Personal Syllabus Final: THE LIST

"You will ever remember that all the end of study is to make you a good man and a useful citizen."  John Adams

As cool winds begin to blow and the autumn season unfurls, the need to prepare for new challenges naturally increase. Prudence requires inspection of one's home, car, and wardrobe to endure winter's punishing conditions. Likewise, creation around us offers reminders of this, as I observe squirrels gathering walnuts in our back yard. Not that they know what kind of winter we will have, though I suspect those squirrels who survived last winter are a bit more motivated to add to their reserves. What is vital is the needed discipline to fully prepare and not shrink away from the challenge.

Instinct drives the squirrels. In contrast, we humans need to think about it. Each one's situation varies. Those who are just getting started focus on ramping up, perhaps pursuing their first job. Others are facing loss of employment at an age that is most difficult to recover.

On top of that, the introduction of new technologies over the centuries has dramatically altered every aspect of our lives. Career aspirations are radically different from those even a few years ago. It's hard to peruse LinkedIn and fail to see some posting about refreshing one's skills, or that tomorrow's jobs have yet to be created. This places enormous pressure on the modern worker to constantly adapt to rapidly changing work environments and shifting job climates. If we are not careful, a personal growth syllabus could easily be dominated with job skills development. There is a season for developing skills, but I believe Christians need to be mindful of just how much time is devoted to careers.

Scripture does promote hard work as a value and moral obligation:

“For even when we were with you, we used to give you this command: “If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat.” For we hear that some among you are living an undisciplined life, not doing their own work but meddling in the work of others. Now such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and so provide their own food to eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10–12, NET)

At the same time, the Bible frowns on "selfish ambition":

I will not unpack these verses as I believe their contexts speak for themselves. Motives are clearly what separate the ideas, as is clear from a different word for "ambition" or to "aspire":

Thus, I want my aspirations and ambitions to line up with Christ's call on my life. This includes my career goals. It also means I wish to keep learning skills sharp. Having goals is very useful to that end, so below are my key goals through the end of next year (2015).

Key Growth Targets Through 2015

Academic. I have long embraced a philosophy of being a learner for life. This does not necessarily mean formal schooling. In fact, pursing a Masters of Business Administration (for example) would may not even fit into my rubric for academic target. MBA's are often thought of as career goals, which are absolutely okay. I would argue academic growth targets involve deepening knowledge in areas of study, such as philosophy or history. Below are some categories and books I hope to engage in for academic growth:

1. Philosophy: Dr. Ronald Nash's college text book Life's Ultimate Questions. I have already listened to several podcasts of his lectures. While Nash is not the final answer on philosophy, I feel that his materials offer a reliable introduction to the discipline insomuch as I desire to assimilate the important concepts.
2. Theology: there have been a number of theological items I have been engaging the last couple of years:

• I have wrestled for a while on exegetical handling of Genesis vis-à-vis origins. After writing a paper early this year I have discovered Dr. John Walton's research persuasive. He seems to uphold a high view of Scripture whilst also engaging in Ancient Near East cultural implications, specifically how ancient Hebrews would have naturally understood the language in Genesis 1 and 2. This is such a charged topic that further research is needed. 
• One book I started reading and frankly got stuck on was Kingdom through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants. As the authors Gentry and Wellum describe it, "Although all Christians agree on basics, we disagree in details over how the Bible is 'put together.' Central to Kingdom through Covenant (KTC) is the construction of a metanarrative that we believe corresponds to Scripture better than that propounded by either covenant theology (CT) or dispensational theology (DT). We also sought to establish a methodology to determine which metanarrative is truer to Scripture." I think I need to regroup and engage this work further. I'd say these two theological issues will keep me occupied!

Career. I deliberately separated career growth goals. Most of us spend so much of our time here that it does deserve special attention. I consider this blog a transparent journal, but one needs to be a little careful when it comes to being vulnerable in this public age. Yet what I share here is already known by my boss.

