I really appreciate what David and Joyce have said this week about how God has a different plan for each of us.God saved David from Alcoholism. God took a high school drop out, welfare mom, and made her not only a college graduate and successful mother of 8 children, but now Joyce is completing her PhD. God took Tony through his own conflicts and questions when he was in college, and now he's getting to reach out to college age young people (2 Corinthians 1:4).
So what's my story?
All I can think to tell you is that the area where I've always been the most passionate, and seen God use me the most, is through my work.
From the time I graduated from high school my heart has always been for those people in our society who're on the fringes, the different ones. It's not always been the same people group, but it's always felt "right" to work with people who are outcasts. While I worked my way though college it was as a care giver in places like group homes with intensely acting out teenagers, or cottages for developmentally disabled, or secured psychiatric hospitals. When I graduated from college I began taking management positions in these types of settings.
I've tended to be shy and certainly not what others would call a go-getter in my personal life. But in my career God has worked though me in a way beyond my natural personality. I've seen God give me the ability to confront when needed, to teach large groups, to share with outsiders about our mission, to interact with top level executives, and to find new revenue sources - all of these are not things that come naturally to me - but God has continually given me the ability to do what I need to do to pursue my passion.
Through the years that passion has changed to be more for the care givers of those outcasts than for the actual clients. I've found myself driven to work toward training, empowering, and generally making the workplace better for care givers.There's a line in a song by an old Christian singer named Carman that I've always remembered:
"The desire is the confirmation that the destination is there,
God wouldn't have put it in your spirit if it wasn't going nowhere".
What's God put in your spirit? Where's your passion?
6 comments:
eaglegirl said...
Tracy we have a similar backgroud. I have also been a caregive at group homes for young women who are develop mentally disabled also had psychiatric disorders.
I did not do it very long. But fondly remember some of the fun times I had with the girls.
I never went to college for like you have. One reason I think I did it pretty well is that my son has mental health issues,
And it has probably helped me in my present situation. I have a chronic illness and have become pat of a site for people like that. I am very active in the group and try to hello people.
Just like the people you serve those with chronic illness are mostly forgotten.
Many of us have 'invisible illnesses, So when we go out somewhere people say 'but you look so good'. They don't understand all the work it took for us to get to that place. And when we get home we are exhausted and in pain.
This is a soap box of mine, that has probably strayed much from your blog.
I also want to say that a lot Christians are the worst offenders.
They say thing like 'you just need more faith" or 'you must have sinned' to be so ill.
My passion is to help these people through a wonderful Christian web site.
And sometimes I get on my soapbox about it to try to inform people about us who are mostly neglected by the church as a whole.
So, next time get to know someone like this. It may take some time to find us as we are not always able to be there, and that might be the clue.
Ir someone does not have already have a passion we are a good place to start.
CAROL,
Want to know more/ check out;
www.restministries.com
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Thanks for sharing, Tracy. All I can say is thank God that folks like you and Carol have burden for these sort of folks. I love how that Lord gives each one of us a destiny, and for those that are willing to pay the price, he gives us the desires of our hearts.
And... my passion is apostolic ministry, building others; particualry youg people, Bible teaching, and prophesying.
That's an interesting question really. What ever it is, it's working it most needed magic now in my life.
I might come to realize what my passion is once life get's going again. I hope soon.
I ask for prayers for my children wisdom.
Carol, I finally got a chance this weekend to check out your website; you guys have a lot of great stuff there!
Post a Comment