Action

When it comes to aspirations, it’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step?


     My first reaction to this question is to talk about my vocational aspirations. But what about the other parts of me? That accounts for the mind, but what of the heart, soul, and strength in me?
     I do aspire to live my life more for the gospel than for myself. That's not going so well. It is so easy to live for self, to direct all energies towards self-development, to examine and criticize self for its past errors and present fears, to congratulate self on accomplishments, victories and right actions (of course, as defined by self). What's far harder is to center all relationships around the gospel, to point to the gospel in everything, rather than to one's own autobiography as some kind of compelling story that will point to Jesus. That approach still glorifies self. 
     As I write all this, there's a weird consciousness on my part as a writer trying to impress my reader. "Wow, she's really got it all straight in her head," reader thinks. But really, I'm not so ironed-out like that. There's still so much that's not worked out yet. As the prompt says, an aspiration is not about ideas (which I've done in the preceding paragraph), but about making ideas happen. What's my next step?
     Well, first, when adults in my life point to me as the cause of my present circumstances, I hope I will be more quick to put the spotlight on Jesus as the Helper, Rescuer, and Maker. I long for the impulse in my communication to turn all conversation back onto Him. And not in a nauseating, holier-than-thou way, but in a freeing, it's-not-all-about-me, and it's-not-about-what-I've-done-right (-or-wrong) way. 
     Along the lines of action, prayer is always a great place to start. My prayer is, increase my desire for the Kingdom and to tell about Jesus, who has made my life beautiful. What is more motivating (to action) than a deep, itching desire?