forward planning

after attending a few ministry open houses over the past week, I'm
starting to feel that I actually have a say in how my future turns out.
I haven't felt that way for a long time.



generally, the open houses tend to be staffed by lots of young earnest
people trying to sell their ministry to us. One characteristic that
they have uniformly demonstrated is their passion (which I assume is
not faked) for their jobs. When one is faced with so many dynamic and
articulate people extolling the virtues of their workplace, it's hard
not to get swept away by their enthusiasm. Consequently, I find myself
continually impressed, and this has left me with a very different set
of preferences than a week before.



boy am I confused.



there are two main factors that I'm considering when I think of where I
want to go. First of all is the size of the ministry. My preference is
for a smaller ministry (200 people max), because the environment tends
to be more familial and less hierachial and bureaucratic. Secondly, and
this is really self-explanatory, I have to be doing something that I
really like. Other factors, like location, renumeration, fringe
benefits etc. are really all secondary at the moment.



the really hard part, I suppose, is to determine what I have genuine
passion for. And to match it with a ministry which will allow me to
pursue this passion. Topics that interest me include economics, current
affairs, the arts, and the environment. It's deciding which interests me more that's the real headache.



it's kinda daunting knowing that I'm about to decide the next 6 years
of my life. But at the same time, it's tremedously liberating to know
that, finally, it's up to me to pick my own path. Maybe it's always
been true that my destiny is mine to control and no one else's. But
it's only been in the last week or so that I've re-acquainted myself
with this possibility. And now, I want to make the most informed choice
possible. I owe myself that much.