Memories

Tonight feels a lot like my first two years of college. It's midnight, but instead of heading to bed, i'm awake listening to Ryan Cabrera, writing, and "visioneering" about the future. I have been thinking a lot about this question…you know, the one question that always seems to loom over us every time we reach any particular goal in life…"what's next?" Graduate college, check. Get married, check. Get into graduate school, check. Start a career, check.

At every junction, once we take that next step, we always want to know what's next. Right now I'm reading a book by Edward Wimberly, a professor at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta called "Recalling Our Own Stories." In this work, Wimberly claims that the best way for us to continue to progress in life spiritually and in ministry is to regularly return to "our original motivation for ministry as a means of renewal." Remember the moments, the people, the locations, the music, the books, and the art that shaped your vision, and let them serve as devices for measuring your current direction. In other words, allow yourself, as I am tonight, to become nostalgic.

"Renewing our motivation by reconnecting to our original call allows us to visualize again how God has decisively acted in our lives at crucial junctures. It reminds us that God has been intricately involved in our lives. The routine duties of ministry and life take on new meaning when looked at in light of the call." - Wimberly

Remember the way you were when life was simple and all you had was a vision. Remember the way you felt before things became so busy. Remember the way you looked at your wife before your marriage became overshadowed by bills and routine. Remember.

This is not a new idea, its been around. In the Old Testament, Joshua has the children of Israel pick up stones as they cross the Jordan so that they would not forget all the wonders God had done for them. In the New Testament, Paul writes to Timothy and tells him to kindle afresh the gift of God that is in him. In other words, make new that which you already know or have. Even today, Andy Stanley, in almost all of his books on leadership, encourages us to remain true to our vision and keep it at the forefront of everything we do.

So this is where I am tonight. I'm trying to remember who I once was, and I'm praying it leads me to who I am going to be. I am trying to remember all those cold Atlanta winter nights 5 years ago with the best friends a guy could ever ask for. Staying up late dreaming of what we might be used to accomplish in this life. I'm thinking of when I first met my wife, it was about this time a year. God hasn't changed, the vision is the same, remember.

Do you Remember?