I decided when I was seventeen years old; I wanted to go to Australia, to a discipleship training school. The reaction, “You want to do what?”
After working in the marketing and advertising world for four years, I decided I wanted to get into law enforcement. I heard it loudly, “You want to do what?” I say loudly because it rang like a bell in my ear.
I met Kelli. Eight months, I bought a ring. Eight more months, I proposed. When I talked with the few about my choice to follow where I felt God calling me, marriage, you know what I heard the most, “You want to do what?”
Kelli and I were living in a small apartment. We wanted to follow God’s tug on our heart to have children. We did. Although nobody flat out asked the question this time, it was pretty obvious what some of the thoughts were.
Couple things to clarify. I have always had support too. I also don’t want to give the impression that the question is a bad one; its not.
I want to question the motivation for asking the question.
Why did my mom ask the question when I told her I was going to Australia? Because, she is a mom; duh! I know her heart was thinking, “is this the best thing for my son, will he be safe, will he grow from this, will he be a better person for it?” I also know (and since it is my mom and everyone knows she is the sweetest and greatest in the whole world, I know she won’t mind me saying so) there is an enemy who twists and deceives. That is why my mom also felt a sense of abandonment and rejection. She asked the question many times. A great testimony to her faith, she didn’t allow the deception to take over. She supported me, unconditionally, full of love.
Not everyone has the same level of blind faith that my mom does. I know I struggle at times to have that same faith. I think about, now that I am a father, what I would say if Mac one day grows up to be me. I, sadly, am not sure I would handle it with the same grace, faith and love that my parents did.
We just got back from a trip to England. Yes, with Mac (now one and a half). Trust me, people asked the question when I told them I wanted to take the trip with and for Mac. I am more than happy to share a cup of coffee (or a pint of good ale) with you and show you the pictures, visually answering that question.
What is your motivation in thinking, and sometimes asking, “You want to do what?” Ask in love, ask at God’s direction; don’t be deceived.
Don’t allow yourself to be deceived when someone asks the question. Search out God’s will, not your own, not the questioner’s.
Why did I write this? I get asked this question a lot. I guess I am not the stereotypical anything. Sometimes I get upset and frustrated with people who ask this question ignorantly. Sometimes I struggle to remember what I write and believe. Sometimes I allow myself to be deceived. Sometimes I need to be reminded; God is a very good God, full of love and grace. His will is above the questioner’s, the deceiver’s, and above my own.
What people questioned: money, time, health, schedules, etc.
They also asked why.
I wanted to take Mac to England because I knew we would have fun.
We had a lot of fun.
The etc. doesn’t matter.