I\u2019ve finally figured out what I want be when I grow up\u2026 I want to be an AMATEUR! Not the definition meaning: \u2018someone who is incompetent or inept\u2019\u2014 I want the meaning that comes from the root word: \u2018amore\u2019\u00a0\u2014 to love. This amateur does something, not because he has to, but because he loves to.<\/p>\n
I am an amateur husband because I love Susan now more than ever. I am an amateur dad because I love my children and am so proud of them. I am an amateur grandpa because I love Wilkes, Macy, Owen, and Keightley. What a joy to watch them grow up!<\/p>\n
I am an amateur Bible teacher because I love sharing what I\u2019ve learned with middle school students. I love to see their eyes light up when they sense: \u2018Oh, this stuff about Jesus is true! He knows me and really cares about me!\u2019<\/p>\n
It is important to do our jobs well. We need to carry out our work responsibilities in a professional way and be excellent in everything. But the \u2018professional\u2019 is often viewed as one who does his job because it is his job. Have you ever noticed, though, a person shining joy from his duties? Life springs forth from such people.<\/p>\n
Jesus did not see Himself as \u2018the professional Rabbi\u2019\u2026 He was the perfect AMATEUR. And His love was all rooted in His Father. \u2018I love My Father\u2026 and My Father loves Me. I do exactly what He tells Me to do and live in joy. My food is to do His will!\u201d (see John 14:31; 15:10-11; 4:54)<\/p>\n
God is now calling the whole world to look up and realize He is the only One who offers hope. \u2018Look! I am here! Call on the Name of My Son! Out of love, He paid your debt with His Blood. He is your hope! He will be your Source of joy! Seek Him\u2026 call on His Name and be saved!\u2019<\/p>\n
In the dark hour, I\u2019m not always encouraged by the \u2018professional.\u2019 But let me hear from someone who\u2019s \u2018been there\u2019 and who is still pushing through and who still speaks hope, and I\u2019ll be blessed.<\/p>\n
I sat next to Cecil last week, a thirty-two year old athlete who is three weeks out from a bone marrow transplant for leukemia. \u201cMy taste is just coming back,\u201d he said. I replied, \u201cYeah\u2026 it will just get better from here on. Did you lose much weight?\u201d\u00a0 \u201cI went from 205 to 150.\u201d We talked about common experiences and I shared the type of encouragement I needed when I was in the same place. Then we talked about the Lord, our Good Shepherd, who walks with us through the valleys – the One who loves to be with the hurting.<\/p>\n
Amateurs share hope\u2026 out of faith and love. \u201cFaith, hope, and love\u2026 but the greatest of these is: love.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlways be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.\u201d I Peter 3:15<\/p>\n
\u201cSalvation is found in no One else, for there is no other Name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.\u201d Acts 4:12<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I\u2019ve finally figured out what I want be when I grow up\u2026 I want to be an AMATEUR! Not the definition meaning: \u2018someone who is incompetent or inept\u2019\u2014 I want the meaning that comes from the root word: \u2018amore\u2019\u00a0\u2014 to love. This amateur does something, not because he has to, but because he loves to. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hope"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/airwoof.org\/journey\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3359","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/airwoof.org\/journey\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/airwoof.org\/journey\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/airwoof.org\/journey\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/airwoof.org\/journey\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3359"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/airwoof.org\/journey\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3359\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3362,"href":"https:\/\/airwoof.org\/journey\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3359\/revisions\/3362"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/airwoof.org\/journey\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/airwoof.org\/journey\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/airwoof.org\/journey\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}