At the bottom of my emails is a quote I get something out of each time I read it. Always something else. Always new and different, depending on where I am in my life. And my life - like everyone's life - is forever changing. Always something different to focus attention on. Always different things happening. Some troublesome stuff; some good stuff. Joyful times and sad times.
But I'd better get to the quote. I want to share it with you and see how it might affect you in your life:
"The place God calls you to is the place where your
deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."
- Frederick Buechner
Over the past few years God has called me to different places, each of them exciting and wonderful. Each of them a challenge. Each of them doing good in some way. Each of them bringing me to a place that straddled my joy and the need I saw in the world. It was always a narrow place to be - a narrow part of the road God took me on. Always a narrow focus to address some very particular needs.
I wrote a book called A Firm Place to Stand in an effort to help Christian readers (both those who have mood disorders and those who need to understand them) realize that it's possible to have a mental illness, yet maintain a close relationship with God. And - in spite of having a severe mental disorder - to actually find some meaning through the living with it.
And I started Living Room, a Christian peer support ministry for people with mood disorders. It started with a group that met in my church's basement and has now grown to ten groups in Canada. I'm sure though, that there are many more groups than this, judging by the many who have ordered manuals and down-loaded them off the Living Room website.
Now, at this point of my life when I'm reaching 65, I feel God nudging me again. Nudging me to make changes in what I do with my life. I feel nudged to return to my photography. I'm a child photographer at heart and long to spend more time using this gift God has given me. I've never mentioned my photography website here but would like to invite you to have a peek at an old site that I have up. Just to share with you this joyous part of me. Please do have a look at www.candidsbymarja.com.
And so I'm praying: "Where next, dear Lord? Where should I spend my next few years? How can I best serve you at this stage of my life? Where are You calling?"
And...what does Buechner's quote say to you. Where is God calling you today?
2 comments:
Dear Marja,
This photo is so lovely! I took a quick look at the other photos on your website. They are all so nice and well taken! You are truly a gifted photographer :)
I love the quote you share. Thank God for calling you to different places at different phases of your life and making you a blessing to others as you serve Him in your various gifted ways. May our dear Lord continue to guide you and make you a blessing to others wherever He calls and place you.
I believe that in every of these places you found much joy in serving God and giving of yourself to others. And it is in giving that you are receiving and truly! This has been my experiences too.
I thank God for leading me to different places at different times too. As I looked back, I am amazed at how He has worked all things for His glory and my good, and that of His people through all the changing scenes in life.
One of the place which God has led me to and blessed me and others is to start my blog some 3 years back. It has been such a great blessing to me to get to know you and many others as I write and share about God's goodness and mercies to me in managing bipolar and other challenges. I thank God for you always! Take care and God bless you and guide you in His many wonderful ways.
With Love and Prayers,
Nancie
Yes, Nancie. And your blog has been appreciated by so many over these past three years. It has been a wonderful place to give of yourself, which you have done well.
I'm increasingly finding it harder to spend time at the computer, so 'm sorry I haven visited your blog for awhile. But I will right now.
Take care, Nancie
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