I hope and trust this post finds you all having had a great day on this glorious Friday evening in my Sweet Home Alabama.
This week I want to talk about the journey of life. Their is not a blueprint, a "right" or "wrong" path. There is simply a path and it is up to each one of us to find our way.
I remember the first time as I Dad I really became aware of this. I love sports - always have. When my oldest Tender Warrior loved football, that was easy...I loved football too! And when my second Tender Warrior loved baseball, that was great...baseball was my first love! And then there was my third Tender Warrior - probably the best athlete of them all by the way. He could pretty much care less about playing catch - football or baseball, playing basketball or any other sport. And sitting their watching a football or basketball game with me? Forget about it! One day, as I was working in my home office, he was sitting by me watching the military channel on TV - they were talking about the capabilities of a new tank. And under his little boy breath I heard him whisper, "I hope I get to drive one of those some day." God used that moment to tell me, "His journey is not about you, it is about him." My Spirit convicted me. From that day forward I was determined to help my boys find their path, and encourage, empower and equip them in the pursuit of their goals and dreams as they developed their talents, gifts and abilities. And I have been blessed beyond measure as I have had the privilege of walking alongside them. :)
In the past couple of weeks I have had conversations with a couple of different people who mean the world to me. Each time it went something like, "My path doesn't look like everybody else's" and "What if I screw up?" Ever been there? Yeah, me too. Learning and growing is not always easy...
Before I share a couple of thoughts, I want to share a point I heard a Pastor make one time. I hope it helps someone...maybe YOU! :) He pointed out that we tend to think that life is like a balance beam and if we fall off, well, that's it...we have missed our calling, purpose, chance, etc. Thankfully, that is simply not true. As the great theologian Dabo Swinney once said, "God doesn't say, 'Oops!'" Nothing surprises God and as we know from Romans 8:28, God works all things together for the good of those who love Him. I also once heard something like, "You think you are going to screw up God's purpose for your life? You are not that powerful." Bottom line Friends, please relax and breathe. Yes, there will be wrong turns and failing moments...this is life after all. You don't need to be perfect and, in fact, you never will be. Please just get up every day, give your best to that day and trust God as you walk your path.
O.K., a couple of things:
1. I simply want to encourage you to pursue the hopes, goals and dreams that are in your heart...even if what was once a flaming inferno is now only a tiny ember. It was placed there for a reason. Please quit looking at what everyone else is doing, how you are "supposed" to do it, etc. No, I don't know exactly what your journey will look like - I will tell you however that it is very rarely a straight line from where you are today to where you are going. I am pretty sure you will have great successes and great failures as you walk your path - that's o.k., just keep walking. I can also tell you, reflecting on many mountain tops and valley's, that some of the greatest moments of your life - and the vast majority of the growth - will come during seasons of struggle, strain and adversity. Please just be brave enough to pursue you - the full potential of who you were created to become. It will be a beautiful, inspiring story and what this world needs more than anything else is people fully alive, pursuing the greatness that is within them.
2. This one is directed specifically at those who have the honor and privilege of a precious soul calling them "Mom" or "Dad" - please help your child find their path and encourage, empower and equip them as they walk it. Please don't make it about you or anyone else...this is their journey. I think one of the things we get real caught up in is how it is supposed to look or work. First question, "who said so?" Second question, "how do you know?" And I guess a third question, "Are you willing to stake your relationship with your child on it?" Whoa, right? Is it worth losing a relationship with your son or daughter because he or she didn't do what you thought they should do, the way you that they should do it, when you thought they should do it? There are millions of broken souls walking this earth who have chosen that path...I pray we aren't among them!
Something that has always amazed me is the human spirit. I stand in awe of people who have overcome incredible hardships, struggles, failures and pains and arrived at really beautiful places - and I am not talking about physical locations. I am talking about people who are leading exceptional lives, maximizing their potential and often using what they have learned, and their talents, gifts and abilities, to serve others. All journey's do not look the same and I can guarantee you, there is not one "right" way to get anywhere. Love your son or daughter and enjoy their journey with them...I promise you, it will bless you both!
I also wanted to share a couple of thought provoking quotes:
What you learn in tough times can be used in many ways to bless your personal life journey. - Scott Gordon
Not everyone will understand your journey. That's okay. You're here to live your life, not to make everyone understand. - Unknown
"I believe that life is a journey, often difficult and sometimes incredibly cruel, but we are well equipped for it if only we tap into our talents and gifts and allow them to blossom. - Les Brown
Temporary setbacks create opportunities for fresh commitment and renewal. There are seasons of sunshine as well as rain. - T.D. Jakes
Life is a journey of either Fate or Destiny. Fate is the result of giving in to one's wounds and heartaches. Your Destiny unfolds when you rise above the challenges of your life and use them as Divine opportunities to move forward to unlock your higher potential. - Caroline Myss
Everyone is handed adversity in life. No one's journey is easy. It's how they handle it that makes people unique. - Kevin Conroy
Learn to trust the journey, even when you do not understand it. - Lolly Daskal
Please don't hesitate to contact me at any time if there is ever anything I can do for you. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great evening, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.
Kev
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