idea.
The best and most enjoyable job I have ever had was working for Greggton UMC out in Texas, which was a part-time ministry position as a worship leader. Is there really anything wrong with doing what you can manage and what you are good at?
The single job I am most skilled and equipped for is worship leading, but with that being a non-ordained role, the pay is not very high, and as I can't physically hack 40 hours per week, that reduces the income even further. However, is that what I am meant to do? Is God directing me into something which is His Will by cutting off all the alternatives?
I have settled over the past five years on a view of God as a supervisor watching over the chessboard of our lives, who will sometimes intervene if we are moving too far in the wrong direction. Could it be that all these realizations that I have been coming to are to make it clear that all I can do and be happy is lead worship? I will probably never be rich, as I cant work 40 hours, I will almost definitely never be a famous rock musician, Im too old and definitely the wrong shape!! So with those two temptations aside, what remains?
I suppose the best thing for me to do is to do the thing I'm best at. Try saying that 3 times fast. I believe that God has directed my life path by simply blocking off the tangents I try to pursue, and allowing me to follow the ones which are necessary. If I didn't have acid reflux I would've applied to join the police force when I was 20, but you cant join up if you have any medical conditions requiring regular treatment. The same applies for joining the air-force. I couldn't handle working full-time for Orange, even though I really enjoyed the work, and it is looking like I may not be able attend the degree place Ive been offered at Uni yet again (4th attempt foiled...) for reasons which are out of my control. Perhaps I'm just not supposed to go.
Meh, maybe it's just life being random. Incredible, unexplainable, verging on miraculous coincidences have happened in my life where practically any Christian would say 'that was clearly God', yet they have turned out to be simple coincidences - red herrings which weren't God, and served no purpose other than to illustrate how impossible God can be to hear. So maybe this is simply life being life, who knows. Definitely not me.
I have discovered that, having worked in church and in secular jobs, I much prefer ministry work.
I have come to accept that I will probably never be rich. Rich people work their backsides off, well over 40 hours a week, and that is something that I simply physically can't manage. I might as well abandon riches as a pursuit. It's easy to dress riches up as 'security', but I guess it depends what you are PURSUING primarily. Am I thinking about getting my degree and getting qualified with a primary motive of money? Honestly, yeah I probably am. Is that morally right for a Christian? No idea.
The best and most enjoyable job I have ever had was working for Greggton UMC out in Texas, which was a part-time ministry position as a worship leader. Is there really anything wrong with doing what you can manage and what you are good at?
The single job I am most skilled and equipped for is worship leading, but with that being a non-ordained role, the pay is not very high, and as I can't physically hack 40 hours per week, that reduces the income even further. However, is that what I am meant to do? Is God directing me into something which is His Will by cutting off all the alternatives?
I have settled over the past five years on a view of God as a supervisor watching over the chessboard of our lives, who will sometimes intervene if we are moving too far in the wrong direction. Could it be that all these realizations that I have been coming to are to make it clear that all I can do and be happy is lead worship? I will probably never be rich, as I cant work 40 hours, I will almost definitely never be a famous rock musician, Im too old and definitely the wrong shape!! So with those two temptations aside, what remains?
I suppose the best thing for me to do is to do the thing I'm best at. Try saying that 3 times fast. I believe that God has directed my life path by simply blocking off the tangents I try to pursue, and allowing me to follow the ones which are necessary. If I didn't have acid reflux I would've applied to join the police force when I was 20, but you cant join up if you have any medical conditions requiring regular treatment. The same applies for joining the air-force. I couldn't handle working full-time for Orange, even though I really enjoyed the work, and it is looking like I may not be able attend the degree place Ive been offered at Uni yet again (4th attempt foiled...) for reasons which are out of my control. Perhaps I'm just not supposed to go.
Meh, maybe it's just life being random. Incredible, unexplainable, verging on miraculous coincidences have happened in my life where practically any Christian would say 'that was clearly God', yet they have turned out to be simple coincidences - red herrings which weren't God, and served no purpose other than to illustrate how impossible God can be to hear. So maybe this is simply life being life, who knows. Definitely not me.
