As a very driven person, my focus is usually on achieving the big goals. I want to see the vision fully realized. I want to get to the finish line. But there are times when getting to the finish line is going to take years, maybe even decades to achieve. If that is the case, then only reaching the end goal will leave most people tired, frustrated and exhausted.

The solution to vision fatigue is to celebrate the smaller victories. Each big vision is a collection of achieving smaller visions. The key is to celebrate those smaller victories, but don’t stop there. Don’t linger too long or you will lose momentum to forge ahead.

Celebrate, but don’t procrastinate.

It’s early.

I’ve been up since 3:30. It’s still dark outside.

The house is peacefully quiet. (for now)

I’m tired. I like a good 7-8 hours of sleep.

Today though, I’ll get by with a trip to Starbucks.

Through sleepy eyes I had to smile. I am blessed.

My son was hungry. He didn’t know what else to do. So he screamed.

It would be easy to be annoyed. But then you look down and see a piece of you.

I wonder what it was like for God to look down and see a piece of him walking to a cross.

I honestly don’t even want to imagine.

It’s easy to overlook great blessings. It’s easy to miss joy through crying.

I don’t fully grasp what it was like for the Father. But looking down, I have a slightly closer idea.

It’s early.

Experience gives you perspective that you wouldn’t have normally gained. This experience gives you grace that you can now extend to others in that situation.

Having a new born in the house, I’ve seen this all to clearly. Those that have kids:

- Are the one’s that brought us food to the hospital because they’ve experienced hospital food.

- Are the one’s that knock instead of ringing the doorbell, because they know that naps are gold.

- Are the one’s that encourage  you that you will get sleep again one day.

- Are the one’s that aren’t upset when you run a few minutes late.

Going through something is an amazing way to gain understanding which allows you to extend grace to others when they go through it. All our experiences are a way to gain grace which we can give as we encounter others going through the same experience. It also allows you to extend grace to those dhow don’t know because simply, they don’t know.

I think this is why Paul told us to be careful how we live and to make the most of each opportunity. We must be careful not to condemn others who haven’t had the experiences we have. Our job is to extend grace. You must also realize that many times, it may take years or decades for the person to gain the experience that will allow them to understand the grace you’ve extended.

I’ve got to run. Crying baby!

We all have one friend that’s gone for it and we either think he’s crazy or we are a bit jealous because we’re not sure we would go for it if we had the chance.

I would love to know what was going on in Abraham’s head and heart when he packed up and left.

The same for Peter and Andrew.

What were the doubts that Moses was feeling as he headed back to Egypt?

I read these stories and question whether or not I would go like Abraham. It’s one thing to be single and few obligations. But as my family has doubled in size with in the past 6 months, I seem to hear more voices than ever. Now there’s more to worry about. Now there’s more at stake. Now, the doubts have higher consequences.

And then it hit me…answering the call while single or married with kids shouldn’t be viewed any differently. The reality is, its the same God, who has the same plan, with the same power, and the same love for me.

I need to be reminded quite often of this truth. God is still in control. God is good and his plan can be trusted. I have to assume that Abraham had the same thoughts as I do. Instead of focusing on the doubts and questions, we should focus on the one who can be trusted.

How do you figure out your calling?

How do you combine what you are good at with what you love to do?

How do you mix all those up to survive financially?

Why do some people get instant messages from heaven with their calling, while others don’t?

If you are like me, you’ve wrestled with these questions. This year has brought a lot of changes for me and seeing how fast life goes, my urgency to fulfill my calling has never been higher. I don’t want to waste my life. I want to make a difference. I want to make an impact. I want to be a great husband and father. I want to be a part of something bigger than me.

In my pursuit of finding my personal answers, I found this quote by Os Guinness

We are not primarily called to do something or go somewhere; we are called to Someone.

Our first AND primary calling is our relationship with Jesus. Discovering what to do and where to go is secondary.

Not exactly what I was wanting to hear either, but its true. Most of my questions are about where and what and not who. My new prayer is to find peace in the who and trust that if and when the what and where are made known, I will be thankful for that grace.

Because personal calling is grace. Receiving a specific task from God is grace. That calling was not of your own doing. So it does not good to get angry when we don’t have one or to become proud when we do have one. Too often people with specific calling will look down on others because they are “not focused” or “scatter-brained”. While many may very well be, others have not received the gift of personal calling with the same clarity.

So, spend time wrestling with getting the who right. Trust in that first.

As I’ve wrestled with this, I started doing an exercise to help with the processing of my personal calling. I’ll share that in an upcoming post.

What are your thoughts on calling?

1. Humility.

This is the common denominator of all great leaders. They learned years ago they don’t know it all. Young leaders need to act like they don’t know it all, since everyone knows they don’t. I learned this the hard way. Learning to say “I don’t know” and “I’m sorry” will help you in this process.

2. Commitment.

Being able to stick with something until its done is essential for influential leadership. Moving on because a task or project is difficult or boring is the sign of weak leadership. Stick with it until its done. You’ll be thankful you did.

3. Respect.

This includes for those above you and those you lead. Be nice to people. Give them the benefit of the doubt. Show up on time. Don’t text them just because you have their cell phone number. Say thank you.

4. Focus.

Your influence will not reach the level you want if until you start finishing tasks. Leaving a bunch of half-finished projects and ideas in your wake rarely inspires people to follow. It takes focus to finish.

One of the most difficult aspects of walking by faith for me is the time between hearing new direction. To be completely honest, I’m smack in the middle of one of those moments where I’m dying to hear God’s voice. You are going for what God has called you too. But then he seems to remain quiet. And you look up one day and wonder Am I still doing what he wants? Is still what you want for me God?

I’ve said many times that I’ll do what you call me to God, if you’ll only spell it out. I thought it was an honest prayer on my part. Then I got my world rocked.

I was listening to Tim Keller talk about Abram’s calling. God didn’t tell Abram where he wanted to go until he had already left. God didn’t say Abram go _______ and do ________ then do _______ . God said just go and I’ll fill in the blanks later. It hit me that my prayer was God, if you fill in the blanks I’ll go. And my prayers were about my comfort first before his will And that’s where I went wrong.

I wonder how long it was before God told Abram where he was going. I wonder if it was days, weeks, months, even years. And I wonder what Abram was thinking.

Have you ever been there? Am I the only one?

So my plan now is to keep going with what God has called me to do and trust that the blanks will get filled in when He wants them to.