Your future intentions?

[Dr Doughboy]

73% of Americans say it’s important to pursue greater purpose and meaning in life, yet only 25% have a clear sense of their purpose in life. What is your purpose? What brings you the most meaning in your life? Do you have a calling in life? Would you say you are living a fulfilled, significant life? What kind of a legacy are you leaving? In interviewing 18 Christian leaders and 5 students within the educational sphere, most people found their meaning and purpose in their relationship with God and family. Yet surprisingly the majority of them discovered that the greatest satisfaction and fulfillment in their lives came through exercising their calling and passing on their passions, knowledge, beliefs and values to others. These generative expressions of teaching, caring, loving, serving, leading, guiding and intentionally investing in others with their time, talents, and resources provided the context of their legacy.

After 7 years of completing my PhD in leadership studies and writing my dissertation on these topics, I am very interested in your perspectives. I just completed an online course to help answer some of these most difficult questions and help people figure out their “why” in life and practically turn this introspection into an action plan. I am now translating the content of this course into book format, so your thoughts would be timely and helpful!

 

[WalterandDebbie]

73% of Americans say it’s important to pursue greater purpose and meaning in life, yet only 25% have a clear sense of their purpose in life. What is your purpose? What brings you the most meaning in your life? Do you have a calling in life? Would you say you are living a fulfilled, significant life? What kind of a legacy are you leaving? In interviewing 18 Christian leaders and 5 students within the educational sphere, most people found their meaning and purpose in their relationship with God and family. Yet surprisingly the majority of them discovered that the greatest satisfaction and fulfillment in their lives came through exercising their calling and passing on their passions, knowledge, beliefs and values to others. These generative expressions of teaching, caring, loving, serving, leading, guiding and intentionally investing in others with their time, talents, and resources provided the context of their legacy.

After 7 years of completing my PhD in leadership studies and writing my dissertation on these topics, I am very interested in your perspectives. I just completed an online course to help answer some of these most difficult questions and help people figure out their “why” in life and practically turn this introspection into an action plan. I am now translating the content of this course into book format, so your thoughts would be timely and helpful!

Hello Dr. Doughboy, Great post, I think all of what a person does for Christ will last, do you agree?


Love, Walter

 

[Dr Doughboy]

Hello Dr. Doughboy, Great post, I think all of what a person does for Christ will last, do you agree?


Love, Walter

I totally agree Walter. Everyone is leaving a legacy...good or bad...that generations to come will be influenced by, but most important is how we have loved and served Christ back. I remember working at a Chicken Coop restaurant as a teenager where the motto hung on the wall "Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last." This is a powerfull poem in its entirety.

Only One Life
C.T. Studd​

Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgment seat;
Only one life,’ twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years, Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its days I must fulfill, living for self or in His will;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore, When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way, Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep, In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, “twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say, “Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call, I know I’ll say ’twas worth it all”;
Only one life,’ twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

 

[Dr Doughboy]

I totally agree Walter. Everyone is leaving a legacy...good or bad...that generations to come will be influenced by, but most important is how we have loved and served Christ back. I remember working at a Chicken Coop restaurant as a teenager where the motto hung on the wall "Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last." This is a powerful poem in its entirety.

Only One Life​

C.T. Studd​

Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgment seat;
Only one life,’ twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years, Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its days I must fulfill, living for self or in His will;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore, When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way, Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep, In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, “twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say, “Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call, I know I’ll say ’twas worth it all”;
Only one life,’ twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

 

[Dr Doughboy]

I joke with my kids that if ever I were to get a tattoo it would read: "living life to the fullest....no regrets." This is another powerful, sobering reminder and challenge in how we use our time--from the 1800's:

A Dying Mans Regrets

www.gracegems.org

 

[Dr Doughboy]

I joke with my kids that if ever I were to get a tattoo it would read: "living life to the fullest....no regrets." This article is another powerful, sobering reminder and challenge in how we use our time--from the 1800's:

