trying to live by my own advice

by Matt MooneyFebruary 8, 2011

How many layers of paint? Victorian Box
Creative Commons License photo credit: deargdoom57

Ginny & I love getting emails from people who have heard our story or been to the blog or accidentally found themselves here when they were meaning to google the band- Mooney Suzuki. Whatever the route, we love hearing from folks (well, most folks).  I received this letter this week from a guy we’ll call “Zack”.  His inquiry was interesting enough, but it just so happened that I had been thinking much myself about the particular question of how to make decisions and move forward.  It is always tough for me.  Here’s our back & forth.  Would love to hear any thoughts you may have on this one or how you have dealt with taking the leap on the decision labeled “biggy”.  And, as always, please don’t think you need be a Christian to answer or speak Christian-ese to comment…all are welcome, even the Christians.

I did ask him if I could post this & he obliged, so don’t think if you e-mail me it will become blog fodder.

__________________________________

Matt and Family,

My name is Zach and I’ve been a huge fan of your blog (and tweets!) for about a year and half now. I stumbled upon the 99 balloons video about Elliot and was significantly moved. The extreme zeal for life that you and Ginny posses along with your strong faith are incredible. I pray that God will bless me with the same “chaos” some day. I probably don’t fit the typical demographic of a normal reader of your blog, I’m at 22 year old senior about ready to graduate from the University of ________ here in May. Anxious/scared are probably the best emotions to describe how I feel about this milestone but excited to see what God has in store for me in the future.  I’m currently applying for a teaching program in Denver that would allow me to get my masters and teach in a low-income school. My passion is helping people and improving their quality of life. I’m currently discerning what God’s plan is for me and not exactly sure what he has in store.  If you have any advice on following God’s will or just life after college I would be thrilled to hear it. I enjoy reading your blog and I am thankful to have found it. Keep up the good work. You reach out to more people than you know.

Side note: I discovered Ben Rector from one of your posts and I love his music.  In fact my brother and I are going to see him play in Ames, IA or Kansas City later this month. Very excited to see him live.

God Bless,

Zack

—————————-

Quick Asides:

  1. A fan of my tweets?  Come on Zack, you’re laying it on a little thick.
  2. And, yes, he spelled Eliot wrong, and that usually does the nails-on-the-chalkboard-thing to me…but, I liked Zack.  He’s bold enough to e-mail me and be transparent, he gets a pass.

——————————

Zack,

Thanks so much for taking the time to write and encourage Ginny and I, we really appreciate it.  We always love hearing how Eliot’s story has impacted others.  Thank you.

As for the season of life you are entering, here are some thoughts: they will not all be helpful.  It will be your job to distinguish between the two.  When faced with any decision or pivot in life that requires faith I take great comfort in scripture.

Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
(Proverb 19:21)

Would I have ever planned or even thought that I would be working as a founder of an organization that helps special needs children?  A thousand times no.

The Lord’s purpose prevails.

When faced with a big decision or what I continue to call a “pivot”, I always look for lightning.  That is I always pray and sometimes fast- asking God to make clear the right decision.  And although, I do believe we should engage those practices, He never has given me the lightning that I desired.

Instead, unfailingly, at the end of the wrestling, I am left to make the decision.  I give it to Him, I ask Him for lightning, none comes, and I must do something.  And so I move out in faith on the road ahead.

If God always made it as clear as I wanted, I would have little use of faith; but when I am unsure and unsteady, then I step out- desperately counting on the fact that an invisible hand is holding mine- one I cannot see, but believe in nonetheless.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
(Hebrews 11:6)

With a few pivots under my belt, and more than I would prefer as of late, I have noticed a peculiar trend.  The more times I move out in desperate faith and survive, the easier it becomes to do so on one hand, but also the more difficult it becomes- as the Lord always asks for more.  Conversely, in looking around, the fewer times one steps out in baffling faith, the more likely their lives are to make sense and look appealing- yet, in truth, these are the lives that sometimes cannot figure out why they are unhappy or bored with life.  Life is bland for these folks; God is not enough.  But this is a reaction to a life lived outside of faith as a requirement.  From where I stand today, life may seem daunting, even too much at times- but it is anything but boring.

