Keep Your Vision Alive!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by feet breath on May 28, 2013 at 12:44pm

Thank you for posting that.

 

I just wish I knew God's will for my life...When do people usually find out?

Permalink Reply by Ricprimus on May 29, 2013 at 5:21am

Some as soon as they accept Jesus as Savior and Lord, others, like me, nearly a lifetime. Well, I pretty much knew at 13 (age when we are "confirmed" in the Lutheran Church and accepted as full members. But I always was the orney and stubborn sort and put up a long fight due to pride and selfishness. But that too, was part of His plan, until I had my "walk and moment on the road to Damascus" where I was blinded, I was not ready to do the will of God.

Permalink Reply by Grace Mercy on May 29, 2013 at 6:05am

Hello feet, it is God's will for you to live life worthy of God's calling in your life. His will is simple. Know him better/deeper/delight yourself in Him and the rest will gonna follow. God bless you!

Permalink Reply by feet breath on May 29, 2013 at 5:04pm

Thank you both. :) God bless.

Permalink Reply by Ricprimus on May 30, 2013 at 7:08am

(Finally had time to write more on this, busy planting since a few days of no rain).
  Not to nitpick (though I guess I am) Jamestown was founded 1607, Plymouth 1620 became the second successful English settlement and would become the oldest continuously inhabited English settlement.
  Vision is a truly important tool in our journey with God and I understand the point you are making. However vision without a solid dose of solid planning and the willingness to work at the vision is almost a guarrentee for failure, whether it is establishing a new colony, or becomming a true son or daughter of God. The willingness to use the tools that He has given us: our intellect, the sweat of our brow, the time given to us by God, that great book of guiding principles and truth, the Holy Scripture along with the perserverence to never give up, is what makes the vision happen. It is what from the early colonies came to be known as "the protestant work ethic" in later years. It is also a thing most of the colonists were lacking in preparation for their venture.
  The original Plymouth expedition consisted of 102 members, 74 males and 28 females and a ship's crew of 25-30 (recorded conflict on number of crew). 1 crew and 1 passenger died during the voyage, 1 baby born during the voyage, another was born on the ship in America before colony was founded (hurrah for that one!).
Of the passengers, 37 were members of the separatist Leiden congregation, many were workers at Leiden University or in the textile, printing and brewing trades; 18 were servants, one of which had skill as a shoemaker. Since none of them had knowledge of farming, 36 "planters" were hired to join the company, along with George Kerr, a carpenter. None of the farmers had any familiarity with the various accounts of plants brought back by earlier traders to the New World regarding what would grow, what herbs existed and their uses for medicine.
  All in all, most of the group were gentlemen unused to physical work, along with wives and children, or their manservants equally unaccustomed to the hard labor demanded by the harsh task of carving out a viable colony. Not a single true blacksmith, tanner, professional fisherman, doctor among them. They would pay dearly for their ignorance and lack of foresight of both needed skills and the materials they brought with them.
  Well, they did bring along 2 dogs, a female mastiff and a small springer spaniel. That was the entire list of "livestock" they had brought: no attempt to bring chickens, a breeding pair of sheep or cows, just 2 dogs.
  By December, most of the passengers and crew had become ill, coughing violently. Many were also suffering from the effects of scurvy from the voyage of September 6-November 9 and living on the ship before the December 19 selection of a building site although the area was abundant with the tree/shrub sassafrass which would in years later become a major export to the old world as a prevention/cure for scurvy.
  During the first winter, half of them died along with half the Mayflower crew; in total between the landing and March, only 47 colonists had survived; during the worst of the sickness, only six or seven of the group were able or willing to feed and care for the rest.
  An insight on how badly they had prepared themselves are passages from William Bradford (who became governor in 1621 as recorded in his journal:
"Found Native grave. Further along, a similar mound, more recently made, was found, and as the colonists feared they might otherwise starve, they ventured to remove some of the provisions which had been placed in the grave. Baskets of maize were found inside, some of which the colonists took and placed into an iron kettle they also found nearby, while they reburied the rest, intending to use the corn as seed for planting."
"Also found two of the Indian's houses covered with mats, and some of their implements in them; but the people had run away and could not be seen. We also found more corn, and beans of various colours. These were brought away, intending to give them full satisfaction (repayment) when we should meet with any of them" (as about six months afterwards they did).
"And it is to be noted as a special providence of God, and a great mercy to this poor people, that they thus got seed to plant corn the next year, or they might have starved; for they had none, nor any likelihood of getting any."
  (When starting a new colony, it is kind of a good idea to bring along necessary things like tools, pots, and lots of seed if it is going to be a farming community: in my preparation for my upcoming 2014 trip, I've spent nearly a year already in planning and about $5000 assembling equipment, and I always will be no more than 3,4 days away from a city).
  Anyway, my point is have and keep your vision, but do not neglect to put effort in planning how to accomplish it if you truly want success.
  (My maternal grandfather was Creighton William White, descendant of the planter William White (died February 21, 1621 and his wife Susanna, to whom Peregrine ("wanderer") White was born on November 20, 1620 aboard the Mayflower in Provincetown Harbor before the settlement at Plymouth was started. Gramps always said "they were idiots not being prepared, lucky for them God watches over fools, drunks and sinners, as well as the saints.")