Is it selfish to want to be an inspiring speaker and writer? Will God still bless me if I don’t feel called to hold dying bodies in India like Mother Theresa did?

There’s two camps of thought: one that says you must take up your cross daily and suffer as our Savior did to which I say, “Why do I need to suffer when He did that for me?” Sure I need to care for hurting people and the broken places in this world that need to see God’s redemption but am I really going to make people want Him by playing small and choosing to suffer? In fact, I think my Saviour has spent a lot of His time in my life helping me out of my suffering and pain. He has spoken to me my worth to Him and how much He loves me. He has held me when I have cried my soul’s last drop of water and brought me joy in the morning. Why would He do that if He put me on earth to suffer for Him?

The other camp says, “Name what you want and claim it!” God will answer your prayers and give you what you ask for: riches, planes, fancy cars, and much more…just speak it out! Hmmm, I struggle with this too because I want a lot of nice things but it’s not really for serving God with; mainly it is so I can live like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and look pretty cool! How does that bring the Kingdom of God to earth?

I do think there is another camp which offers the question, “What has God put you on this earth to do for Him and what would you ask your good Father in Heaven for if you were to be super bold to ask for your heart’s desire?” He was the one to put your  holy desires there to begin with. I think God just wants us to get in touch with that so He can guide us. Don’t get me wrong, there are unhealthy and sinful desires in our hearts alongside the good and God does not want us to give in to those or accept cheap substitutes. Instead, like a good Father, He wants us to crawl up into His lap and have a good talk about what is in our hearts and to discuss how we might live out those desires on earth as it is in Heaven.

“Our deepest dreams are always about righting wrong and doing good. It’s that simple. What wrong are you meant to stop? What good are you uniquely designed to grow? We are not meant to be happy when we reach a personal goal unless that dream is attached to the greater good of others…Dreaming gets you into the steamy reality of life; naming your dream, making a plan, and then jumping into the water.” Dan Allender -To Be Told

So get out a pen, grab a cup of coffee, and sit with your Father for awhile…then write like crazy what’s in your heart and list your longings and desires… It’s okay if some are a little out there…write it all down and assess later. Have fun envisioning and naming the type of  life that God has for you. AMEN!!!