Coming to 27

27 years. That’s not a very long time, but I can remember when turning 21 was like a huge achievement. It was a milestone to be 18, 21, and 25 (mainly because I count things like their quarters in a jar). 27 is just a little awkward. It’s not quite 30, thank God. But, it’s not anything special. I even have to work on my job.

There’s so much pressure to have fun on your birthday. I failed miserably to provide my wife with any kind of meaningful birthday last year. I was part of the leadership team during State Youth Convention and that meant I was cranking at 100 miles a minute on my wife’s birthday. I’m sure she was bummed. Now, it’s my turn to be bummed on my birthday.

I posted a few items that I wanted to get to start my 27th year of life with, none of which I expect to actually receive, but would love to be surprised to see in my living room on Tuesday morning. Several items are expensive, they’re things that I definitely could get some use out of, but no one I know carries that much coin. Maybe I was a little too much like the banking industry, looking for a bailout, but I was hoping for more than a high-five and a “good game” for my birthday. Oh well.

More significant things than receiving a wonderful Neue Ministry Resources Pack have happened this week. I have renewed hope in God’s faithfulness in my life, and I have a renewed perspective of where God has me at the current moment. (Not that I wouldn’t love to get the Neue Resource Pack, I just don’t expect anyone getting it for me. After all, it’s $199.)

We went to Kari Jobe’s CD release party last Tuesday night, and as the rain came down outside – drenching the road to the point we couldn’t see past our windshield wipers – I felt like more was washing away than the salt and sand from this winter’s ice preparations. She shared a story that hit home with me. She shared that she had the opportunity to release this CD over 3 years ago but felt God had given her a stop sign. She was car-hopping at Sonic that night and served a double jalapeno cheeseburger to Rebecca St. James, who happened to be someone she really admired in the music ministry. So, she went home that night and she wrote a song about trusting God’s faithfulness even when it’s hard. The song is “You Are For Me.” And her words made me weep as I stood there listening to her sing.

I know that you are for me
I know that you are for me
I know that you will never forsake me in my weakness
I know that you have come now
Even if to write upon my heart
To remind me who you are

I have listened to that song nearly a million times since that night, and every time I hear it my heart softens.  I was so broken.  I still am.  I know that God is for me, but I also know that things aren’t what they should be now.  I mean, I work for Sprint in a call center.  And, I work as a Blackberry tech and a PC Tech and a Web Developer.  All of those things I love doing, but they’re not my calling.  They’re not what God’s called me to.  He’s called me to minister to young people, to be an example of His love, and how He has plan to be mighty in their lives.  I know that He will be faithful to complete His work in me, but it’s so hard to “serve cheeseburgers”  when you’re meant to be a king maker.

I’m going to be doing a few things this week that make very little sense to me or anyone else I know, but they are things I feel God is leading me to do.  If you’re praying this week, pray that God will keep me strong and give me wisdom as I start Year 27 of this wild journey He has me on.  Thanks.