1. Career Coach. I have decided to engage with a career coach. As I look back, I see that sometimes I have made choices that could have been better scrutinized. Frankly, we could all benefit from a coach or mentor in our lives. 
2. Career Resources. I am taking some time to listen to CD's we have in the office from Dr. Nido Qubein. Typically I am unimpressed with so-called motivational speakers. However, just with career coaching, I recognize that some unhealthy patterns of thinking have eroded my confidence. I want to listen (with a critical ear) to what he has to say and apply those parts I find helpful. Other resources via LinkedIn are certainly part of my catalog.
3. Career Exploration with a new blog. One thing I know I enjoy (as the length and frequency of my posts testify) is that writing is fun. I am exploring how I might take that to the next level. I have spent some money and registered my domain and created a new website (still in progress): http://trempertantrum.com. I felt it important to escalate my writing commitment. And there is something to individual brand development (though I don't care for that term). The new blog will expand on writing interests, exploring topics that could eventually be developed into a real writing project. If I could describe a dream at this stage in life, getting published and even engaging people in various forums would be exciting. I desire to prayerfully explore this and see if God opens a door (or a window).

I think these areas together will be an important collection of efforts for me. It will be interesting to see what God does with this, with various course corrections along the way. I don't control the future, but I believe in that future in a way that I haven't in a while. If today were to be the curtain call on my life, I still think setting out on this journey will honor God. 

Soli Deo gloria and shalom!

Trusting Christ on the Journey: Update on Prayer Request

A while ago I shared a Cat's Purrspective and Prayer Request, attempting to be transparent about where I find myself in this stage in life. As an admitted introvert, it helps me to write these ideas out and to be vulnerable to the world. Perhaps it goes against conventional wisdom to be so open. In an age where social media is often used for self-promotion and marketing, I have chosen to be as honest as I know how. Part of that process is to put in writing my thoughts and feelings as they unfold, without the benefit of later redaction or applying a positive spin after the fact.

In so doing, I am trusting. I am trusting all who read this not to jump to the wrong conclusion. This is not despair, but hope. This is thinking with real emotion, not unfettered feelings devoid of thought. This is a good faith process, not blindly throwing darts at an unknown target. I am trusting the process of journaling as a means of helping me come to terms with who I am and why I have been put on this planet.

Most of all, I affirm my trust in Jesus Christ. I make no apology in publicly announcing my steadfast belief in the God-man. The more I study the Bible, the greater confidence I have in its timeless truth. The Bible Bridges series that I have been writing has only strengthened my faith. The redemptive process through which God has been changing me has been sometimes marked with hardship and confusion. Yet I have not ever doubted the goodness of God. Again, in risking the disapproval of some for being so open of my journey, I will rest in the Lord. His loyal love towards me has been a bulwark, and in his ability to bring about the final good he promised is where I place my faith (cf. Romans 8:28). It is in the slow unfolding of his plan that I sometimes feel restless. This is precisely why I have petitioned the brethren for prayer.

In some recent conversations with my pastor, my boss, and other close friends I have realized that my primary gifts may lie in what the Bible calls administration. It is far more than just being well-organized or in getting things done. It seems as though analysis of data is a core strength. I enjoy synthesizing a data set and drawing out the important implications and decision drivers.

In the past, the types of data with which I was most comfortable was computers and technology. While I retain some of that capability, the days of reading every trade journal I could find and soaking in every piece of data pertaining to technology are behind me. True, I try to stay on top of industry trends for my current assignment. And I have also had education in business and can speak somewhat intelligently in that sphere. Yet to be utterly transparent I feel that I hold my own in this arena, but I'm not a dedicated professional vis-à-vis technology and business. 

In spending time writing this blog in recent months I have realized the data set with which I am most motivated and feel a sense of accomplishment is the Bible. I don't fully see how this will play out. I often thought while I was serving as an associate pastor that I was not an effective pastor, and I have come to terms with that. I believe God has made it clear that pastoring is likely not my destination. It also seems that higher education is really not an option, at least not as a full-time career. Simply put: I would require quite a bit of more education (PhD) and there are far too many PhDs for the few teaching positions that would be open. As I am in my mid 40s, spending thousands on an advanced degree with no certain placement is simply unwise. 

The truth is I really enjoy writing. If I could make a living at it, I would happily do so. I often ask younger people who are thinking of their career a simple question: if you had all the money in the world so that you had no financial worries, how would you use your time. I think I now finally have my own answer: to be an author. So this blog is simply an expression of living the dream without expecting any remuneration. I take great joy in hearing that even a few people grow in their walk with Christ in what I write. As Scripture teaches that we are to store up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20), I am content to work hard during the day and employ my evenings in writing. To that end, more installments in the Bible Bridges series await!

soli deo gloria