Book Review

THE CALL BY OS GUINNESS

In his book The Call Os Guinness showed me that calling in its purest form is the dreams and desires placed deep in our hearts. As Christians our goal is to live the life God has planned for us and to finally make it home. It is God’s call on our life that will show us the way and give us the path to follow to reach that ultimate goal.

Whilst reading this book I couldn’t help but agree out loud with the writer. There are several instances where his words solidified my thoughts. I became very aware of how easy it is to drift from our calling and find ourselves doing things for ourselves or for the world at large. I discovered how easy it is to use calling as a way of stroking our own egos and making things about us. It is easy to get caught up in the little things and in the details and forget what we are actually aiming for.

Listening to God’s call keeps us focused on our life’s purpose. It gives our life purpose. We are no long just surviving, just existing.

“Our gifts and destiny do not lie expressly in our parents’ wishes, our boss’ wishes, our peer group’s pressures, our generation’s prospects, or our society’s demands. Rather, we each need to know our own unique design, which is God’s design for us.”

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Finding and listening to the call on our lives makes us different. We are no long bound by society’s demands and life’s chaos. If we are running here, there and everywhere we are disjointed and fragmented. When we listen to the call we can live with purpose. We have a direction to move in. We are no longer pushed around, afloat upon the sea of material nothingness.

The final point this book brought home to me was the fact that we were called to ‘play to an audience of one’. Too often we try to live our lives to please everyone around us. We look for approval from our friends, our family, our boss, our co-workers and sometimes even strangers. When we are answering the call and we are focused on our purpose we no longer have to worry what others think of us. Of course we still need to live by society’s rules and we still need to keep our bosses happy for the income, but what we don’t need is their approval. The only approval we should seek is the approval of God. Is He happy with our effort to follow His path and answer His call to us?

holidays – what’s important?

With less than 10 days till the big day I can’t help but wonder, what’s important?

As a family we’ve recently been hit a number of blows. Financially things are pretty tough. Thankfully my bills are paid, my heat is on, we have food in our cupboard so we are truly blessed in that sense. Why isn’t that enough? Why am I worrying about what gifts I’m going to have for the children? What I’m going to serve for Christmas day? How am I going to be able to send the care package I have to Australia? How am I going to send out my Christmas cards? My car broke down yesterday and the money I had put aside for my daughter’s gifts is now going to be used for a new battery. Not much of a present for her, but something we can’t do without. On top of all that I find out that the bank has charged me overdraft fees because a check I put in the bank didn’t clear until the following day. I might as well have just taken the $20 bills and burnt them.

Through all of this I’m worried, confused, angry, hurt just to name a couple of the feelings and emotions I’ve been feeling. Legitimate feelings & emotions you bet. Now here comes the hard part, choosing to believe that our ever faithful God will be there and will provide what we need. The hardest part is not the believing, not the faith, but the what we need part. Do I need to spend hundreds of dollars on presents that won’t be used, appreciated or even wanted? Do I need to have countless side dishes and choices of meats on Christmas day? No I don’t! What I do need is a filling meal, the love of my family, a warm house, & time with the Lord. What I need is a true appreciation of why we celebrate Christmas. What I need is cuddles from my son and my daughter, time to snuggle with my husband, laughter & giggles that create memories that can’t break or be lost.

I’m truly amazed at my daughter during this time. Since Grandpa’s death she no longer has the opportunity to earn money, yet the small amount she does have she wants to give to me. She choose to give up one of her Christmas gifts so we could go and buy a gift for a little girl off the Angel Tree. She tells me she doesn’t want any presents and that she knows we’re still going to have a good time on Christmas. Now this little 8 year old girl has got it together, far better than her mom. She has faith and she has her priorities all in the right order. What an example she is!

During this holiday season I’m learning that what’s important is taking the time to say Merry Christmas to the frazzled shop clerk, giving up the prized parking space to someone else, taking the time just is absorb the colored lights and the Christmas carols. What’s important can’t be bought in any store and can’t be found under any tree. What’s important is knowing that I have been given the gift of grace. It’s knowing that the birth of a baby changed the world and it changed me. What’s important is knowing that this life is temporary and that I can look forward to a time when I won’t have to worry about anything, where there won’t be any pain, won’t be any tears. All of this because a Father choose to give the greatest gift of all, the gift of His Son, the gift of salvation.