This week I am going to steal from someone else’s life to tell a story that can’t help but touch you in some way. Let’s call this friend Emily.
Emily’s life story is an incredible one. In many ways, it is the very definition of the American Dream. At the tender age of 13, Emily found herself without parents and fending for herself in the third world. Through sheer determination and personal strength, Emily got herself to the states at 17 seeking an education and a better life. Eventually, she saw her way through grad school and landed a job unthinkable for someone from her circumstances. By the end of her 20’s, Emily had arrived. Educated. Rich. Independent. Impressive. By all means I could end the story right here and we’d have the quintessential American fairy tale and it’s TRUE. What a life!
Without a doubt, all outer appearances suggest that Emily had everything she needed for a fantastic life. She had obtained “security” and “success” despite all odds, right? One would think. But the shocking truth behind the good job, sweet ride, and prominence in her field was that Emily had never felt so dead. So dead, in fact, that she became overwhelmed with a feeling of darkness. What happened? What was this even possible? Didn’t she have all that she had ever wanted? All that she had worked for? Emily had truly fulfilled all of her dreams, yet had never felt further from full.
In the darkness, God reached out. Not only did He surround Emily with a super-human love, but He gave her a taste of the real life he has in store when Emily made a radical move—resigning from her 6-figure position without another job offer in sight. Sound crazy? Sound foolish? Sound like throwing it all away? By all earthly logic, that’s just what happened. But Emily’s vision and logic were lifted to something higher. Emily saw the reality of Matthew 16:26’s prophetic words: “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” In one radical wave, Emily realized that chasing the numbers and chasing the promise of the American Dream, she had lost her soul.
Here’s a snapshot of Emily’s life today: no job offer; no income; no stability, right? On the contrary. Emily has never been more stable in her life, because she is discovering her security in the one thing that never fails—God’s promise to care for our every need and bring us freedom. Where Emily once found herself slave to her chase, she now experiences a true freedom to receive life to the full. But what about the job? What about the bills, food, health? Emily’s not a fool—she knows the needs that undeniably exist in this world. But she is experiencing a power, a peace, and a provision that answer every “what if” question with “then God.”
Finding rest in God’s sovereignty, Emily is forever changed. She does not yet know the details of what her life will look like, but she strongly senses God using the culmination of her life’s experiences and trials to bring her a life vision and mission. And that is all the security she needs.
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woah what a story!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi, I just came across your blog as I was creating mine and had an enjoyable time reading it until this story. As someone who has been in a similar situation I feel it necessary to tell you how inappropriate your actions and words are. You leave people no faith in others due to your complete disregard of other people feelings and privacy.
ReplyDeleteWell, you certainly have a confused life...beautiful that is not for me to judge because I only know you from you complete lack of intelligent thought on "Emily's story.
I find you contradict yourself and are at the bottom of your game in intellectual thought. To put someone's story out there for those to read which by all accounts seems that it is not really your story to tell. I see that you speak a lot about God's will and it has certainly been on "Emily's " side. As for you, "beautiful confusion" I am uncertain as to which side of the fence you lay on. I seem to remember a passage in the Bible John 8:7 "let he who is without sin cast the first stone." There is something to be said from that message. I can only assume (which I do not like to do) that you are not without sin. (As all of God's children are born into original sin).
You speak of the "American Dream" and it seems as if you have zero knowledge on that subject. You seem like someone who is the complete opposite of Emily who seems to be a hero in this story. To come from nothing and to succeed is the American Dream. I would LOVE to know what you mean by the fact that she "lost her soul". That is a bold statement even for someone as ignorant as you to type and put out there for everyone to read.
As a women of God you should know that because of her immense faith and love of God she will survive and the fact that she may have monetarily struggled for some time, yes may be difficult, but with what seems like undeniable force and conviction she would survive no matter what.
In my humble opinion the ONLY thing that seems up to par is that fact that you stated "Emily had sheer determination" and that never leaves someone!