One of the great things about Urbana is that they look for people who have ideas and are interested in starting their own thing. This "thing" could be a campaign, a club, or a business. They want to see what people are thinking about starting and want to support them. With this in mind, I went to the place where I could tell my ideas to the people who ran that workshop and get some advice and answers to some of the questions I had. I knew that my vision was going to be a long term one but I still wanted to be prepared and make sure that my idea was feasible. Please bear with me while I be vague in the rest of this post as I do not want to explain my idea... as it is a business idea, I don't want to have anything leak onto the internet until I am ready for it to happen.
I found the guy that I wanted to talk to but he was about to partake in a presentation, so I was asked to wait until it was over before I could discuss about my idea. I waited 15 minutes and then we sat down to talk. For the first two minutes, he listened intently as I explained my ideas. After he thought he knew where I was going, he interrupted me and just gave me some generic response. He then continued to suggest and "advise" me on things that I hadn't asked for (because I already knew them) and thus added to my frustration. Then we noticed that there was an older man who was waiting on the side to speak to him, and the guy I was talking to started to stand up with a conclusive, "So does this answer your question?". I was really disappointed and I felt that he had been rude to me. I hadn't finished explaining my idea and it seemed like he didn't care. What if I hadn't finished asking my questions? In fact, he didn't even answer one of my bigger questions. I felt that I had been cheated of my time - I waited 15 minutes for a 5 minute talk with some guy who didn't even give me his full attention. It felt like he was looking down upon my idea and thought that I wasn't ready to know the answer to my question, so he told me to do something else instead. I was so disappointed in him because I thought that he could have put more effort into talking to me as I did request time from him previously, and because that's what he was supposed to be there for.
But as much as I was frustrated with the response I got from him (or lack of one), I realized that what the guy had told me was true and still helpful even if the way he delivered it felt rude and not what I wanted to hear. What he told me to do instead of my idea (which was something in the long term), was to start something in the short term. To go for a simpler task that is closer to home. He didn't say this part but I recon that he wanted me to do this because it will give me the experience I need to accomplish my long term goal and will show me if I am capable and have what it takes to take on this kind of vision. If it works in the short term, that's great. If not, I would still have gained valuable experience and I can keep trying or look for something else to do.
Perhaps it was better that he was rude to me and that there was someone else waiting to talk to him or else I would have persisted and kept trying to fight him on his suggestion. I would have probably tried to logically reason him into thinking the way I did so that I could feel right about my own thoughts and plan of action. Then it would have been embarrassing if he said something to put me down further. So I guess that him being rude by standing up and getting ready to end our conversation was the best way to convey to me that there is no short cut and that I need to focus on the now, rather than doing nothing until the time comes to start my long term goal. At least he did answer one of my most critical questions - which was if there was a need for what I wanted to do, and his answer was yes. Although he didn't answer my question that related to my long term vision, I'm sure that I can get this answer from another source when the time comes that I need that answer. Sometimes I just need to be patient and not get ahead of myself. I need to focus on what I can do now, and not what I will do too far down my future.
In the end, this conference has strengthened what I believe to be my "calling". I gained a lot of information from the seminars I went to, and even found out that someone else I knew had the same vision as I did. It's incredible because a speaker at a seminar I went to told us that many people ask God for "signs" to show them that this is what He wants them to do. But that is very irrational and can be biased and skewed. What we should do instead, is use our brains that God gave us and discern with the information we know, the experiences we've had, the skills we currently possess or are working on, and match them with opportunities that arise. If all of these things are present, then that is a clear indication that we are on the right track. God isn't going to send somebody who has no musical background or knowledge to lead worship, nor does He expect to you move to Africa if He doesn't provide an opportunity for you to do so. For me, this conference has shown that what I have in mind right now and what I have come up with so far seems to match up with my skills and abilities, the knowledge I currently possess and will continue to gather, and some opportunities have already come up that match what I want to do. As the speaker said, "you don't need a calling to do work for God. Everybody is supposed to be working to spread the gospel and you just need to do it in your own way (with your abilities, opportunities, etc). "
If you have time, please check out the video at this link. It was sent to me by a friend, and possible future business partner. It's a sneak peek into what I am interested in.
New year = New verses for my description!
