List for the future

When I came back from DC, I felt so blessed -- blessed by people's generosity with their time, their experiences, their resources, and their influence.  I was honored and humbled that these folks I'd admired for so long would spend time with a nobody from Arkansas.  I don't have a title.  I don't have a position in any fancy church.  There's nothing that I can do for them -- but they were generous and giving with everything they had.  I was (and am) so grateful.

As I shared how grateful I was with one of my friends, she said, "Sarah, I think you need to remember how you feel right now.  Remember how grateful you are.  Remember how blessed you were by their generosity.  I really feel like you're going to be in a position to share your wisdom and experiences with others someday, and I think you need to remember what that feels like on the receiving side now before you get in the position to be on the giving side."

From one perspective -- the one I'm living now where I just have a God dream and a day job and no inclination that I'll ever really be in position to be on the giving side -- my friend's suggestion seems sort of silly and foolish and like it's crazy.   However, when Emily said that, her suggestion resonated with my Spirit immediately and I just somehow sensed that she was right.

After I'd had time to think, pray, and process through her suggestion, I sat down with my journal and  asked the Lord to help me make a list of things I would do when I was someday in a position to share my wisdom with others.  Here's the list that emerged.

When I am in a position to share what I have, I will

1. Be generous with my time, inviting those who are interested to come and learn.
2. Invest in others to make myself completely replaceable.
3. Affirm the callings of others.
4. Train my staff to be generous with our time, talent, and treasure.
5. Share with others what I've learned via writing (book, blog, etc).
6. Leverage connections on behalf of others.  Connect people when and how I can.
7. Make everything open-source and share generously with the resources we create.
8. Use my influence to advance the causes of the disadvantaged.

This list came as quickly as I could write -- probably in less than 10 minutes.  This list shocked me, both in its specificity and in some of what it said (I'll have a staff?!  Writing books?! REALLY?!?!?!).  After I praying about it, discussing the list with a few close friends, and really spending time asking God "are you sure this isn't my own imagination?", I think this list is from God -- so now I am putting the list out there.  I am believing by faith that I will somehow, one day do all of these things.

It seems crazy.  I don't see how it is possible.  I cannot see a path for how this will possibly happen.

In the meantime, I am working to be faithful with the resources I have now.  I am writing more in my blog to establish a writing habit and a writing voice (#5).  For those in my spheres of influence, I work to speak life into their lives and affirm their calling (#3).  I am learning to be generous with my own time right now (#1).

I am praying God takes my humble seed of obedience, and grows it into something big and beautiful and of His creation and for His glory. I don't need, expect, or even want credit.  It's all because of and for Jesus.  To Him alone be the glory.