Since 2005 I have been on a journey of discovery and growth. It has been the most incredible journey, it has had the makings of any great adventure. Drama, anticipation, suspense, heartache and lots of laughs too. It was up until then that I was living on auto pilot. I was doing good “stuff”, staying in love with a hubby, raising a family, progressing in my job, serving in my church, but there was this growing disharmony and then life happened. Suddenly everything I once took for granted was questioned and put to the light and nothing was certain anymore.
I came to the edge of the cliff of my life and suddenly as I looked in front of me, there was a huge gap and a whole lot of mist. I knew that this road had come to an end, I couldn’t keep on going on like this. There was a huge internal crisis going on and I was looking for something solid to hold on to. As with all moments of crisis I wanted, no, I had to know who I was and how I fitted in to this picture. What on earth was I here for? What was my purpose? What was this all about?
Around about that time I got a book called the Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson. It is a very clever little book that is written in parable format. I think I read it in one sitting and as I journeyed with the character I really felt like it came alive, it felt like my story.
This is a story of a young man named Ordinary, a Nobody who leaves the Land of Familiar in pursuit of his Big Dream. He has to face a wall of fear, border bullies, and a wilderness.
In order to start discovering and living in that purpose, Ordinary has to LEAVE the land of familiar. If you look at God’s Pattern of Change in the Word, you will see that there has to be a leaving before there is an Entering into.
“We enter life through birth, and leave though death. We leave the womb, and enter infancy; leave infancy and enter childhood; leave childhood and enter adolescence – and so it goes throughout life.”
Book by Edwin Louis Cole – Facing the Challenge of Crisis and Change.
Here are some lessons I have learnt at the cliff’s edge:
Trust – it reveals our heart concerning how we see and relate to God, do we see him as a harsh and cold God or is He our faithful loving Father.
Obedience – How submitted are you to His call? When it starts to be uncomfortable how quickly do you want to pull the plug, are you willing to suffer a little for your passion?
Capacity – you will learn that you have a greater capacity than you realize.
Passion – The Latin word Passion is To SUFFER. Many people say they are passionate until something is required of them. If you are passionate about something you will be willing to suffer for it joyfully.
Rest – This is a deep trust and security that settles over your heart, that peace that transcends understanding
