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Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Waut es mien sswakj? What is my purpose?

What is my purpose? This seems to be quite a deep, thought provoking question and can be answered in an infinite number of ways. This is because each individual person has their own purpose in life. Some people know what their purpose is right away, yet others may spend their entire lives searching for their purpose. Fortunately for me, I do indeed know my purpose in life. My purpose is to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ for every nation and for every people to hear.
All throughout high school I have wanted to be a livestock veterinarian. I love working with animals so it felt natural for me to go towards that career path. I had it all planned out. I would get through my undergraduate studies, and then go to the Nebraska-Iowa State vet school. Once I graduated from there, my plan was to move out to the Nebraska sand hills where vets are in short supply. While working out there, I could make good money and my school loans would be paid off by the government (they offer tuition reimbursements for people that move to areas where veterinarians are needed. After I had earned a good chunk of money and my schooling was paid off, I was going to move back home to my family farm and continue living the good life of Nebraska from where I had grown up.
But have you ever heard the saying that God laughs at us when we try to make our own plans?Well I believe that over the course of my Summer, God was laughing at me and He decided to intervene in my life and reveal what He had in store for me.
Over the Summer I became increasingly involved in my church. God first started revealing His plan to me at a church leadership workshop. During this workshop the idea of church planting came up. I thought that it would such an amazing opportunity, so I have been trying to advocate for planting a church within the Hispanic population of Grand Island. Next God decided to move in my heart during detasseling. It was a Sunday and the rest of my youth group was leaving for a service trip to Denver while I had to stay home and work. While walking through the fields and then an idea popped into my mind “I don’t have to go somewhere far away to make a difference.” So after crew leader Benji Hoegh gave me the okay, I decided to be bold and witness to my Co-workers on the bus between fields. I read Isaiah chapter 40, the key point in the scripture being that God renews our strength and then lead the Lord’s Prayer.
The final place where God revealed my purpose to me was at Youth Escape in Iowa. Youth Escape is a retreat for high schoolers that are involved in churches within the Central Plains Mennonite Conference.  During my weekend at this event, God finally showed me that I can be a pastor. Before this time, I could never imagine myself standing in front of a pulpit speaking, but something just changed in me.  This was confirmed to me by Psalm 63:1-4. You God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary, and beheld your power and glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will uplift my hands. These verses mean so much to me because at that moment in time during the worship service I had begun to doubt my calling. But then Psalm 63 eliminated those doubts for good.
Finding my purpose was very difficult for me even though it was right under my nose the entire time. I have based my purpose in life off of the Great Commission as stated by Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20. The scripture says “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Jesus is telling his disciples, and by extensions us Christians today, to spread the Good News of His word and his commandments and baptize them into the church. The amazing thing about this purpose in life is that every possible job or career path can be used as an opportunity to fulfill this purpose.
The symbol for Veterinary Medicine

Bethesda Mennonite Church
 in Henderson, Nebraska

My purpose


1 comment:

  1. Josh, what a wonderful feeling it must be to assured of your calling. And the thing is, because you are one of the most sincere people I know, it is nice to know how genuine and heartfelt that calling must be. It's not an easy task (my best friend is a minister and it has been a tough row to hoe!). I wish you well!

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