Welcome to Conscious Curiosity, where we break down concepts & insights from experts for normal people. Basically cliff notes for grown-ups!
Here's this month's "zoom out" edition, where we think about how we think with bite-sized wisdom from experts & thought leaders.
The power of knowing what's in your hand
Conscious Curiosity: Edition No. 10:
The kind of work God usually calls you to is the kind of work (a) that you need most to do and (b) that the world most needs to have done.
The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.
– Frederick Buechner, American author & theologian
Then the Lord said to Moses:
"What is that in your hand?"
"A staff," he replied.
– Exodus 4:2
***Note from Ansley:***
For many of us, this time of year is full of new beginnings—the start of a new school year, new rhythms & routines, new teachers & classmates, new excitements & new trials. In many ways, August & September always feel like more of a "fresh new start" to me than January does.
So what do we do at the beginning of a new year? We dream & imagine what the year to come might hold, setting goals & igniting fresh hope about what we want to accomplish. On some level, I think we all do a gut-check on our level of fulfillment & purpose to see if / how we need to course-correct to align more with "God's plans" for our lives, murky as they may be.
Enter Buechner's profound assessment of how we can discern our vocation, or "the work we are called to by God." I love this quote by Buechner, but there is an element to it that feels B I G and abstract. The world's deep hunger? My deep gladness? Both powerful questions, very worthy of discerning. But personally, I can get my head around it better by combining it with this very practical question, unpacked by Rick Warren in his 2006 Ted Talk, that God asks Moses by the burning bush:
"What is in your hand?"
Warren explains how the staff in Moses's hand represented three things: his identity as a shepherd, his income (his "assets" were his sheep), and his influence (his staff was the tool by which he moved his flock from point A to point B).
If you know the story, God tells Moses to throw it on the ground & it becomes a snake. When he picks it back up, it turns back into a staff. What do we make of this? Warren teaches that this is a powerful illustration:
God says to us: "Lay down what's in your hand—give it to Me—I'll make it come alive."
There is so much that is helpful & thought-provoking about this, but one aspect is that "what is in our hand" changes in different seasons of life. Seven years ago, what was (almost) in my hand was a precious newborn baby, our oldest son who was born on Aug. 24, 2018. For the last 7 years, my primary focus has been caring for our two boys. I've done a small but steady amount of contract work for the company I worked with pre-motherhood, a company I deeply love & appreciate, but I've been a full-time mom. And I've loved it. But this summer, an opportunity came my way from this company to step back into working with them in a new & different way than before, in an exciting & invigorating leadership role.
Of course I had to process this, weighing it against our family's needs & priorities in this season. But it did not take long to see that this opportunity with this company in this season is a gift of provision from the Lord. He is putting it in my hand. In fact, in many ways, he is bringing to life the dreams & passions that I laid down 7 years ago as I followed His very clear call in that season.
Our boys, our family's needs, are very much in my hand now as well—but this opportunity allows me to be home with them, drive carpool & meet them at the bus stop, be physically & mentally present with them in the afternoons while doing work I love with people I love during the school day. What a gift. What goodness from God.
As the seasons change & a new (school) year begins, what is in your hand? How does it intersect with your deep gladness & the world's deep hunger?
The world needs what you have to give.
Curious to learn more? Recommended resources below:
WHO IS FREDERICK BUECHNER?
Frederick Buechner (pronounced BEEK-ner) was an American writer and theologian. The author of thirty-nine published books, he has been and continues to be an important source of inspiration and learning for many readers, writers, preachers, and theologians. His work encompasses multiple genres, including fiction, autobiography, essays, sermons, and other nonfiction. Buechner’s books have been translated into twenty-seven languages for publication around the world.
Stay tuned for the next edition (zoom in) dropping Sept 1st!
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Topic Preview | Coming Soon:
- {relationships}: What makes a relationship happy & healthy?
Gottmans' Marriage Masters & Disasters, explained.
- {faith}: As a Christian, do you have to pick between believing in Creationism & Evolution? Evolutionary Creationism, explained.
What to expect from Conscious Curiosity emails:
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on the 1st of each month: "zoom in" editions with useful tidbits from the experts on relationships, faith & psychology.
- one "deep dive" + two fun facts, rotating spotlight between topics (relationships, faith & psychology)
- sneak peak of next month's content
- on the 15th of each month: "zoom out" editions with quick insights from experts & thought leaders to help us think about how we think.
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