YOUR FUTURE
Have you ever wondered where you will be five or ten years from now? Would you like a safe way to look into the future? I’m sure that you have occasionally had a fantasy about some future possibility–or maybe even a nightmare. Maybe you could even look into several futures so that you could choose from among them.
If you have been following my blog, you will probably guess that I suggest you make use of fiction as a way to explore possible futures. You don’t have to be a great writer to engage in putting possibilities into a story like form. Just choose either a pen and paper or more likely a computer and paint a picture of one or more possible futures.
DON’T TAKE YOUR TIME
The two biggest excuses for not doing this are:
- I don’t know how to write fiction.
- I don’t have time to do this.
Don’t allow either of these excuses to prevent you from having an enjoyable adventure. You’ve told stories before–not all of them true–and this time you don’t even have to feel guilty. Since you are the primary audience of your story, you don’t even have to worry about writing skills.
With respect to the issue of time, I would suggest both short and long possibilities. My guess is that once you get started, you may find time to extend your effort, but even short stories have impact. Look how powerful some of the parables are.
In the seminar I recently conducted at the Big Tent, people were writing some fascinating stories in twenty minutes. So find an hour and be prepared for some enlightening fun.
“WHAT IF” IS ALL YOU NEED
The scene is a meeting with two really good friends who are meeting you for a leisurely dinner to help you evaluate your ministry and plan your future. You can try it either way, but it might be interesting to have one male and one female friend for this conversation. If you do, try to be conscious of how either a male or a female might respond from their perspective.
Let’s say that is is 2025, and you are looking back on the significant events over the last eight years that have brought you to this place. I think you will find it easiest if you write this as a dialogue. Allow your companions to raise questions and probe your story.
Begin by describing your physical health–good or bad, maybe even in crisis mode. In conversation with your friends, describe what behavior, decisions, events beyond your control, etc. have resulted in both your physical and emotional health.
Describe three significant decisions in your ministry that had either positive or negative, affirming or challenging results. How did your church board, members of your congregation, and or the community respond to those decisions? What was the impact on your spouse and children? Did it affect some significant friendships?
In the next blog, I’ll offer some alternative ways of exploring your future, but at this point I want to simply encourage you TO BEGIN. Don’t overthink this. Just begin writing and try not to stop for at least a half-hour. I think you will be surprised at what happens for you.
