Friday, May 9, 2008

Birthdays And Dreamscapes


Tomorrow is Hannah's birthday. When she was born, I thought she was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen. Of course it wasn't like I was an obstetrician or pediatrician so my sample size wasn't in the thousands but she was as perfect a baby as was possible. Nineteen years later Hannah has cleared the way to become a vocational missionary and it seems as though she is the obvious and desired compliment to what can come of years of praying, loving, training and encouraging. It is true that you can become a mechanic or cab driver and have God's heart but few mechanics and cab drivers sought Jesus when they turned to those vocations but almost no one becomes a Christian missionary without an earnest pursual of Jesus. Which brings me to Hannah. All of us should have our birthdays celebrated; certainly someone should be remembering us somewhere and it would be great if we all were mentioned in blogs but with Hannah, I think of everything I once dreamed would be my point as pastor and see it wrapped up in this niece of mine I do this pastor life because I am certain God called me to it but what drives me in it is the thought that from the womb a child can be carried through the church into something noble, something that truly makes our parts of the world more lovely. Can we say it? More Christian. Hannah is kind and generous and bright and certainly godly but she is more than that. She is one light shining who has been lit by a forgotten class...the praying faithful. Hannah's name is Hebrew and not so surpisingly means prayer...or more specifically mercy prayer. Whatever God does with you Hannah, you are set apart but not moved apart. You are within this big family that dreams even bigger things for you than you are capable. No need to try to make anyone proud of you because we all love you more than that and besides missions isn't your goal, it is your being. Follow your calling Hannah but wherever your mission field is, it will always be within your home! Happy Birthday Hannah!

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