Bio: Along with Amber (Day 12) and Brian (Day 15), Paula is a treasured friend who joined the twenty-somethings group at church around the same time I did. We both have a deep love of community, and have served together in several different leadership roles. There is a part of me that adores CAMP, the out-of-the-normal experience, roughing it, fires and making your own dinner, getting to know your friends in much deeper ways than you have before. Paula loves that too, and she has put on some retreats that are golden memories for me – Camp Leila with the midnight rowboat adventure, shooting firecrackers at her parents’ farm in Pawnee, the infamous night hike at Watonga. Not to leave out trips to Chicago, Red River or Kansas City. (“No, Daniel, it’s get me one, not get me some!”) Truly awesome memories.
Paula is joyous, Paula is sweet. Paula is steadfast, earnest, and neat. Paula has just the right touch for every occasion. She is also an inspiration on discerning vocation.
I say this last sentence because Paula did something extraordinary. After several years in the medical field, using her college degree and making a decent income, Paula took the time to listen to God, listen to her soul and determine that she was called to leave it and go back to school to be a nurse. Not just for a whim. Because she knew her own giftings and strengths, and she felt that the intersection of her abilities and the world’s needs led her to be an oncology nurse, ministering to cancer patients’ physical and spiritual needs. So she did. She had a horrible medical emergency that knocked her out of school for an entire year, but she did not give up and kept at it until she finished.
Even though I didn’t live through it as she did, her experience matters to me, because it shows me that there is value to taking the time to listen to the Holy Spirit and to our own dreams. It shows me that it takes courage and sacrifice to risk changing what is familiar and comfortable. And how she is now, how satisfied she is with her new occupation, shows me it is worth it. So thanks, Paula, for living purposefully.
Challenge: I won’t print the entire letter Paula wrote me, because it is three wonderful pages of personal stories, encouragements, and challenges. But I will excerpt a few passages.
“I have been reflecting on my own 30th birthday and the subsequent years. I have now, and had then, an impression/idea that things, life-things, were going to be very different for me after 30. My 30th was pretty dramatic (not what I’m wishing for yours). However, from that time till now, I’ve had so many adventures and such excitement, more life packed into these past few years than almost all of my twenties. It’s the excitement and adventure I wish/pray for you. There is something to the age of 30 (really, really!) I tend to think of David and Joseph, and even Jesus. Their lives got spectacular at 30.
…One of the main differences in my life now from my life then is a stronger and deeper sense of true godly freedom, an ongoing discovery of true grace, and a continually surprising assurance of deep love. These things continue to cause every day to be an adventure.
…So, on your 30th birthday, it is my prayer that your life be full of and maxed out with wonderful, exciting adventures with God. My challenge to you is to be immersed in life-giving words for an entire day. … I have included 7 CD’s in this package that you are to listen to in its entirety throughout this day. I realize there are 24 hours in a day and about 7 hours of teaching to listen to. So start early and play late. I have faith you can do it!”
Reaction: Paula is so alive! What powerful words. She should seriously work on writing devotions- her words are simple, true, deep and genuine. Paula is just awesome! As for the challenge, wow. 7 hours of teaching in one day? Looks like it is a sermon series titled “Sons of God” by the pastor of Paula’s church, A.T. Hargrave of Crestwood Baptist. That’s a tall order. I won’t be listening to the new album I just bought on my ipod today!
Recap: Let’s address the elephant in the room immediately. I bombed this challenge. I did not even finish the second CD on the day of the challenge, much less the eighth. (Which, by the way, there were eight, not seven CDs in the teaching series she gave me. Eight hours.) There were a few things that did me in.
One, the announcer who sets up the CDs sounds like Kermit the Frog. Actually, this didn’t affect my progress, but it sure is a remarkable vocal resemblance.
Two, in the CD’s introduction, a church member (not the pastor) makes a statement that had me instantly hitting the rewind button and listening again. He said, “One of the manifestations of God is Jehovah Rophe, the God who heals us. We know it is God’s will for us to be healed.” The reason I listened to that part several times is I don’t agree with his statement- God’s will for his children is for us to be HIS, whether or not we are healed. Sometimes God chooses to heal someone’s physical sickness or problem, and sometimes he doesn’t. I am sure this gentleman didn’t mean any harm by what he said, but I was instantly worried that Paula had given me a bunch of CDs with bad theology, so I listened intently and deliberately to every Bible verse and sermon point. That is good for absorbing teaching but bad for marathon listening. I am happy to report that the actual sermon series itself was great, even if there was that moment of (in my opinion) poor word choice up front.
Three, I had a dinner party planned for that night that would require time to set up and a couple hours of hosting. I hit a new moment in my challenges journey. I was tired of doing crazy stuff. I was tired of nixing regular, planned activities for ridiculous adventures. I was getting tired of my own challenges! So I didn’t drop everything for this challenge like I might have if it was on Day 4 or 8. I had the dinner party (which was fun) and called it a day.
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