God Ordained Passions

It's out there. I just know it.

You ever get the feeling that something big is coming? I feel like God wants to do something huge in my life but won't tell me what it is yet. Sometimes I get so excited about it, it feels like my heart whats to jump out of my chest. How can I get this excited about something when I don't know that something is?

Mark Batterson said in a sermon a few weeks ago, "Your greatest responsibility is pursuing God-ordained passions." This isn't about our own joy and fulfillment. It is true that in finding our God-ordained passions those two will likely come with them, but that's not the point. This is bigger than you and me. This isn't just a good idea, this is a responsibility. I owe it to God (and should I be bold enough to say I owe it to the world as well??) to pursue whatever it is God has laid as a passion in my heart.

I'm trying to be patient. Sometimes I think I'll have my head wrapped around what God is sending me towards, and other days I have no idea. Am I supposted to go to seminary or will these passions evolve out of my current job? Will I be teaching or writing or speaking? Or is there something else entirely?

I guess for now I have decided that in order to continue on this path of "great responsibility," I'm not supposed to make any big moves just now. I think God is still trying to teach me before I'm sent out to do whatever this big thing is. I feel sometimes like the little kid who wants so desprately to play in the 3 feet of fresh snow that just fell. However, every time the kid bolts for the door, his mother keeps pulling him back to add one more layer of winter clothing - first jacket, then boots, then gloves, then hat. I have to remember that as hard as being patient is, ultimately if I don't let God prepare me this big something may never happen at all.

So I will leave you with three things....

1) A scene from West Side Story between Riff & Tony. Riff can't understand why Tony doesn't want to hang with the gang anymore, but Tony feels dumb trying to explain it...

Tony: You won't dig it, Riff.       
Riff: Come on, Tony. Try me.
Tony: Okay.
Every single night for the last month...
I wake up, and I'm reachin' out.             
Riff: Well, for what?           
Tony: I don't know.
It's right outside the door,
just around the corner...         
but it's comin'.             
Riff: What is?
Tony: I don't know.


2) I can't talk about that scene and not give the song to follow it =)


Something's Coming from West Side Story

Important Note: Richard played Tony in his high school production of West Side Story
and has yet to produce the video of said production.
                       We must find this tape.


3) I actually think this is one of the worst songs in the play.  Here's a couple of my favorites =)

America
Maria
Mambo
And, for those of you who enjoy Aquafina commercials... 
I Feel Pretty