Decade

Where do you hope to be in ten years?

Your mind probably jumped to an answer similar to the ones you wrote in your school papers. I hope to have graduated college, have a good job, live with my spouse in my house with a white picket fence and 2.5 children.

Let me challenge those thoughts.

This morning as I mulled over this question I couldn't shake the this thought - the things I most hope to be doing ten years from now is to be more fervently living and speaking the gospel. I hope to be doing that ten minutes from now and ten days from now.

Just shy of 20 years ago, God changed my life with the words of the gospel. Having grown up going to church I had heard that the wrong things I did (sin) broke my relationship with God. I knew that Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, and died in my place, for my sin creating the way for me to be in a right relationship with God. God reminded me that I was created to be in a right relationship with Him but that I was only ultimately living to please myself. In God's grace, I repented of that and was welcomed in to the family.*

As I look back over the last ten years I see that God has worked in me through the gospel... as a believer. It has been the gospel that has gotten me up some mornings, the gospel that has grown me and grown those I've discipled, the gospel that has saved my family members, friends, and neighbors. The truth that God can't love me any more or any less, nothing can separate me from His love, is so freeing. I am honored to love Him in return and see Him honored and point others to Him.

Don't get me wrong. It is a great thing to have goals in life! It's good to work toward graduating from college or enlist in the military or learn a trade. It will be in those (and other) settings that you are able to live out and speak the gospel.

I am really excited right now as I think of so many people whose lives God will change as His gospel is spoken in truth and in love by those who are compelled to speak it. I pray that you and I will speak.

*I would love to talk with you more about this. You can send me an email to alifewellphotographed@gmail.com