The New Long-Term Plan
I posted about a week ago about a meeting I had with my boss regarding the long-term goals for my career. As I mentioned in the post, I hadn't really considered that topic very much lately, so it was kind of jarring to suddenly be asked the question.
Since then, I have been thinking about it a lot. I mean, abnormally a lot. I keep wondering what God's plan is for me and my family. I also keep thinking that it is probably something larger than just working my days at a printing plant. Don't get me wrong, I love my job, but I always felt like God wanted me on the frontlines of ministry.
During this time I also started thinking about what kind of job I would truly love. Not just a job I would tolerate and go to, but really love. There are a select few I can think of: journalist, youth pastor, anything related to videogames, or a camp site director.
As you may notice, none of those are related to the printing industry. Nice work on that degree Nick. Idiot.
Oh well, I think I can still pursue those other dreams when the time is right. I really feel like God is pushing me towards ministry which leads me to think it's either youth pastor or camp site director. Jamie and I have always said we wanted to be site directors at a Methodist camp in Wisconsin in the future, but we didn't really know the path to get there. The site directors we have always worked with were usually far older than us and we assumed they had a laundry list of qualifications to get that position.
The more I dig into it though, the more I am realizing that is probably not true. The qualifications to run a camp are fairly simple: have a passion for your work, keep the camp in the black, and make it a refuge where people can encounter God. I think I can handle that.
More importantly, Jamie and I are already pretty well skilled in running camps. With Jamie's degree in Recreational Programming and both of our backgrounds of working at camps, I really think we need to start considering if this is where God wants us.
I emailed the head of all the UMC camps in Wisconsin yesterday to see what other qualifications we might need. There is a certification we can get through Drew University in New Jersey, but other than that, she made it sound like she thought we were reasonable candidates as well.
Once the baby is born we'll have to look into that certification. One thing at a time right now though...
3 comments:
One thing I've been learning lately is to dream big about what God wants to do with me and not limit Him in any way. I posted about it in my blog here: http://www.timschmoyer.com/2005/11/21/rethinking-my-dream-for-ministry/
Maybe God is calling you to do something new and unique by combining youth ministry with camp and video games.
Someone asked me this question last month, which I'll now ask you: If you could do anything in the world and finances, time, and resources were not an issue, what would you do? And then ask if it's possible for God to somehow take care of any limits and boundaries.
I am currently using my videogame prowess (if there is such a thing) in my small group ministry. 1 hour of Bible study/1 hour of videogames each week with senior high guys is a big hit with my small group.
As for what I could do if all the other factors were not, well, factors? I honestly don't know. See, I have this nagging suspicion that God has something bigger planned than what I can just dream up. Maybe it's right where I am, and maybe it's running a camp. I won't know until I really feel a calling I guess.
Thanks for the comment. I'll be reading your stuff from now on. Sounds like we have a lot in common.
Yeah, I'm in the same place you are. There's something bigger I feel God calling me toward, but I'm not sure what it is yet. I'm doing my best to dream without placing limitations on what He wants to do with me, but so far I kinda feel like I'm still waiting for some of the puzzle peices of the big picture to come together.
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