Living the Dream?

Now, there's a response I often hear from soldiers when I ask them, "How's it going?" It usually goes something like this, "Just living the dream, Sir". Naturally, there's a subtle hint of humorous sarcasm in the tone as well. But, its got me thinking. Am I 'living the dream'? And, the answer is "No". After all, I never 'dreamed' of becoming a pastor much less an Army Chaplain or even a Christian for that matter! I never dreamed of living in Louisianna - ever. And, I never dreamed that Uncle Sam would provide me with an all expense paid, 15 month trip to sunny and sandy Iraq. Fortunately though, while I may not be 'living the dream'; I am in fact living out my destiny. There's a difference you know? Dreams are birthed from somewhere within us while our destinies are something that is bestowed upon us by God. Dreams are something we wake up from while our destinies are what we wake up to. And, each of us have been destined for greatness! God knows the plans He has for us: "I know the thoughts that I think toward you," says the Lord, "thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11). Despite my many failures in life, misgivings, and regrets, it is this sense of destiny that continues to woo and wow me, and it is the love of God that assures me that I haven't already ruined it all, that there is still hope, that there is still a future worth living and pursuing. And, that's no mere dream.

One day in the Fall of '97 when I was 23 I returned home after a day of teaching English and coaching football (my dream was to become a college head football coach) to a quiet home and an even quieter study. I sat down in my office chair as an atheist, and when I arose I knew God existed. To explain how that happened would require more space and time than I have here, but God did it. He broke into the history of my life and awakened me to my destiny.

I'm not living the dream; I'm living something else.

How about you?