10-4-10 : week 1

The church has challenged me to grow in my faith through four areas of my journey over the next 10 weeks. They call this the 10-4-10 challenge, and I think it's a simple and effective way to bring the people back to the center of worship and service. I've decided to try and blog about my spiritual life a little differently during the next ten weeks - journaling the insights, realizations, and revelations I find while intentionally focusing on my journey with Christ.

The message that Ben preached on Sunday was powerful. I found myself emotionally reacting to a couple different points that were made as Ben connected the Holy Spirit in my life to the story of Joseph as told in Genesis 37-45. But, the part that I find myself connecting to the most as I reflect on the message this week is that I am not a failure.

Surprise! I'm not a failure!

Ok, really - I already knew that. I consider myself to be successful in many ways... But, one of the things I feel God telling me to do is to open a Christian preschool/dayhome in a public building.

When I graduated college, I had (what I thought was) a five year plan. My five year plan turned into a 10 year plan, and now that I'm approaching my 8th year post-grad, it looks like the plan is turning into a 15 year plan.

It's not like I haven't been thinking about the "goal" this whole time. It's certainly been weighing heavy on my mind. I've taken some steps towards realizing this dream - but many of the steps I have taken took a wild twisty-turn in some other direction, distracting me from the path I thought I needed to be on.

The message on Sunday reminded me that it's okay. It's okay to take detours. It's okay that I put my business plan on hold indefinitely. It's okay that the in-home daycare that I'm running right now is comfortable and feels right and is small and not growing. It's still a part of the plan. I'm still following the spirit. I'm still loving and serving in Christ - even if I'm not going from point A (graduation) to point B (opening a center) in a straight line.

And it feels great knowing that I'm still on track. It feels great knowing that I'm not a failure in any way - even if my goal is around the corner, over the bend, behind the loop, next to the peak, and under the meadow... the goal is still there and the rewards are plenty.

Jeremiah 29:11 "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."