I’ll never forget my father’s words to me on my 30th birthday: “How do you plan on investing the remaining ‘Poofs!’ that God gives you?” “Poofs?” I questioned.
He took out eight matches and laid them on the table before me. “Each of these matches,” he said, “represents a decade. On average, we live seventy to eighty years. Poof, poof, poof…how quickly they will go!”
There is not a single week that goes by that I don’t reflect on this challenge. Part of the impact, no doubt, comes from the fact that it was my dad who shared this idea with me. Since then, I’ve shared it countless times with the people I have the privilege of mentoring and coaching.
After much prayer, thought, and reflection, I know my own answer to my father’s question. I plan to invest my remaining “poofs” on mentoring the next generation, one life at a time, helping them to know, love and become like Christ!
In Psalm 90:10, Moses points out that “our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.”
What about you? How do you plan on investing the remaining “poofs” that God gives you? As you consider this question, I have two suggestions. First, find a mentor to help you explore your unique design, passions and giftings. Second, continue the adventure of learning what it means to hear God’s voice. I’ve devoted years to this topic. If you’re interested in learning more, I’d love for you to check out a website that I’ve developed: www.Godstillspeaks.org.
Resources
There is a great small booklet by John Ortberg called Overcoming Your Shadow Mission. It is one of Kirk’s favorites related to this topic.
If you are looking for a more intensive approach to working on your plans and goals, Kirk recommends a 10-week online course by Donald Miller called LifePlan. The course combines video and study and does a great job exploring “living with purpose.” Classes run in sessions (i.e., they are not always available), and there is a fee.
