A few months ago, I saw a shirt in a little shop in Cambria, and I instantly knew I wanted to buy it. It had the simple statement “Remember your why” across the front. It resonated with me because when I get caught up in the busyness of life and work, it is so easy to lose sight of why I do what I do. Every time I wear this shirt now, I am reminded to stop and think about my “why.”
My “why” is pretty simple. I believe you and I were created to partner with God to bring His Kingdom to earth. Author and theologian Dallas Willard says you and I are “never-ceasing spirituals being with an eternal destiny in God’s great universe.” We were made to count, and God puts us in contexts where we can count in ways that no one else does. He invites us to be part of His divine conspiracy to overcome evil with good, love, truth, and beauty.
This summer has provided tons of moments that remind us why we do what we do. A teenage girl opens up to her cabin mates in ways that she has not done before and opens her heart to the God who loves her… a mom shares about her family doing the Family Spiritual Practices together at Family Camp and the amazing discussions that ensued… a husband and wife sitting on a bench reconnecting after a long and difficult season…. a family doing our new prayer walk and taking the time to read the scriptures and talk about the reflection questions together… laughter and giggles coming down the flume and splashing into the water… a staff surrendered in worship and service together… a young person overcoming her fear on the aerial adventure course… a group of deaf students making it to the top of the rock wall when they never thought they could… this is why we do what we do.
Is it hard? Yes. It is harder work than anything I’ve done before. Is it worth it? Yes. To quote Tom Hanks in one of my all-time favorite movies about my hometown Rockford Peaches, A League of Their Own: “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great.” Or as Simon Sinek wrote, “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion.”
What’s your why? Do you need to take a few moments to stop and remember it today?
