If you haven't noticed...I haven't been very prolific in my writing of blogs. Life is crazy! School, work, school, music, did I mention school? All of my brain power has been focused on school...and to be honest, my song writing. Which is awesome!
School. I've got to finish school. Australia. I SO want to go to Australia. Music! I want to do music for the rest of my life (God willing, please!!!). Pastor. God's called me, but timeline, I'm not so sure what that is. Love people. Easy! Doing that all the time (hopefully that shows).
So where do I go?
Ahhh! Is it so bad that I don't really know? At least in the long run. 409 days until graduation. That's the first step for sure. Education is so important! Teaches you skills that you will use for the rest of your life: discipline, critical thinking, commitment, time management, etc. (Ephesians 6:4, Proverbs 22:6) But that's just over a year away. What then?! Originally I wanted to go to Australia...but what if my music shoots off...or what if it doesn't...do I still leave the States? What about pastoring? I know I've been called to do that. I have opportunity to pastor right after I graduate. Literally. WHAT DO I DO?!!!?!?!?!?
What do I do when I ask Jesus that question and He doesn't seem to answer? That's what it feels like right now. Perhaps I'm not really listening, that's a very huge possibility...I really REALLY want to be a successful artist...at least semi-successful. :) But what if you literally don't get an answer (right away, I've found He ALWAYS answers, just not very often in my timing).
You wait. Awesome.
BUT! In your waiting for a direct answer be sure that you also keep walking. Standing still gets you no where. Literally. Pursue something, anything!! Pursue what you want! If He doesn't want you going that direction He'll let you know quick. Doors will shut, plans will fall through, money won't be there. If He does! You'll find yourself plunking along.
Psalms 37:4-5 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. 5 Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. (NLT)
In conclusion (so school like), I still don't really know what I'm going to do. And that's okay. I'll finish school while pushing my music "career" and thinking about Australia. As long as my heart is aligned with His, things will naturally fall into place. I just hope that He'll let me do what I want! If not, I'll be just fine. God's good. :)
Proverbs 3:5-6 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (NLT)
Over the past month my music writing has increased dramatically. I normally spend an hour every day or every other day playing and writing. While most of what I produce isn't the greatest, some of the songs are pretty good. It's been insane, the way God has been pushing me to grow musically. He's placed some very specific, and sometimes very random, people in my life to encourage and challenge me.
Rewind to the summer of my freshman year: white water rafting trip with Megan Hall. I didn't know her very well, but for some reason I decided I would go on this crazy adventure with her. While I don't remember much of what happened, what I do remember was a conversation we had on the beach. We began sharing our dreams with each other. She felt called to be a missionary, to go to Africa. I remember her saying, "But I'm not sure that will really happen." I, on the other hand, wanted to produce music more than anything! Wanted to lead worship for thousands of people. But I remember saying, "It's just a dream, I doubt it could ever happen.".
Fast forward six years to present day. Megan's in Uganda!!! And I'm slowly recording the music I've written! While she's not quite what most people would consider a full-grown "missionary", she's in Africa! She's building a love and passion for the Ugandan people (Check out her blog). She's taking the steps to be what God has called her to be. While I'm not exactly an artist who gets paid for her music, I'm recording and people are beginning to listen. Megan and I are stepping into our very own dreams! And it's so exciting.
God has placed hopes dreams in every one of our hearts. And He wants us to accomplish them!!
Psalm 20:4-5
Psalm 37:4 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. (NLT)
Fight for your dreams! Don't give up on them. People are going to shoot your dreams down. They're going to say, "No.", "You're not good enough.", "Give up.". Your deepest hopes are there because He has placed them. He has created each of us for a purpose and a calling.
But maybe you're saying, "I'm definitely not reaching my dreams. God's not giving them to me.". I ask you this question, is your heart beating to the rhythm of His heart? When we read Psalm 37:4 we often stop there, we don't read the next verse:
Psalm 37:5 5 Commit everything you do to the Lord.Trust him, and he will help you. (NLT)
Commit to His way. Your dreams will fall into place after that. If not, perhaps the dreams you have now are not the ones He has planned for you. Check your heart, search out His, He'll give you direction and a new dream better than anything else you could have imagined.
While I'm so excited in how my music "career" is starting, the moment I quit making Jesus my #1 I know things are going to fail. He's the one who's blessed me with my gifts, given me my songs, and put that dream in my heart in the first place.
**Click Here to Check Out My Music Website**
Jeremiah 29:11-13 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