A Dying Mans Regrets

www.gracegems.org

 

[Hidden In Him]

73% of Americans say it’s important to pursue greater purpose and meaning in life, yet only 25% have a clear sense of their purpose in life. What is your purpose? What brings you the most meaning in your life? Do you have a calling in life? Would you say you are living a fulfilled, significant life? What kind of a legacy are you leaving? In interviewing 18 Christian leaders and 5 students within the educational sphere, most people found their meaning and purpose in their relationship with God and family. Yet surprisingly the majority of them discovered that the greatest satisfaction and fulfillment in their lives came through exercising their calling and passing on their passions, knowledge, beliefs and values to others. These generative expressions of teaching, caring, loving, serving, leading, guiding and intentionally investing in others with their time, talents, and resources provided the context of their legacy.

After 7 years of completing my PhD in leadership studies and writing my dissertation on these topics, I am very interested in your perspectives. I just completed an online course to help answer some of these most difficult questions and help people figure out their “why” in life and practically turn this introspection into an action plan. I am now translating the content of this course into book format, so your thoughts would be timely and helpful!

Oh my goodness! You're dead on, in my opinion, as I will elaborate on in a second. I have often wondered just how many believers know their specific callings. I read from similar writers who asked large auditoriums full of Christians if they knew, and the numbers were not high. Dear Heavens do I feel blessed in knowing mine! I have never departed from it, despite also having musical talents that pastors thought was my calling, but my greatest gift has always been as a Bible Study writer and teacher. It is what gives me the most joy in life by far. In fact, my wife commented just yesterday that I'm a different person when I'm writing; happier, and I seem to be enjoying life more, and I think this may be one of the ways we can tell when we have found it.

Anyway, I have zero doubts about what God called me to and created me for, and it is my ultimate source of joy in life. It's hard work to do it right, and I have allowed myself to be separated from it for brief periods in the past, but I think I've learned my lesson at this point, and now intend on never letting anything get between me and my calling ever again.

If you have any specific questions that would be helpful to your work, let me know.

God bless, and welcome to CF.net.
Hidden In Him

 

[Hidden In Him]

I joke with my kids that if ever I were to get a tattoo it would read: "living life to the fullest....no regrets." This is another powerful, sobering reminder and challenge in how we use our time--from the 1800's:

A Dying Mans Regrets

www.gracegems.org

This is a good piece. I will try to read the rest later, but I like the following, and where he is obviously leading:

We for ourselves a certain ideal of Christian life, of Christian activity, and of a Christian ministry — and to attach to our ideal certain plans and methods, and we are satisfied with ourselves only if we can attain to the realization of them. It is, then, of importance to make the best plans, and to seek the best methods possible for their execution. All this is undoubtedly very good; but there is a great defect at the root of it: SELF — hidden self — which is so deeply rooted in the heart, and but too evidently appears in our best and purest works.

What I should wish, would be to form the plan of my life, and of my daily conduct, not according to my own ideas, nor my own feelings — but according to the commandments of God, to His inward witness, to the guiding of His Spirit, and to the outward direction He gives to our life.

My ideas of the manner in which I would regulate my life will be easily understood by those who reflect upon the way in which Jesus regulated His. We do not find in Jesus those plans and methods that have so much occupied many good people, and have often perplexed them, and taken up a considerable part of their time which might have been better employed. But what do we find?

We find a man (I consider Him here as the Son of man) who has no other wish than to accomplish the mission He has received from the Father, and who has no other plan than to enter into the plans of the Father — so that, with His eyes constantly fixed upon Him, He is only occupied in listening to His voice, that He may follow its directions, and to discern His will, in order to execute it.

The works of Jesus Christ are prepared for Him one after another, and set by God before Him on His way, following each other so naturally, and arising so easily one out of another, that they never occasioned any confusion, even in the busiest days of His ministry...