Had been asking myself today, "What really am I passionate about?" Something that Hanhui asked me a few years ago. That time, I really wasn't sure, but now thank God, I'm more sure now what I like, and what I am passionate about.
It IS a big blessing to know your passion... but an even greater blessing to be a child of God with a passion, because, in Eric Liddell's words, when you do what God made you to do, you "feel His pleasure". =D
I've been thinking. Think one of the passions God has given me is story-telling.
I've always loved telling stories. I really love them. The main reason I started reading the Bible when I was a little kid was because Jesus' stories were so captivating, and not just that - the story of Jesus' life Himself was so enthralling, it made me start wondering, "Who is this Man?"
Tracing back, I realise I always have loved listening to Pastor Johannes' sermons. His stories are very real, and at the same time, excellent. His moving stories never fail to touch my heart - sometimes I have to wipe the tears away from my eyes. And I still remember some of his stories from 10 years ago.
And a story has great power. It has the potential to move hearts. It can encourage souls. It can stir the spirit. My biggest dream is to tell children all over the world beautiful stories. Stories to make them dream too. Stories of worlds yet unknown. Stories to power their imaginations.
And I do feel His pleasure in me when I tell stories. Hee. Thank God for Ruey Fong, Sharon and Shuyi who encouraged me, telling me that I can tell stories very well. And thank God for the children on HopeTots who are willing to listen haha...
So, let's look at the article below, and think together how God can help us translate our natural God-given passions into something that will bear fruit to eternity. :)
1. What is your mission in life?
Christ has commanded us in Matthew 22:37-38 to, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." Then he added the second greatest commandment: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Therefore, the question becomes "What specifically can I do to serve God and others? The "what" question determines our mission in life. There are literally thousands of "what" things to do for Christ and others. My mission is to help people resolve conflicts within their most important relationships (e.g., spiritual, family, marital, business).
By choosing their own "what" with the purpose of serving others, teens will find a higher degree of motivation in life, and a greater desire to find a school or training institute to start learning the knowledge necessary to serve others skillfully. When a teen's motivation to study in school is low, usually it's because the teen has little or no idea of what he wants to do later in life. Help him choose the serving question (what), and watch him get excited. You'll see a more intense and motivated son or daughter.
The "what" question is not the "how" question. It's very important to choose these two areas separately and in order. The "what" or mission is an over-all theme or broad area like "helping people who are sick." The "How" includes any one of hundreds of ways to get our mission accomplished. If our mission in life is to help people who are sick, the next question will help in choosing the method or specific way of getting our mission accomplished.
2. What method will you use to accomplish your mission? Here is where we get much more specific. Here is also where we choose the type of schooling or specific training we need to accomplish our mission. For example, if our mission is to help people who are suffering physically, we may like to choose any one of many vocations: doctor, dentist, nurse, physical therapist, hospital administrator, pharmacist, or relief worker.
The list can be a mile long. But with a clear mission in our minds, our motivation to find the best place to learn how to get our mission done greatly increases. Our ability to listen and learn increases. Our intensity, our creativity, our enthusiasm for whatever it takes to succeed increases. The joy of serving comes alive with a clear mission and method to accomplish our mission.
Examples of Life-Missions
Helping others with their physical pain …
Helping people find shelter, such as a house, that they will enjoy …
Selling products that protect people's eyes, ears, etc …
Protecting others from world enemies …
Building places for people to live or work, such as homes or offices …
Making products that ease others' load in some way …
Planting food to feed people or selling food …
Designing or creating products that get others where they want to go …
Selling products to maintain a person's house or business …
Bringing others enjoyment and encouragement, like being an actor or speaker …
Helping people figure out how to love and honor each other more.
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