Lost

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Have you ever lost your way? As a man of course I have never gotten lost, nor ha...

I better stop right there. Because it simply isn't true.

I've been lost on the highway before, no doubt about it. But have you ever felt lost on the highway of life?

I wrote about it the other day, how the animated movie Cars surprisingly provided some comfort in my journey called life. Yet, I still feel I have more to share on the subject.

What do you do when things don't work out quite the way we had planned them to? What happens when a detour is thrown into our path and the dreams we had seem to be derailed? It seems that's where my family has been for the last little while. Do we abandon the dream? To we change the course? Is God wanting us to do something different?

For my wife and I, we have had a heart for ministry. Now, before I bleed my heart out anymore, the reality is that those who call themselves Christians are in ministry. We are the light of the world, and you don't need ministry to be an occupation or minister to be your title to reach out and love others the way Jesus told us to. We are the Body of Christ. But we have felt a specific longing for ministry. Full-time. Maybe it's a calling, maybe it's just pursuing our heart, either way, it's what we have gone back to. And more importantly, it's the direction it seems the Holy Spirit is leading us in.

So what do you do when things aren't looking the way you anticipated? Do we throw in the towel? Has God changed His mind? Did we miss it somehow? Do we really have anything to offer anyone?

I don't know the answer to these questions for you - I have difficulty answering them for myself sometimes.

But here is what I know...

Delight yourself in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

and

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

and

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

and

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.

So... what do you do... But trust?

Problem is, that's easier said than done. It's more natural to trust in myself than Him. It's easier to trust in myself who is finite and limited and flawed, than the One who sees all, knows all, created me and can see the bigger picture. Doesn't make a lot of sense but it's the reality of my life at times.

OK, a lot of times.

So today, I choose to trust. As best I know how, I trust.

Even though I may feel lost, I know that in Him,

I am found.

Find Yourself

My kids have been loving the movie Cars 2. My son Judah, who is two, absolutely loves the characters in the movie, and of course we play right along with him. We took a step back though and watched the original Cars movie tonight. Cars was made before Judah was born, so I thought he might appreciate what preceded the Cars 2 movie he enjoys so much.

Funny thing happened to Daddy though. Besides the fact that I still have to hold back the tears when Lightning McQueen forfeits the Piston Cup to "bump draft" a banged up Mr. The King over the finish line, the song played at the end of the movie seemed to connect with my heart.

The song is "Find Yourself" by Brad Paisley. Now, I aint never been a big country music fan, but I sure am from the country... and this song really connected with me.

There is a part in the song that goes something like this...

Where you go through life
So sure of where you’re headin'
And you wind up lost and it's
The best thing that could have happened
‘Cause sometimes when you lose your way it's really just as well
Because you find yourself
Yeah that’s when you find yourself 

I was so sure at one point of where I was heading, but somewhere along the way I feel like I've gotten lost. You feel like you got off track some how. Things aren't looking the way you thought they would. That's the season of life I've found myself in now it seems.

And yet, as the song says, sometimes when you lose your way it's really just as well... Because you find yourself.

Somehow, I believe that is happening. In the midst of questions and confusion, I find destiny when I look in my children's eyes. I find myself there. In my wife's loving eyes, I find myself there. And I have to hold on to what I know - that Jesus is the Commander of my destiny. Our destiny. He is guiding our steps and making our paths straight. Even when things don't make sense from my limited perspective. 

God sees the end and the beginning. He is painting His picture on the canvas of humanity, and I am thankful that we can be a part of His masterpiece. I am thankful that in God, we truly find ourselves.

Crazy. All this from talking cars.