Hey You,

Just a few words of advice, if you don’t mind. Do not always view difficult circumstances as signs from God that you ought to change your direction. Most often God uses difficulties to teach us a lesson. I don’t think it’s within God’s character to push or manipulate us in a particular direction by placing us in hard circumstances. I really don’t think it’s that important whether you stay put or move on to other stuff. As you trust God make a decision, act on your decision, and live with your decision by viewing difficult circumstances as God’s teaching tools and not His means of sending you instructions. My opinion is that you already know what you want to do but you’re afraid. You’re either afraid that your desire is too grand for someone like you or it’s too fraught with difficulty to pursue. Don’t be afraid because no matter what you do on planet Earth there will be hard stuff to live through and learn from. And don’t be intimidated by your lofty dreams. I don’t think God sees our desires to serve Him as monumental tests of His abilities to realize them. He will always be pleased with you no matter what you do. I dare you to live as though that were true.

Do you remember the parable Jesus taught of the talents? A rich man gave his servants some money to invest while he was out of town. He gave to each an amount that was compatible with their ability. In their endeavor to please the master, two of the servants invested the money they were given and doubled it. They had to take some risks but in the end the master was pleased with them. The third buried his money to keep it safe and the master returned and was displeased. The third servant took the course that offered the least difficulty. Read the parable for yourself and let the Holy Spirit speak to your heart. When I read the story I asked myself why there wasn’t a fourth servant. Why wasn’t there a fourth servant who invested the master’s money and lost it all? I’ve decided that is an impossible scenario. I don’t think that what we do to serve the master with the abilities he has given us will ever have a negative return. He will be pleased and it will be profitable.

One other thing, okay? The thing I realize more and more as I watch you live is that you are your mother’s daughter. If I were you I wouldn’t expend excessive energy maintaining acceptance and a high opinion of myself from others. At best life is a mixed bag of acceptance and rejection. You will live to learn that true acceptance is given and not earned. I think you will find that when you are trying to get someone’s acceptance, you are really trying to live up to their expectations. Meeting the expectations of another is not the same as having their acceptance. In other words, the acceptance of another is outside of your control. There is nothing you can do to get others to accept you, just like there is nothing you can do to make it rain. Live free of the chains of trying to earn something that is not earned but given. I’m thinking that with God’s unconditional love and acceptance I have what I need. I’d like it if the people I work and associate with loved and accepted me. I realize however, that I don’t need it and there is nothing I can do to get it. I choose to accept others but I can’t choose for others to accept me. My advice: LIVE FREE!

Caleb