Seeking direction in troubled times


1. JOE’S STORY: PROBLEMS, PAIN, AND LIFE PURPOSE

Problems and personal pain causes many people to feel discouraged and defeated. Especially if their situation doesn’t change or seem to improve as the years go by. Joe, like many of us, started out with hope in his heart and big dreams for the future. Then life happened. Tragedy stuck. And he was only 17-years-old.

Rejected by his family, crushed by injustice, imprisoned in a foreign land – his future looked bleak. Joe’s story is a reminder that while life can be very difficult there may well be a larger purpose for our pain.

Since Joe’s story is taken from the Bible (Genesis 37-50), this talk may be most suitable for a church setting. Then again, who hasn’t experienced prolonged problems or felt stuck? Who hasn’t hoped that something good might come out of a very bad situation? This presentation is appropriate for people everywhere who might be tempted to give up.

This talk will encourage you to take your finger off of the life pause button and press play.

2. WONDERING WHY: THE MYSTERY THAT MAKES LIFE WORK 

Everyone has a philosophy or religion or faith or worldview. Everybody has an answer of sorts to large life questions. Talk long enough and people – without exception – will soon shift into preaching mode in one form or another. But are all truth claims or worldviews equally valuable and equally true? Or do some seem to be better than others?

Without being argumentative, this talk with argue that believing in the Trinity has several surprising and positive implications that serve to make life work. This presentation may be of interest to those who are asking the hard “why” questions and wondering what, if anything, they really believe. It may also benefit Christian people who are attempting to connect their career and life direction with deeper realities.

Look long and hard and you will notice that reality is mysterious. And yet, despite our inability to understand everything, it still makes sense to attempt to align our lives with what is real.

Making major arbitrary decisions gets old after a while. Doing “whatever” is overrated. Maybe it is time to find your footing.

3. MOVING AHEAD: TEN WAYS TO GET STARTED

Sure, there are all sorts of things that might be holding you or your organization back right now. Many different problems prevent people from fulfilling their true potential. We could likely talk for hours in an attempt to discern the specific problem, or combination of problems, that is unique to you. A more personal approach may be more effective.

It is still worthwhile, however, to take the time to identify a number of common roadblocks or barriers that stand in the way. This knowledge will help you recognize issues that may need attention. Of course, having more information will not necessarily change anything. Knowing which pedal to push in only the beginning.

Little in this presentation will strike you as being new or revolutionary. But it has been said many times before, that we need to be reminded much more than we need to be informed.

4. THERE AND BACK AGAIN: WHAT I’VE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY 

As The Hobbit comes to a close J.R.R. Tolkien’s central character, Bilbo Baggins, writes a book called There and Back Again describing his incredible adventuresWhile my own adventures have not been as dangerous or as dramatic as Bilbo’s they have been noteworthy nonetheless.

The theme at my high school graduation was “The Adventure Begins.” And it sure did. My parents gave me a set of luggage as a graduation present and I put it to good use. During the past 25 years, I have lived in West Germany, Kenya, Lithuania, and Canada – not to mention British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Quebec.

This talk will draw together scattered career and life direction lessons. My hope is that your group or organization will benefit from hearing about my experiences and mistakes and be inspired to move ahead with a greater sense of purpose and direction.

*Please expect a conversational presentation. The length can be adjusted to meet your needs.

© Career & Life Direction 2012. All rights reserved.

 

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