Into the Fire

Most children go through the usual variety of things they want to be when they grow up. Young people quickly eliminate childhood fantasies and begin to establish more pointed goals. Some stick with those designated dreams and work their way to fulfilling them. Or not.

We can know that we know that we know what we are born to do and eventually come into that realization. For Christians, we often refer to it in today's vernacular as "It's a God thing". For unbelievers they recognize their talents and desires and put themselves in position to achieve them.

However, it is one thing to fulfill what you were born to do, and it's yet another thing to experience what the world calls success doing it.

As an author of seven novels, three self-published, and three in progress, I can tell you I know I was born to do two specific "occupations". One of them was to work with horses, and the other was to write fiction. I can honestly say I have accomplished both of them, and the writing continues. Success? Certainly not from the world's eye view. Yes, in horse racing we won some races with horses we owned or bred, and somehow God allowed us to make a hard-fought living at it for many years. When He decided the end had come, we walked away. My husband began his second career, a dream he'd once had of driving big rigs. It's been a good career and now he's in the office side of the company where he's worked for 20 years. I wrote. And I still write. Monetary success? Not even.

But I continue because I know it's what I'm supposed to do. I was born to write. I've done it intermittently all my life. And, because I know it's what the Lord has given me to do, I cannot be afraid to fail, must keep going in spite of little success, and not set it aside just because it seems to accomplish so little. Nor can you. If you were born to do it, keep going even if your dream is reduced to a hobby or a spare time activity or an unpaid offering of your talent, do it anyway. Because personal and spiritual success does not depend on fame or fortune. It depends on obedience to what you were designed to do.

Father, let each one know what you have for them. Help them to persevere and remain faithful. Whatever kind of success you have for them, help them to realize it. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.