Kyle Goen Blog

For the past three years, I feel I was placed here at this time to be the father of Alex. I feel God has a Great Plan for him and I feel that is my job to love him and make him the best man he can be.

A few years ago, I would say that I did not know what God had planned for me and my family and what piece of the whole puzzle we fit in. Through many circumstances and people God has placed in our lives, we have come a long way to find what God created Tiffany and I for. To be in service for Him. He knew the right time in our lives to place the call on us to leave everything we know and go. I not only see that there is a need for people on the m-field in many areas of the world, but this is part of our testimony to others who someday may feel the call that God is placing in their lives to submit to service for Him as well. We can be an encouragement to others who don't think that they can leave all behind, take up their cross and follow in the footsteps of Jesus. We're just an ordinary family submitting to the will of our Father- we're no better than any other believer, we just have a different calling. Thank you Kyle for your encouragement through this whole process.

Rodney,
I am still praying with you through all of these things. I remember you often.

Diana and George,
Stay focused on what God has called you to be together. He will use you both in the coming days in ways you desire.

Oooh, I finally get to use my French from school :)

My "raison d'être" or reason to be is to bring glory and honor to Christ. That's the short answer.

It's my goal to fully devote myself in mind and body to the service of our Lord in whatever capacity He sees fit to use me and to that end, to love Him and others wholy. It's to love the things that He loves, to hate the things that He hates and to strive to live as close to Him as possible by finding places and opportunities where He is working in my life.

So, to fully answer your question, the Lord has called me to preach the Word of God. It's the wherever and whenevers that are still being worked out. Although, in restrospect, it should be wherever I am and whenever I can.

On a humorous note George would say God put me here to make him crazy.
What defines a calling or a purpose?
I don't know if I have what people would consider a calling however I think that I do have spiritual gifts, not because I believe God told me them, other people have told me "Diana you have the gifts of hospitality and encouragement". I though ok, I can whip up a good meal and cheer someone on. I see in my life where God has me using them, but I don't know what those personality traits have to do with a calling from God. Shouldn't we all be lucky enough to hear that booming voice of God and know exactly what he wants.
You for instance are a Pastor/Preacher and God has chosen you to be a spiritual leader and guide for people who need help finding their way to Jesus and becoming a Christian and then leading them on their way to a closer walk with God. That is just one part of your calling and I know there is so much more to that.
Like you said we are created to bring glory to God. Maybe we are all suppose to be on a constant journey to keep finding what God has planned for each of us. Those things do seem to change like Rodney Knight said, "with each new day and season of life" we don't know as much as we thought.
Sometimes I am so eager to know what God has for me, and other times I am afraid, what if I get it wrong and mess up what God has in store for me.
Some people have clear paths and know exactly where and what they are suppose to be doing. I wish we were all that fortunate, but then again I am fortunate enough for Jesus to love me and let me be in His kingdom and be united in life with other Christian brother's and sister's.
I don't know what my calling is LOL and that's my final answer.

Hmmmm.... deep thoughts. I kick this question around in my mind quite often, almost daily sometimes it seems. I used to think that I was learning / seeing what I was to be about, my calling - purpose, but it seems with each new day and season of life, I realize how much more that I don't know His plans. When I think I understand where he is taking me, I realize how much I really don't know.

If I am sure of anything, it is that I need to deal with the here and now and the situations and opportunities that He has placed me in in a manner honoring to Him. Hopefully, though obedience to His desires in the 'daily-ness' that we call life, I will begin to see how what I find myself doing fits into something bigger and greater than myself. I wrestle with whether I am doing what He wants me to in life (read as jobs and so forth) and with finding contentment and joy in those spots. I find myself more and more falling back to the assurance that He is a big God, and if it would bring Him joy and honor to have me somewhere else, then He can and will lead me there. After all, it is about His joy, correct? And He receives great honor by being the provider of our needs and joys, corrrect? The only thing I know that we can do for Him is submit and cast our carees / anxieties to Him.