I learned a lesson from a killer dog. This spring our Boston Terrier was killed by another family pet, an English Shepherd. Both were outdoor dogs along with our German Shepherd. The kinship reminded me of the furry friends on Homeward Bound. They were steadfast dog-friends and would play endlessly around our little homestead.
Something went wrong in that cold spring day. My husband found our Boston cowering under a car in our barn. When Ron picked her up, blood spurted out of a wound and there were bite marks on the side of her body. “Play-fighting” gone bad.
The culprit, our English Shepherd, had blood near her mouth. She wanted to be stroked like usual, not knowing the harm she had done. We knew. The Boston didn’t live. We decided our Shepherd needed a new home. One where she could run and herd animals, which is the nature of her species. She needed to do what she was born to do.
Are you doing what you’re born to do?
Our Shepherd was designed to be a herding dog for other animals. Though we have animals on property, we don’t have the need for her as we did when we were still milking cows. Every morning before milking, my husband would go into the pasture and herd the cows towards the holding pen. A great job for an English Shepherd. Without animals to herd, she wasn’t able to exercise her God-given abilities and calling in life. She became restless, aggressive, and destructive.
Can you relate? Do you ever feel restless, irritated, and angry? Have you ever considered the connection between anger, discontentment, destructive behavior and the frustration of not doing what you’re wired to do? Do you ever wonder why you’re jealous of others or why you lash out through gossip, mean words or back-handed comments?
Just like my dog put her out-of-sync energy into destructive aggressiveness, we can put our out-of-sync energy into being destructive or into a state of long-term frustration and irritation.
We weren’t meant to be this way. We were meant to be free, to have joy and fulfillment from being and doing what God’s design is for us. The problem comes when we don’t exercise our calling, our gifts, our “bents.” It’s similar to students who love working with their hands or are body-kinesthetic. Many of them shut down or learn to hate school because they spend the whole day reading, writing and doing math. They get irritated and restless, some to the point of being assertive or angry. They feel stifled, misunderstood. Trapped.
Do you feel stifled, misunderstood, or trapped? What would it look like for you to soar in your gifts, talents – the things that make your heart sing?
Like our dog who needed a home where he could “be” in his life’s purpose, we need the space to do this, too!
I’m not going to give you an inspiring message to “be all you can be.” Most of us can’t quit our job tomorrow or abandon our kids to be all we want to be. If so, I would trade in laundry to be the Laurie Partridge equivalent for Hillsong.
But – you can become more aware of what your heart cries out in the big and little moments of life. What makes your heart burst forth in song? What brings passion to your soul? What is the root reason of your discontentment, frustration or irritation? Once you discover these things, you’ll be more aware of how God’s wired you and whether you have an outlet in your life to do and be what He has created you for.
I wasn’t created to do laundry. I definitely wasn’t created to sing like Laurie Partridge. But I am wired to minister and communicate hope to others through teaching, writing and speaking. A few years ago when I was in grad school for counseling, I was sharing with a stranger about a subject in History I loved teaching in the classroom. The person approached me later and said, “When you talk about teaching, your eyes light up. It’s your passion. You were made to teach.”
He connected with my soul. My heart does sing when I communicate what I’m passionate about – either in print, in front of people, or one-on-one as I share about Him.
What makes your heart sing? Do you have opportunities to do exercise this passion in your life? If not, what do you need to do to connect with that joy inside of you? I’d love to hear from you –please share your journey with us!
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Some ministry announcements:
Recently a few readers request topics for me to write on either here or the other sites I write for. I’d love to hear from you, too. What topics would you like to see me write on related to faith, parenting, or life? Please respond with those comments on the ministry’s Facebook page and I’ll enter your name in a drawing for a surprise giveaway as a “thank you” for partnering with me. You can get to the Facebook page here.
Those of you who are prayer warriors, I’m speaking to two different groups this week in southern Indiana on Hope Beyond the Picket Fence. Would you pray for hope to be received by women who need encouragement? Thank you.
Also, I’m speaking throughout the Midwest this summer and fall. If your women’s group is in need of a speaker for a fall or spring 2014 retreat, please consider this ministry! I’d love to tailor the needs of your group through biblical teaching and authentic encouragement. Feel free to contact me at yoderbl@gmail.com for more details or visit the speaking tab for topics I frequently speak on. Do you have a theme or subject you don’t see or would like for me to speak on a blog topic you’ve read here? Just let me know and I will design a retreat or individual topic for that theme.
Have a great week – and I’m praying for God to show you how He has made your heart to sing!
Good stuff!
Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2013 23:48:35 +0000 To: yoder166@hotmail.com
Thank you Abe! I appreciate your comment!
Thanks you for sharing a post that reminds us of why we are here, our purpose, of what we are passionate about and why we should pursue it. There was a time a had a simpler dream. Dreams that makes my heart sing. Then life go complicated and I forgot the reasons for my inner joy. God is good for he sent friend like you to help us find our way.
Thank you so much! Your encouragement is well-received and I am thankful for other people to connect with who know the power of seeking God’s best plan for us. Thank you!
That fellow was right, Brenda. Your eyes DO light up when you talk about teaching….or about sharing your love for Jesus with others. Keep doing what you’re doing — I can hear your heart singing!