These are the old verses I had:
I also read Acts 11 & 12 today. Acts 11 talks about being able to kill and eat meat that was once thought of as impure. Check out verses 15-18,
I found the guy that I wanted to talk to but he was about to partake in a presentation, so I was asked to wait until it was over before I could discuss about my idea. I waited 15 minutes and then we sat down to talk. For the first two minutes, he listened intently as I explained my ideas. After he thought he knew where I was going, he interrupted me and just gave me some generic response. He then continued to suggest and "advise" me on things that I hadn't asked for (because I already knew them) and thus added to my frustration. Then we noticed that there was an older man who was waiting on the side to speak to him, and the guy I was talking to started to stand up with a conclusive, "So does this answer your question?". I was really disappointed and I felt that he had been rude to me. I hadn't finished explaining my idea and it seemed like he didn't care. What if I hadn't finished asking my questions? In fact, he didn't even answer one of my bigger questions. I felt that I had been cheated of my time - I waited 15 minutes for a 5 minute talk with some guy who didn't even give me his full attention. It felt like he was looking down upon my idea and thought that I wasn't ready to know the answer to my question, so he told me to do something else instead. I was so disappointed in him because I thought that he could have put more effort into talking to me as I did request time from him previously, and because that's what he was supposed to be there for.
But as much as I was frustrated with the response I got from him (or lack of one), I realized that what the guy had told me was true and still helpful even if the way he delivered it felt rude and not what I wanted to hear. What he told me to do instead of my idea (which was something in the long term), was to start something in the short term. To go for a simpler task that is closer to home. He didn't say this part but I recon that he wanted me to do this because it will give me the experience I need to accomplish my long term goal and will show me if I am capable and have what it takes to take on this kind of vision. If it works in the short term, that's great. If not, I would still have gained valuable experience and I can keep trying or look for something else to do.
Perhaps it was better that he was rude to me and that there was someone else waiting to talk to him or else I would have persisted and kept trying to fight him on his suggestion. I would have probably tried to logically reason him into thinking the way I did so that I could feel right about my own thoughts and plan of action. Then it would have been embarrassing if he said something to put me down further. So I guess that him being rude by standing up and getting ready to end our conversation was the best way to convey to me that there is no short cut and that I need to focus on the now, rather than doing nothing until the time comes to start my long term goal. At least he did answer one of my most critical questions - which was if there was a need for what I wanted to do, and his answer was yes. Although he didn't answer my question that related to my long term vision, I'm sure that I can get this answer from another source when the time comes that I need that answer. Sometimes I just need to be patient and not get ahead of myself. I need to focus on what I can do now, and not what I will do too far down my future.
In the end, this conference has strengthened what I believe to be my "calling". I gained a lot of information from the seminars I went to, and even found out that someone else I knew had the same vision as I did. It's incredible because a speaker at a seminar I went to told us that many people ask God for "signs" to show them that this is what He wants them to do. But that is very irrational and can be biased and skewed. What we should do instead, is use our brains that God gave us and discern with the information we know, the experiences we've had, the skills we currently possess or are working on, and match them with opportunities that arise. If all of these things are present, then that is a clear indication that we are on the right track. God isn't going to send somebody who has no musical background or knowledge to lead worship, nor does He expect to you move to Africa if He doesn't provide an opportunity for you to do so. For me, this conference has shown that what I have in mind right now and what I have come up with so far seems to match up with my skills and abilities, the knowledge I currently possess and will continue to gather, and some opportunities have already come up that match what I want to do. As the speaker said, "you don't need a calling to do work for God. Everybody is supposed to be working to spread the gospel and you just need to do it in your own way (with your abilities, opportunities, etc). "
If you have time, please check out the video at this link. It was sent to me by a friend, and possible future business partner. It's a sneak peek into what I am interested in.
New year = New verses for my description!
These are the old verses I had:
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
- Romans 12:2
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
The new ones are Psalm 143:10, Philippians 4:12, and Matthew 11:28. I have chosen these verses as they have been with me this past year and I want to remember them for the new. Previously, I wanted to focus myself on trying to be brave in living in the way that God would approve - instead of living the way society wants us to live. This year, I want to focus on following God's path for me in my life, and learning to be content no matter the situation. I want to be able to fully trust my life in God's hands - to know that saying "yes" to Him means giving up my desires for my life, but knowing that the life God wants for me will be so much greater and so much more satisfying than anything I could ever plan for myself.
I also read Acts 11 & 12 today. Acts 11 talks about being able to kill and eat meat that was once thought of as impure. Check out verses 15-18,
“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
So this explains why God's people are not just the Jews anymore, it's anyone who accepts the Holy Spirit into their lives through repentance and baptism. The end of chapter 11 also marks when the disciples started being called "Christians". Chapter 12 talks about how Peter was captured by Herod and the church prayed for him. Then an angel came and helped him escape! At the end of the chapter, Herod dies after being struck down by an angel because he didn't praise God when his people thought he was the voice of a god.
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