Jay's Goal in life

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=120 BGCOLOR="#FFCCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0443f781egdyul.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#009900" FACE="Arial" ><B>Proclaim His Praise in the Islands - the Hallowells</B></FONT> <B> </B><B>|    </B><B> </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Proclaim His Praise in the Islands the "><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=360 BGCOLOR="#CCFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> Jay's Goal in life</div> <bR> <div> Rather than merely drift along pulled by the tides of cultural expectations for my life and whatever opportunities may or may not come along, I began a search for the purpose of life at an early age.  I knew, thanks to my parents bringing me to good churches on a very regular basis, about God.  However, while being convinced intellectually that God existed, I did not easily accept that life should be focused on this God.</div> <bR> <div> At a vacation Bible school at which a missionary spoke, I was moved when no one responded to the invitation of the missionary for the students to go forward to accept Jesus as the Lord and Savior of their lives.  Out of pity I went forward.  But, that did not put me right with God and I quickly reverted to my selfish ways.  </div> <bR> <div> I vividly the recall the New Year's day while in High School when I made a New Year's resolution in secret to follow Jesus.  But, self-will and self-discipline did not give me a relationship with the creator of the universe.  </div> <bR> <div> While grateful to my parents for their love and care, as a senior in my last year of high school I was counting the days until I could graduate and go away to college.  I wanted to get away from what I considered the narrow constraints of family and church and farm in rural Iowa.  I wanted to taste the joys of the city and of college life.  I wanted to get away so that I could rebel against my upbringing in a way that my parents wouldn't know about.  I expected college to be a time to sow some wild oats, as we put it, and to have some fun, before graduation and work made life more serious. </div> <bR> <div> I was convinced that the purpose of my life was to get a good degree, get a good job, acquire a good wife and family, house and car, and to enjoy life as much as I could along the way.   Oh, I was willing to be a reasonably good church member, as was expected by many in the time and place I grew up.  But, it was clear that neither church nor God was the focus or purpose of life for some of those involved in the churches with which I was familiar while growing up.  So, a basically selfish life, while being a responsible family member and citizen, was my goal.</div> <bR> <div> Then, a college friend who was involved in the Navigator chapter at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) brought a group of his Navigator friends from UNI to visit our church.  What I saw there changed my life.  Here were people clearly following Jesus.  Their lives rang with purpose and joy.  They made clear to me by words and by example that life lived without taking seriously God's purpose for it is a life wasted.  It was clear that none of my goals in life were taking seriously God's purpose for it.  The Holy Spirit gave me a deep sorrow for my rebellion against God's plans and purposes for my life and for the ways I did what I wanted rather than what God wanted.  I understood deeply that I could never put myself into a right relationship with God.  So, I turned away from my selfishness and trusted that what Jesus did on the cross to die for my sins is the only thing that could put me right with God.  I accepted that God is God and pledged to follow Him and do only what He wanted.  </div> <bR> <div> And, wow, has that ever given me a life!  I have known many people bored with their lives, or simply too busy to stop and see why they are doing what they are doing.  But, a life following God is fantastic, because God is fantastic!</div> <bR> <div> I don't know how much change my family and friends saw right away.  But I knew that I was changed.  My new Navigator friends put a wonderful quiet time guide into my hands.  I began using "<I>First Steps with God</I>" every morning and praying.  The Bible became alive to me.  Soon, reading the Bible only in the morning was not enough, so I also began reading in the evening before going to bed.  I got involved in a Bible study group.  I continued in church with my family, but the services had fresh meaning and impact.</div> <bR> <div> I became a Christian the first Sunday of April 1975.  In September 1975 I moved to Wichita, Kansas to begin college at Friends University.  I had chosen Friends University before becoming a Christian because it seemed like the least spiritual of the Friends' colleges, any of which were my parents choices.  I felt that I would have had the most freedom there to do what I wanted.</div> <bR> <div> But, having become a Christian changed all that.  Instead of looking for the opportunities to party at Friends University, which were not difficult to find, I immediately began looking for a Navigator chapter to join.  There was none.  But, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) was beginning a ministry there.  I joined up, starting with early morning prayer meetings.  I don't recall what time the prayer meetings were, but I do remember that I had class beginning at 7:30 am.  I managed to have my devotions, do my morning grooming, eat breakfast, and make it to the prayer meeting before that class.  I was hungry for the word and hungry to be involved with God's people.  </div> <bR> <div> By second semester, in January, 1976, I was invited to be a member of the leadership team of the IVCF group.  I had no idea what that involved, but accepted anyway.  Being involved in IVCF was the perfect way for me to focus my life on God and on what God wanted to do at Friends University.  But, that is another story for another time.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> by Jay Hallowell</div> <div> Last update: March 27, 2005</div> <div> --------------------------------- end of Hallowell content ----------------------------------------------</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>