Vision and Purpose - day 1 - Jacob Powell

This week, we are journeying into our vision and purpose. Forgive me if each time I speak of our vision’s that I do not always defer it to God’s vision for us. I believe for those that are seeking and living in accordance with His good and purpose that His vision becomes our vision. So go with me…
It is truly interesting that we are going through some of the most difficult challenges that our families have encountered. If you break your arm, you have a cast made for it and you deal with it. If you are caught speeding and receive a ticket (unless you are Cheri), you grumble under your breath for a few days, you pay for it, and you move on. Yet in the book of Proverbs, it says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish; but happy is he who keeps the law” (Pr. 29:18). My soul longs and cries out for the vision of the Lord – a dream, purpose and vision!
Sometimes, I go to the kitchen and meander around, grazing for sustenance, I suppose. I walk this way, pause, and turn around and walk that way. The feeling of unproductive hunting overcomes me, and I think, “Why can’t I just know what I want before I even come into the kitchen?” It is such a useless feeling to be without clear direction. What did Moses feel like after he fled from Egypt and became a shepherd for 40 years? A number like that haunts me; to think that it is possible to wrestle through feelings, doubts, fears, and past scars for forty years is such a suppressive thought.
Can I confess something? I am in a wilderness unlike any I have experienced before. No, I am not necessarily complaining. Nor am I saying that God is far away. On the contrary, I sense His closeness in a new way. I am thankful for that. But the truth remains: questions such as, “what are you doing with us, Lord? Where are we headed? What is our purpose, specifically,” invade our minds.
Therefore, I am going to share with you a process, and I hope that you will join us this week on the adventure towards claiming a vision and dream – such a refreshing word! Each day, there will be simple questions that are not really that simple to fill. It is called the Dream Test, a passage from a book that a mentor of mine gave me this week. Enjoy…
“The first step in creating a useful map is knowing your starting point. Take the following test to help you make that assessment. Think of it as a way of writing, “You are here” on your dream map.
For each statement below, please respond by writing the number that best represents your current life (not where others think you should be, where you wish you were, or where you hope to be someday):
0- no
1- somewhat
2- Yes
1. The ownership question: Is my dream really my dream?
A. I would be the person in the world most pleased if I accomplished my dream.
B. I have publically shared my dream with other people, including those I love.
C. My dream has been challenged by others, and I still embrace it.
D. As I’ve gotten older, I have become more certain that my dream is really mine.
E. I believe that my dream is in alignment with the purpose of my life.

Score for this section: ______________________________________