Embracing Your Second Calling...Chapter 7 - "A New Identity"

We are definitely going s-l-o-w with this book, but it's been FULL of great little nuggets for us "Second Calling" gals.

Chapter 7 talks about discovering and embracing a new identity.  We all have an "identity".  At least one that we've held on to for years.  WHO am I?  

What are some of the identities you accumulated in the first half of your life?  Me?  I have accumulated many identities.  Daughter, Wife, Mother, Musician, Christian, Songwriter, Singer, Friend....   But I'll have to be honest and admit that my music career definitely was a big priority in my younger years.  I tried very hard to keep a balance between all my identities, but unfortunately sometimes I failed.  I've definitely experienced a shift in my ambition and desires with my identity in the last few years.  When I run into someone I haven't seen in awhile, and the inevitable question comes up, "SO, what have you been up to lately?".  My answer is quite different than it used to be.

When I was younger, I felt the need to have the "10 second power speech, ready to impress anyone who asked".  Now, I find myself abandoning the need to make my life sound interesting and exciting.  Just telling the truth and not worrying if the person I'm talking to is impressed with what I'm doing or who I'm becoming is very "freeing".   "It's not a loss of ambition; it's a willingness to find a new identity and to let that identity be defined by a holy calling rather than what other people believe I should be doing." - pg.107  YES.  That's it exactly!!

It's about shifting our focus.  Finding things that really matter to us.  Did my career matter to me?  Yes, it did... and it still does.  But not in the way it used to.  If I'm honest, my career mattered because if I was doing well, I felt validated by the reactions from other people.  Of course, that validation was only temporary and I would find myself back at square one, looking for another accomplishment to validate me again.  SUCH a waste of time.  Now, my career matters to me in a completely different way. -- Am I using the gifts God gave me to get famous?  Get rich?  Feel important?  I can honestly say No.  Not anymore.  I want to use the gifts He gave me to touch someone.  Make a difference.  CHANGE THE WORLD!!  (only kidding about the "change the world" thing.....i think.)

My pastor's new book has just been released.  It's called "Empty Promises".  I just ordered mine and can't WAIT to dig into it.  I believe he'll be discussing a similar topic to what we are reading about in "Second Calling".  Realizing all the things that we made priorities in our lives that in the end turned into "Empty Promises".. and finding things to do in the second half of our lives that will be much more meaningful.  Things that will make a difference in the people around us, AND will make a difference in US.

ONE MORE THING:  And this is HUGE...  the link for "Empty Promises" is to the Barnes and Noble website.  If you decide to order it, could you PLEASE go through our "Beautiful Feet Global Outreach" Lambshops page?  Here is the link:  www.beautifulfeetgo.lambshops.com  This won't cost you ONE CENT MORE, but when you go through Lambshops to get to the Barnes and Noble site, then Barnes and Noble donates a percentage to our organization "Beautiful Feet Global Outreach."  THANK YOU SO MUCH!!