Walk in faith.

Sincerely,

Matt Mooney

2,522 Comments

  1. Lorelei on February 8, 2011 at 5:28 pm

    Amen. I love you guys.



  2. Jody McComas on February 8, 2011 at 6:49 pm

    I love your response to his letter. I was just talking with a woman I’m discipling about decision making and you put it so much more eloquently than I did. I’m going to pass your blog post on to her. Thanks for sharing!



  3. Malissa on February 8, 2011 at 8:17 pm

    Zach is a smart guy for seeking your opinion and experience. As someone looking for more creativity and purpose from her work, I would encourage him to never be afraid to make a change. I had to get to a place where I knew the difficulty or pain of change would be less than the difficulty of forever staying where I was.



  4. RLR on February 8, 2011 at 9:23 pm

    Thank you, Zack, for your willingness to share this exchange. Facing my own “pivot” here, and I needed the scripture and insights, Matt. I’m scared and excited and anxious – but I think I know what’s next for me. Now, to get down to the business of having faith….



  5. jess on February 9, 2011 at 10:34 pm

    thanks so much for this bold truth about stepping out in faith, matt. i needed to hear it today!

    say hi to your cute wife for me 🙂



  6. Faith and Decision Making « Motherhood and Ministry on February 10, 2011 at 11:25 am

    […] women I’m working with now. I follow a blog of some friends who have an incredible story but Matt wrote this post this week and thought it was so good I wanted to share it. You should go to his blog […]



  7. Leasha on March 4, 2011 at 3:59 pm

    I too ask for lightening. I am always straining my eyes to see or feel it. I want to do his will, and always feeling as I am doing my own instead. Very fustrating. I also am not good with his timeline…I am not a patient person, but I am working on it.
    I believe this was from an earlier post. (I am catching up on Mooney going’ons) I love the line about did I ever think I would be working with special needs adoption. A thousand times no. I think that is how you know you are on His path. When you stop and reflect and its never where you thought you would be. I have a special needs child and I am a special needs advocate and special education teacher. I can tell you I sat in one of my classes in college and said “There is no way I am ever working in special education.”
    Here I am.



How many layers of paint? Victorian Box
Creative Commons License photo credit: deargdoom57

Ginny & I love getting emails from people who have heard our story or been to the blog or accidentally found themselves here when they were meaning to google the band- Mooney Suzuki. Whatever the route, we love hearing from folks (well, most folks).  I received this letter this week from a guy we’ll call “Zack”.  His inquiry was interesting enough, but it just so happened that I had been thinking much myself about the particular question of how to make decisions and move forward.  It is always tough for me.  Here’s our back & forth.  Would love to hear any thoughts you may have on this one or how you have dealt with taking the leap on the decision labeled “biggy”.  And, as always, please don’t think you need be a Christian to answer or speak Christian-ese to comment…all are welcome, even the Christians.

I did ask him if I could post this & he obliged, so don’t think if you e-mail me it will become blog fodder.

__________________________________

Matt and Family,

My name is Zach and I’ve been a huge fan of your blog (and tweets!) for about a year and half now. I stumbled upon the 99 balloons video about Elliot and was significantly moved. The extreme zeal for life that you and Ginny posses along with your strong faith are incredible. I pray that God will bless me with the same “chaos” some day. I probably don’t fit the typical demographic of a normal reader of your blog, I’m at 22 year old senior about ready to graduate from the University of ________ here in May. Anxious/scared are probably the best emotions to describe how I feel about this milestone but excited to see what God has in store for me in the future.  I’m currently applying for a teaching program in Denver that would allow me to get my masters and teach in a low-income school. My passion is helping people and improving their quality of life. I’m currently discerning what God’s plan is for me and not exactly sure what he has in store.  If you have any advice on following God’s will or just life after college I would be thrilled to hear it. I enjoy reading your blog and I am thankful to have found it. Keep up the good work. You reach out to more people than you know.

Side note: I discovered Ben Rector from one of your posts and I love his music.  In fact my brother and I are going to see him play in Ames, IA or Kansas City later this month. Very excited to see him live.

