As I am now in my seventh decade on this earth I often have thoughts of “What have I accomplished”. I can remember in the days of my youth some of my friends saying they wanted certain things in life and had desires of becoming doctors, lawyers, teachers, and/or many other occupations that are desperately needed for survival on earth. Many of them have achieved their desires and have made a tremendous impact on their families and those around them.
For me all I ever wanted to accomplish in life (this was my thinking as a youth) was to play professional baseball. I didn’t really have a road map for how I was going to accomplish this. I played all of my youth and teenage years and did fairly well, played in high school and did pretty good, played in junior college and had a great season. I even had a division 1 school ask about me but I forgot one tremendously important part of pursuing my dream. I didn’t study in junior college and realized athletic ability, back in those days, didn’t get you where you needed to be. This was also a time in my life when the draft was after eligible men to become soldiers and Vietnam was the hot spot of the world.
One thing I did have going for me was that I knew the Lord personally and knew He would lead me where he wanted me to go and what He wanted me to do. I escaped the draft by joining the Air Force and because of this I met my wonderful wife who has been with me in all that I have done. After my years in the Air Force I was asked to go into the newspaper business by a friend of mine at church. Never in any of my desires did I ever want to be in sales, or a journalist, but the Lord had plans for me. Just as He told the Israelites coming out of captivity through the prophet Jeremiah in 29:11; “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Many young people plan what they want to do and succeed at it. I had no idea what I wanted to do, other than play baseball, and the Lord gave me a very successful career in the newspaper business. I am not sure that I would have chosen this career path but the Lord knew what He had in store for me. In fact not too long ago my wife asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up!
The Lord has plans for all of us. I have talked with Him all of my life and He has directed me in my paths and I am sure glad He did. I hope that you will talk with Him daily and ask for His directions. The Lord gives a road for us to follow and the only time we have troubles in our life is when we venture off His road and onto our own and I praise Him daily for allowing us to come back into His will.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for the lifetime you have allowed me to have and for the family you have given me. I pray that you will continually guide me where you want me to go and be. Amen.
