A piece of the puzzle

"Two roads diverged in the wood and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." Robert Frost

I have always enjoyed taking the road less traveled by and it truly has made all the difference. 

I arrived with the desire to go against the flow, to swim upstream, to avoid the mass of influence. 

Naturally we are all engrained with this individuality and originality, each with our unique passions. But, when nurture inhibits nature from blossoming, we get stuck in The Box of society, slowly molding to fit its wants and desires. 

This Box breeds self-consciousness and insecurities and inhibits healthy individual development. It becomes comfortable and safe to blend in, to mold, to yield. 

Growing up I remember hearing the phrase "you can be anything you want to be!" 

The phrase catapulted high schoolers into college. 

This opened the door, gave an easy access to a once sought after, but now required college education. Higher education was no longer for the passionate and creative types, but rather it was forced upon everyone, whether they longed for it or not. This special education comes with a secret price tag that will be unveiled on the day of that grandiose day called "graduation".  

I'm in no way disagreeing with the benefits of education, as I myself could spend all my days learning. 

However, I am disagreeing with the phrase, 

"You can be anything you WANT to be."

Putting this sort of ball in a young persons court can be a bit overwhelming. 

And while living under the influences of a consumeristic society driven by success and financial prosperity, which do you think this young person might choose? 

Their dream? Or

A big salary?

There is a huge difference in a Calling and a Career. 

A Calling comes through following our dreams and passions instilled in us by the Creator. 

A Career comes through working to pay off the forced college debt or perhaps falling into the factory mold of The Box, the fastest way to the new car and/or new house. 

At one time, before our time, the majority of society planned their futures around their passions and talents. Sometimes these followed the footsteps of a parent or grandparent but often times, not. Their decisions came naturally, and were not influenced by the hype of the times. 

I have read a few books that discuss the importance of listening to our children. Most children between ages 3-5 yrs. will tell you what they were created to do. 

There are many beliefs as to how or why they do this, but I believe it's because they are still fresh from the Creator's heart. They are still imprinted with His design for their life.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

I still think it's odd to hear my parents tell me that I said I wanted to be a veterinarian when I was 3 years old. Where on earth did I get that? 

I didn't have a close relative in the field. 

I just knew I loved animals. 

Throughout the years that followed, I found a phrase that I swore I would always live by:

"Do what you love and love what you do!" 

Now wouldn't this world be a much happier place if people lived their lives according to this phrase,

"Do what you love and love what you do?"

And not, 

"You can be anything you WANT to be!?"

Our passions are born within us. It's an internal, natural desire for self- expression. 

Our wants and desires are developed or influenced externally by the world around us. 

What an exciting world we would live in if we became 

inside-out people, rather than 

outside-in? 

More and more young people would develop their Calling and not a generic Career. 

We are all pieces to this giant puzzle. 

We each have a special Calling to fill. 

This was the Creator's design, 

unity and 

community 

working together, 

different yet 

the same. 

Each called according to 

his own purpose. 

Together 

In Christ. 

This is the way to God's perfect will for this earth, so that 

His Will will be done on this Earth as it is in Heaven. 

Once we understand that this is the Father's design, this shifts the focus from our desires and wants to 

God's desires and wants. 

And if we listen to our children and develop the passion instilled within them, they can achieve both their own and God's will synonymously. It will be one and the same. 

They will be working from 

The inside-out. 

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and 

are called according to his purpose for them.   

For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. (Romans 8: 28-29 NLT)

For some of us who may think it's too late to shift gears or pursue a different course,  we must remember it's never to late to change. Today is the first day of the rest of our lives. 

This is  what Jesus had to say about it:

Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"

Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

John 6:28-29 NIV

For us, adults, we can just start right where we are, right in the path we have chosen to believe in the one God sent. 

Once we do this we can see that 

"Christ in us is the hope of glory!" Colossians 1:27

All of us are called to draw near to our God and develop a relationship with Him. 

Now that alone is a divine Calling!! 

We are mere humans, tiny specs in this giant universe called to commune with the very Creator of it all, the Almighty God! 

This is the glorious mystery! 

This small revelation can change our outlook, our desires, our direction, our motives and begin to open us up to living in a different light with a different focus: 

Less of us and more of God!

We can change the direction of a generation!

Christ in us is the hope of glory!! When we receive Him, we can receive all that He planned for us to have and all the wonderful fruits of the spirit, wholeness, joy, peace, unconditional love, perfect health and all the wealth we'll ever need. 

Don't miss it. 

Step into your divine Calling so that His will be done on this earth as it is in heaven!

“You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you’ll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me ! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren’t willing to receive from me the life you say you want. (John 5:39, 40 MSG)