Packing For Life

[Address the Administration, the Faculty, the Families, and the Students]

As you prepare to go on a trip, packing a bag is usually part of those preparations.  

If you know where you are going, it makes. It. Much easier to pack.

Michigan in the fall—you bring a sweatshirt, hoodie, even a warm jacket. [Bring out and toss the hoodie]

but

Florida in August—you bring swim clothes, and a towel. [Toss the trunks, then the towel].

The location, the expected weather, and the daily plans all help decide what to bring.

But what if you do not know where you are going? 

You dont know the location, the weather, or maybe even what you will do when you get there. 

So…

How do you gauge what to bring?

As you leave school, believe it or not, you are stepping out into life and the scenario is the second one.  You may think you know what the future holds, as many here would agree with me, you really dont.

You have plans.  And that is great.  That is important. Having them keeps you moving forward. I always say, “Not even God can steer a parked car, it must be moving.” 

Having plans keep you moving.  

You are leaving school. Some of you are leaving home.  You have immediate plans. And you have long term dreams.  What you dont know is what your life will be in 10, 20, 30 or 40 years.  If i was sure at your age, then i would be standing here as a rich lawyer, who owns a huge ranch, and has been a congressman, senator and even served two terms as president. At one point in my high school career that was my plan.  After being called into the minstry the plan changed to buying the house at 115 Edgeland St. in Rochester NY, reaching that neighborhood for Jesus. 

None of that happened. 

But what if I had packed for those plans, or dreams and not what I am going to share with you tonight? I would not have been ready for where God would take me.  I would not have met my wife, have my family, been privileged to minister here in Indy, or have met you.  My life has met deepest reams of my heart, even if it didn’t fulfill the superficial forms I thought it would. And it is much better than I had planned for, or dreamed of.

So what will be important even vital for you no matter where you go? What will you need to be able to discover and live out the deepest dreams of your life? Dreams that you dont realize are in there, even as you have spent so much time in thinking about their fulfillment.

[Put the stick figure on the front of the chair holding the suitcase]

Here are 7 things you need to pack for your life, and they will be vital no matter what dream you end up fulfilling.

Family and friends [Family pics set on table]

Education: these past 13 years have given you some educatuion, but what it has really done is taught you how to learn{The Book on the Table] 

Problems are not always bad especially if those problems move us closer to God, help us experience him in a deeper way, get to know him better.[Broken Plate in the bag]

Keep fun in your life if you forget to laugh about most things, you will lose all ability to grow, relate to others, actually live life.[Uno Cards]

Greg Lynn, a mentor in my life for the past 42 years, told me almost that long ago that 99.9% of the things we fret about don’t even matter.I thought he was crazy then, over the years I have found him to be right on.And when I forget this is when i begin to focus on the wrong things, and i hurt people and miss opportunities.   

These last three are the most foundational, that even if you lose everything else, if you have these you will come through a winner.

God is Real [The Plant]

When doubt and fear seem to be huge, when look for him and cant find him, when you call out to Him and dont hear a response, you can still be sure that God Is…

Look outside and see a tree, a squirrel, or a plant and you can be assured that God is real;

Everything you see has been caused, nothing that began to exist did so on its own, 

That cause must be outside of our universe or outside of time and space, because even those are caused

and this cause must be a mind and not just a force, because forces dont make decisions or things, minds do

so there must bemind outside of the universe that causes everything within it—sounds likeGod.     

God is real 

Jesus Died and Rose Again [Cross]

This is one of the most attested events in history

3. The Bible is trustworthy, will lead you faithfully [Flashlight]

4. Meet with God often

at least as often as whoever you meet with the most any given week- co worker; friend; etc.

talk about everything, your desires, fears, needs, others, olans, and then listen