Danny Holland - You Are Here: A Straight-Shooting Guide to Mapping Your Future

W eve all either been there, are there, or will be therestanding on the shores of the known, gazing into the waters of the deep, wondering if there is more. Perhaps, like me, youve felt a tug to leave the security of the known and enter the chaos of the unknown in pursuit of deeper meaning.

Each of us has been created with a special purpose. We have been uniquely fashioned for greatness, yet that greatness often eludes us. The concepts in this book will help you recognize where you are, where you are going, and how to make the right transitions through each stage of your life journey.

What do you know of your future? I dont imagine you have a map with pins marking all the major events you will one day experience. And what about all the smaller events? Do you have enough pins? The journey we call life is filled with extraordinary moments packaged in the most mundane wrappings. They may seem uneventful, but these sometimes frightening, sometimes painful moments are crucial to the completion of the assignment God has for you.

You are here. Today is the next step in your journey, and each step is crucial. The skills you learn now are essential to success along your journey.

I wrote this book to help you recognize the purpose of your life and maximize each moment. Nothing in your life has escaped Gods attention. Everything you and I experience, the way we were created, and the gifts we possess can all work together to accomplish great things.

The synergy of our experiences and resources prepares us for the journey. Like a highly experienced paddling team, as we hone the key skills, we prepare for success.

Your life is part of a grand plan, and you can help make that plan happen when you cooperate with your Creator. This book will help you successfully discover and navigate how to do thathow to live the life you were meant to live.

Let the journey begin!

I cant explain it. I suppose I made the decision the moment I gazed at the royal blue and turquoise water of the Hawaiian shore. As I stood in a parking lot filled with vehicles adorned with racks for canoes and wave-riding gear, I felt the salty fragrance of the ocean, the suns gentle warmth, and the whisper of the water calling me.

I left the shore and headed into the deep.

I can do this, I thought, my eyes scanning the ocean canoes that rocked gently with each wave of the crystal sea.

No. I have to do this.

Passion, excitement, and a sense of destiny surged through my veins. Id been offered a position with New Hope Christian Fellowship in Honolulu. But there was something else, something morean inaudible voice calling me to something greater. Would I embrace the call? Or would I shrink back to the safety and comfort of my normal life?

This was the moment of truth. I had to face facts and accept my callingsuddenly, somehow, all at once. Youve probably felt something like that too: times in your life when youve felt called to respond, act, and do something extraordinary.

But then something gets in the way.

Either all at once or over time, we raise barriers or develop systems to silence that little voice. We ignore it. Bury it. Drown it out. Regard it as nonsense. And we slide back into the familiar life, back to thinking reasonably and responsibly. We carefully craft logical reasons to shove the wild notions aside and begin to wonder why we ever allowed the thoughts to enter our mind in the first place. We tell ourselves to grow up, to quit being impulsive. We hang up on the call.

What if I had listened? What then?

Without exception, every one of us gets a unique, one-of-a-kind purpose. The Bible tells us that God knows how many hairs are on our head and that, like Jeremiah, before we ever entered the world, He knew us and had plans for our lives (Luke 12:7; Jeremiah 29:11). Maybe its not so easy to see. Maybe its been damaged or even crushed by the heavy things weve piled up around it. A purpose can be as elusive as a tigerfish or as reclusive as a great white shark. But the truth is, our purpose is what calls us into the deep of the unknown.

A purpose can be as elusive as a tigerfish or as reclusive as a great white shark.

As we stand on the shore with the gentle waves lapping at our feet and our backs to the road weve traveled before, we feel the pull of that purpose. We feel the call to leave the lesser dream of a gray, undiscovered life and embrace the vivid colors of a life of true purpose.

The process of determining your unique purpose isnt always easy. You will face risks, and fear will threaten to overwhelm your senses. But what are your options? Well, you can reject what God planned for your life and slip into the predictable grind or you can embark on a lifelong, amazing, God-directed adventure.

Two maps, one journey. Which map will you follow?

I like to contemplate life (isnt that what Starbucks is all about?), and I know many others who enjoy standing on a metaphorical shore, staring into the unknown and pondering, Am I ready? Do I have what I need? What if I fail? Were pretty good at listing reasons not to get our feet wet. But what if weve spent our entire life in preparation for this moment?