As the Spirit Leads

This morning I thought I'd be on my way to Deep Creek Lake, MD to preach tomorrow. At least that was the plan. I was very excited about having Ray with me so I could show him around Garrett County where I spent the Jan. term. That was my plan.

However, I got sick and I am just beginning to feel better. So, a classmate will be spending the time at Deep Creek Lake. Our plans and God's are not always the same. Proverbs says this so well, "The human mind may devise many plans,but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established" (Prov 19:21).

I think I'm beginning to get the idea. Thursday I had my final interview for next year's internship. Prior to the beginning of the whole interview process, I was quite nervous. I knew where I wanted to go and hoped I would go there. I had eight interviews. Of the eight, I would be happy to go to six of the eight sites and can see how God could both use me and work on me in those circumstances.

The great thing about this process is once the pastors have their paperwork in and I have mine in, where I go is not up to the pastors or myself. Ultimately, it is the guidance of God the Holy Spirit and the needs of the larger community of students that are taken into consideration. I can't influence the outcome and neither can the pastors. It will all be in the hands of God and the good people in the Field Education office. And now I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I've done my part. The pastors have done their part. Nothing else is required of me, but to pray.

I had all my plans as to how this should play out. I truly have peace and will be happy to serve wherever I am assigned because, "...it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established." All I know for sure is that I will be in WV, VA, or PA for internship...and that's enough.








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On the Road

Today another seminarian and I were on the road with Pr. Randy. We went to a chaplain's meeting at the Garrett County Memorial Hospital and got a tour of the hospital. Later we had lunch with another area pastor and then visited a congregant who was in the nursing home. Much of what we did today reminded me of the ministry I was involved with at Bethany Village for CPE.

Driving back to where I'm staying in Friendsville, I could not help but be caught up by the beauty that surrounded me. It drew me in. I listened to see what God was saying. I could see myself in a similar setting. The people here are wonderful. I didn't hear anything. The Henri Nouwen devotion below spoke to me concerning the issue of hearing God's voice for direction.

Enough Light for the Next Step

Often we want to be able to see into the future. We say, "How will next year be for me? Where will I be five or ten years from now?" There are no answers to these questions. Mostly we have just enough light to see the next step: what we have to do in the coming hour or the following day. The art of living is to enjoy what we can see and not complain about what remains in the dark. When we are able to take the next step with the trust that we will have enough light for the step that follows, we can walk through life with joy and be surprised at how far we go. Let's rejoice in the little light we carry and not ask for the great beam that would take all shadows away.

From Henri J.M. Nouwen's Bread for the Journey.

How do you hear and discern God's leading and calling? Are there right and wrong choices of location for vocation or will God leave the location up to us and use us wherever we go? Any thoughts?