Let’s do this: Get concrete about your calling

You have two feet in society. You turn full circle and are His light there. You are husband, wife, father, mother, brother(s), sister(s), child, beloved son or daughter of God, friend or friend of Jesus and others, and you have a role in this society. In addition, you want to do what God asks of you. He has prepared a path for you, and you want to walk it. But……

But. you always have an excuse. Work is busy, or school. You are consumed by all the things around you. Recognizable? Tired of it? Don’t you want to procrastinate any longer? Then find three friends or acquaintances and team up with Let’s do this! You will form a group and spend six months helping each other take steps along the path God has prepared for you. Let me explain.

Six months on the job

You form a group of friends, acquaintances who can also take six months off to get started. Note: If you have other major commitments in the coming months, for example, exams, it is not convenient to start now. After all, you then have less time to devote to these tasks.
Did you find three others? Then schedule an introductory session. You can meet online or physically. A good rhythm is to see each other once every month. In between you help each other when things are difficult. You do that by supporting each other, giving a push when needed, giving each other deadlines, or just a kick in the butt when needed. But also by celebrating with each other when a step forward has been taken, or to have a good time together when the going gets tough. Whatever it takes, you are going to help each other take steps in your vocation! Let’s do this… together!

For everything that happens there is an hour, a time for everything that is under heaven.

Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NBV21)

You can discuss one of these topics per meeting. There are worksheets to help you do this.

The beginning

The first meeting begins with standing still. You may have been given a Bible text at birth or baptism. Does your name have a special meaning? Look at the prophecies, words of God given to you or spoken over you. That’s your starting point. You can also always use the words David uttered in Psalm 139: 13 ” It was you who formed my kidneys, who wove me in my mother’s womb” and go on to describe more from here.

Your life so far

How did you get to where you are now? What brought you to where you are now? Describe the peaks and valleys. You can also choose to write out your life story completely. A tool for this has been created by Hanneke.

Where are you going?

Nothing is too crazy here. This is precisely where you can write down big dreams. You may have received words from God or a dream that paint a picture of your future. At least you know what your talents are, you know your character and you can write down what you like. This is all God has put in you in this helps you discover what your calling is. This does not have to be a fully written out story. Dream…. Just write it down or draw it. Whatever you like and suits you. There is no right or wrong. I find that this can already be a very difficult task. Don’t make it too difficult. Write down what you do know and talk about it with each other. You can encourage each other by naming character traits in each other. Creating a mood board can also help you intuitively put into words what you find beautiful and what your calling is.

The route

This step is trickier. Your big dream, the vision of God, is (somewhat) on paper. Now start thinking together or alone about what you can do over the next six months to move toward this dream. You don’t have to write down this answer directly. This is where we’re going to talk to each other a little longer. This is precisely where you need each other to make the great small to today, to the now. Realize that small steps and awareness are already very helpful.

To help you visualize the intermediate steps, use Worksheet 1. Try it. Add as many intermediate steps as you like. Your dream, goal or vision at the top, and then come up with intermediate steps. Nothing is too crazy and draw as many intermediate steps as you need. It’s also completely understandable if you don’t know the intermediate steps yet. Then you will discover them naturally. Making a word cloud or mind map can also help you with this (see worksheet 2). Again … don’t think about time. Think of opportunities for you!

And the little ways you learn to just live in the now are more important than you think. Even the little things you do matter. And even by just one breath now, you are making progress.

Morgan Harper Nichols

After six months | Bring focus

After you have an idea of where you want to go, start thinking ahead for the next few months. Where do you want to be in six months? It’s smart to at least look at your schedule for the next few months. What are your obligations? What is realistic? What step can you do? You don’t need to know everything in advance. Expressing your desire to move forward may be enough. God cares for you and helps you along the way. If you don’t see it immediately what you can do, you can help each other and be inspired by the Bible and pray for each other.

It also makes perfect sense to think mostly about what cannot be done. To get you started looking for opportunities that do exist, you need your partners in crime. How can you inspire and motivate each other to move forward? You don’t do it alone! We help each other in every way possible. Being focused and realistic is very important. One thing at a time, so don’t multitask.

In the meantime | Motivate each other

The meetings in between are there to motivate each other. Sometimes you haven’t been able to get something done, sometimes there are too many obligations or illness that keep you from moving forward. Know that it is okay. Sometimes there are other priorities that keep things from progressing the way you want them to. It’s no big deal. Don’t get frustrated about that. Go with the flow! You can know that God cares for you and you really can’t pull grass out of the ground. Everyone has their own growth process and pace, and that’s okay. God is working with you on the plan and in His time it will happen.

Remember to motivate and help each other. This can already be done by agreeing on deadlines and rewarding each other when they are met. Above all, help each other in realistic planning. Apply focus and do one thing at a time. Better to discover between meetings that you can do more than to get frustrated because you wanted to do more than was realistic.

Finish in sight!

Then there you are! After six months, this journey together ends. Tell each other where you ended up and what it brought you. Reflect on what worked for you and what didn’t, and what you learned.

There could be more…

Yes, you can always go further, better, more … But after six months, you can choose to stop dating for now. Enough is enough. Do you still want to continue? Then I challenge you to find three other friends or acquaintances around you and make a new group. In this way, you are again helping new people on their way and more and more Christians are taking action.

TIPS ON THE GO

1. Pray for one another and be specific in your prayers. Sometimes you need time to work something out, or money to do something. Ask God what you need and be very specific about this.
2. Ask for help from those around you. Share what you need with each other. Sometimes you don’t see a solution, but someone else does, or knows someone who has the solution.
3. Hang in there! Be aware that God is in control. He has put something unique in you that you are going to work with, and He is really going to bless that. You can really trust that. He gives you what you need. That might as well be a door closing. Think of it as a fun exploration in which God wants to lead you in His time. So in this process, draw up with God by talking to Him and listening to what He has to say. Are you having trouble understanding God’s voice? Then watch this video.
   

You are the light of the world, a city on a mountain everyone can see. After all, one does not light a lamp and then put a bucket over it? That lamp should be on a stand and provide light for everyone in the house, right? Therefore, let your light also shine before all people. Then when they see the good things you do, they will honor your Heavenly Father.

Matthew 5:14-16 HTB

Worksheet 1. Describe your goal and formulate intermediate steps.

• Worksheet 1. Describe your goal and formulate intermediate steps

Worksheet 2 Purpose word spin

Use the word spin or mind map for some extra thinking power. Write down every word that comes to mind about your dream or vision. Everything is right, nothing is wrong. Put the words down, in the circles, outside them. Write down everything that comes to mind. Every train of thought in your mind you follow and write down. Once you have blank writing, you can merge and cluster words.

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