Thursday, April 5, 2012

STUCK



~This week's blog is a bit different. I am not offering advice, but seeking advice.~


I have often compared life to a journey down a road. It is a one way road and we come to various forks -- these are choices we make. Down this road I have made numerous choices over six decades. Some were good and wise, others were bad and stupid. I have walked with God and I have walked away from God. By His grace, I am back walking with him.

Last summer I started writing this blog to share my failures and successes in an attempt to be a Help in Time of Need. So far, I have had over 15,000 hits on my page from 6 continents and from countries I couldn't pick out on a map. I have corresponded with numerous readers and I hope I was of some help. I also just launched a webpage at, http://www.allachner.com . I still hope I can be of help to people who are hurting.

I have now come to a fork in the road. I have a good job, in this economy that is a blessing, yet I am drawn to be more involved in ministry. I would like to be able to teach, preach and listen to people on a daily basis. I am thankful to have an advanced degree in Theology, yet I work as a telecommunications engineer. I guess I am looking for a church or para-church organization that would want to reach out to the people who have left God or never have known God. An accepting body of believers that would allow me to minister from a position of brokenness and reconciliation. 

I will turn 60 in October, so my long term goals have become somewhat short term goals. Even though I love my job, I would like to know I did more than save people 50% on their phone bill.I am not asking for a job, but advice. Maybe this Internet thing is where God wants me, I don't know. I would just like some advice.

May God Richly Bless You,
Peace
~Al

3 comments:

  1. Hey Al - I've had similar (what seemed like) struggles before and I don't have advice or answers but these thoughts (platitudes?) came to mind: it's wonderful to have choices; food on the table is important, and feeding the soul makes it all worthwhile; decide what's important to you and what you're willing to let go of; I find listening to my heart and patience helps; and something I learned from a decision-making course that stuck with me - believe that there is no right or wrong path, that either way will work out fine (which helps me with any feelings of dire intensity there may be). Have you ever been on the receiving end of coaching? I find that very beneficial. I wish you peace and joy for your journey!

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  2. Thank you Caroline.
    So much has happened over the past year, I have been doing a great deal of soul searching. It started with a very depressing funeral for a co-worker, then moved on to being their with Angela and all of those around. I am so happy that she and I parted on good terms. Josephine went to Ireland and watched her Father die and a week later, her sister. While she was there, her mother lost three brothers. I have watch Sarah and Nathan go through their own separate grieving processes and I found spirituality again. No that I am almost 60, the phrase I used about long term goals becoming short term has sunk in.

    Life is a journey and I want to make a positive contribution with the time I have left. That is part of the reason I started writing a blog and started a web page.

    You and Ian are both such positive people, you have no idea how much you impacted both Sarah and Nathan.I hope that we can keep in contact because we don't have much family left.

    Thank you again for you kind words.
    Peace
    ~Al

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  3. Wow, sounds like quite a year! At our age we do seem to have to confront death and life way more often.

    Sarah and Nathan are awesome people - and I'm sure you have a lot to do with that. I think you are a great and caring dad and person and I know how important you are to them.... And it's true what you say about family -

    I'm at a crossroads myself right now at work - woke up with it on my mind at 5:30 am (no fair, it's a holiday!) I have only a degree of choice about what's going on - decisions will be made for me, which is certainly easier :) And whacking a tennis ball for a couple of hours this afternoon helped put things in perspective though! (Tennis is one of my joys - what are yours?)

    Take care Al, I'm interested to hear about what comes next for you.... Caroline

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