God Bless,

Zack

—————————-

Quick Asides:

  1. A fan of my tweets?  Come on Zack, you’re laying it on a little thick.
  2. And, yes, he spelled Eliot wrong, and that usually does the nails-on-the-chalkboard-thing to me…but, I liked Zack.  He’s bold enough to e-mail me and be transparent, he gets a pass.

——————————

Zack,

Thanks so much for taking the time to write and encourage Ginny and I, we really appreciate it.  We always love hearing how Eliot’s story has impacted others.  Thank you.

As for the season of life you are entering, here are some thoughts: they will not all be helpful.  It will be your job to distinguish between the two.  When faced with any decision or pivot in life that requires faith I take great comfort in scripture.

Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
(Proverb 19:21)

Would I have ever planned or even thought that I would be working as a founder of an organization that helps special needs children?  A thousand times no.

The Lord’s purpose prevails.

When faced with a big decision or what I continue to call a “pivot”, I always look for lightning.  That is I always pray and sometimes fast- asking God to make clear the right decision.  And although, I do believe we should engage those practices, He never has given me the lightning that I desired.

Instead, unfailingly, at the end of the wrestling, I am left to make the decision.  I give it to Him, I ask Him for lightning, none comes, and I must do something.  And so I move out in faith on the road ahead.

If God always made it as clear as I wanted, I would have little use of faith; but when I am unsure and unsteady, then I step out- desperately counting on the fact that an invisible hand is holding mine- one I cannot see, but believe in nonetheless.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
(Hebrews 11:6)

With a few pivots under my belt, and more than I would prefer as of late, I have noticed a peculiar trend.  The more times I move out in desperate faith and survive, the easier it becomes to do so on one hand, but also the more difficult it becomes- as the Lord always asks for more.  Conversely, in looking around, the fewer times one steps out in baffling faith, the more likely their lives are to make sense and look appealing- yet, in truth, these are the lives that sometimes cannot figure out why they are unhappy or bored with life.  Life is bland for these folks; God is not enough.  But this is a reaction to a life lived outside of faith as a requirement.  From where I stand today, life may seem daunting, even too much at times- but it is anything but boring.

Walk in faith.

Sincerely,

Matt Mooney

2,522 Comments

  1. Lorelei on February 8, 2011 at 5:28 pm

    Amen. I love you guys.



  2. Jody McComas on February 8, 2011 at 6:49 pm

    I love your response to his letter. I was just talking with a woman I’m discipling about decision making and you put it so much more eloquently than I did. I’m going to pass your blog post on to her. Thanks for sharing!



  3. Malissa on February 8, 2011 at 8:17 pm

    Zach is a smart guy for seeking your opinion and experience. As someone looking for more creativity and purpose from her work, I would encourage him to never be afraid to make a change. I had to get to a place where I knew the difficulty or pain of change would be less than the difficulty of forever staying where I was.



  4. RLR on February 8, 2011 at 9:23 pm

    Thank you, Zack, for your willingness to share this exchange. Facing my own “pivot” here, and I needed the scripture and insights, Matt. I’m scared and excited and anxious – but I think I know what’s next for me. Now, to get down to the business of having faith….



  5. jess on February 9, 2011 at 10:34 pm

    thanks so much for this bold truth about stepping out in faith, matt. i needed to hear it today!

    say hi to your cute wife for me 🙂



  6. Faith and Decision Making « Motherhood and Ministry on February 10, 2011 at 11:25 am

    […] women I’m working with now. I follow a blog of some friends who have an incredible story but Matt wrote this post this week and thought it was so good I wanted to share it. You should go to his blog […]



  7. Leasha on March 4, 2011 at 3:59 pm

    I too ask for lightening. I am always straining my eyes to see or feel it. I want to do his will, and always feeling as I am doing my own instead. Very fustrating. I also am not good with his timeline…I am not a patient person, but I am working on it.
    I believe this was from an earlier post. (I am catching up on Mooney going’ons) I love the line about did I ever think I would be working with special needs adoption. A thousand times no. I think that is how you know you are on His path. When you stop and reflect and its never where you thought you would be. I have a special needs child and I am a special needs advocate and special education teacher. I can tell you I sat in one of my classes in college and said “There is no way I am ever working in special education.”
    Here I am.