It's simple really...

Okay, so I haven't jotted anything down in awhile...but, life is as hectic with me as it is with you to be sure. Aren't we glad that we have a God that can overcome our hectic schedules in order to reach and teach us?
So the other day I was doing some reading...I've been going through 2 Samuel for awhile now. Anyway, I finished reading and got to thinking about the life events that David went through and how, in the end he was better for each hardship. I thought, "I wish that God would have prepared me the same way He did David." And in an instant God spoke and said, "I did."
Of course, being who I am I had to take a moment and analyze what I was experiencing. I had to reflect on my life in it's totality in order to really see what God was saying...(ain't supposed to do that are we kids? What about blind faith? Sorry, I do have blind faith but I'm a curious dude...can't help it...it's my nature!) I work in a ministry that brings me into contact with young people continually. Just how did God prepare me for this? Especially since I don't feel half prepared most of the time. Well, follow me on my own time line...
I was raised without a father, my mother was abusive...not your garden variety version of abuse either...the draw blood from each beating type of abuse is what I'm talking about. I got into alcohol and drugs at a very young age, was involved with gangs, spent time in jail, faced prison time, and pretty much faced some harsh realities while growning up. I spent 21 years in the Marine Corps, mentoring and leading young men on a daily basis...here in the states, abroad and in combat. I retired, drove a truck, drove a cab, worked in a prison, went back to school, earned my BS in criminology and worked private security at a state college. WHEW!!
If you're still awake and reading you may be asking yourself just how did this prepare someone for a ministry that deals with young adults...well, it's really elementary...
The hardships I faced growing up served to make me more sympathetic and empathetic towards others that have faced hardships as youths. The military gave me discipline and a keen insight to what makes young people tick. The solitary occupations of truck driver and in most cases cab driver, helped me to connect with God on a more personal level. The stint of a corrections officer let me see the worst in people and gave me hope and a sense of urgancy that all would receive the goodness of Christ. Finally, the time I spent at college and working on campus let me rub elbows with young adults from all walks of life and helped me stay somewhat abreast of what interests them and that helps me connect better....all of that leads me to here, at my current "job" of college/young adult ministry director....fitting right?
Of course, if I had my way I would have omitted many of the hardships and would have piled on the cushy parts of life to my youth. But then I wouldn't be who I am today....God knew and knows just how to shape us...He knows what we need when we need it. Whether it's a hug from the Son or a gentle push from the Holy Spirit, God knows how to motivate us and exactly what we are gonna become long before we even begin to realize it.
So the next time you are wondering why God is taking His time to bring you to where He wants you to be remember...it's not only the final destination that makes us who we are in Christ...it's the journey. We can plan the journey but God's plan is and always will be better than ours...simple right?