As I was striding along the streets of my neighborhood this morning before daylight, a stray thought entered my mind, and as is so often the case, it has become the subject of one of my blogs.
I drove a "big brown Bessie" for United Parcel Service for twenty years, (and I have questioned whether if I had to do it over again, knowing what I do now, whether I would).
I still remember the location of my first package delivery in the late 70's. It was a large aluminum sided warehouse on the corner of Highway 60 and Main Street in Bartow, Florida; my hometown. I still recall the location of my last package delivery in the late 90's. It was a house on Diamond Road on the outskirts of Winter Haven, Florida, and interestingly enough (at least to me) in the Shadow Wood community in which I then, and still currently reside.
And as I "fleshed out" my latest blog in my "mind's eye," it occurred to me that the first and last stop in my UPS driving career is so metaphorical of life and destiny, itself. Each and every one of us will experience a proverbial first and last stop.
And honestly, while I know "it is appointed unto man once to die," I am more taken up with my first and last stops in the fulfillment of my personal destiny, or calling. For you see, I'm convinced that all believers are called to do something tangible for the Kingdom of God.
Just after I came to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, a full half century hence, I co-founded a local outpost of "Royal Rangers," in central Florida; an international boys program similar to Boy Scouts, but with a spiritual emphasis. A few years later, I co-founded another group of Rangers in Northern Virginia. Thankfully, both groups are still going strong.
Over the succeeding years, I spent a couple of years in the role of associate pastor in an Alabama church, worked as a children's pastor in churches in Pennsylvania, and Florida, have done group work in the fields of Codependency and Addictions, have preached sermons and sung solos, have been employed as an adjunct professor in a local university, and have, for the past quarter of a century, ministered as a pastoral counselor in several different locations. And now, at the advanced age of 70, I am about to take on an additional ministry, and will be providing a mentoring program to women newly released from prison.
I have wondered whether, perhaps, the final item on the preceding list might be the last in a series of ministries in which I will be privileged to participate on this side of glory. Whether or not this is "my final stop," in the fulfillment of my individual calling, before my destiny becomes my legacy, I pray that I might run well, and go right on influencing those whom God has set in my pathway; as long as He sees fit to keep me here.
Every day I pray, "Lord, don't let me somehow miss out or neglect the remainder of my destiny." I am convinced that He will honor my prayer.
by William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from (Mc)Donald's Daily Diary, Vol. 88. Copyright pending
If you would like to copy, share or save, please include the credit line, above
And honestly, while I know "it is appointed unto man once to die," I am more taken up with my first and last stops in the fulfillment of my personal destiny, or calling. For you see, I'm convinced that all believers are called to do something tangible for the Kingdom of God.
Just after I came to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, a full half century hence, I co-founded a local outpost of "Royal Rangers," in central Florida; an international boys program similar to Boy Scouts, but with a spiritual emphasis. A few years later, I co-founded another group of Rangers in Northern Virginia. Thankfully, both groups are still going strong.
Over the succeeding years, I spent a couple of years in the role of associate pastor in an Alabama church, worked as a children's pastor in churches in Pennsylvania, and Florida, have done group work in the fields of Codependency and Addictions, have preached sermons and sung solos, have been employed as an adjunct professor in a local university, and have, for the past quarter of a century, ministered as a pastoral counselor in several different locations. And now, at the advanced age of 70, I am about to take on an additional ministry, and will be providing a mentoring program to women newly released from prison.
I have wondered whether, perhaps, the final item on the preceding list might be the last in a series of ministries in which I will be privileged to participate on this side of glory. Whether or not this is "my final stop," in the fulfillment of my individual calling, before my destiny becomes my legacy, I pray that I might run well, and go right on influencing those whom God has set in my pathway; as long as He sees fit to keep me here.
Every day I pray, "Lord, don't let me somehow miss out or neglect the remainder of my destiny." I am convinced that He will honor my prayer.
by William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from (Mc)Donald's Daily Diary, Vol. 88. Copyright pending
If you would like to copy, share or save, please include the credit line, above
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