It is official! I am an author. Recently I completed writing my first book entitled , Life Changing Vision, which we used at Lake Ridge Church as a six week Bible study. During the writing of this book I learned to appreciate real writers who make their living from that trade. Writing a book was not as easy as I thought it would be or had hoped it to be. There was research that had to be done, the use of proper grammar (not my normal southern slang), and writers block. For guys like Max Lucado and Andy Stanley it probably is a much easier task when you have a professional editor at your disposal. I was author, researcher, and editor, at least initially. After seven weeks of writing which resulted in more hair loss and a few more lines under my eyes, I completed this undertaking. Thanks goodness there are some people in our church that can decipher southern slang and put it into proper English for the masses to understand. I am using ECPA manuscript service which posts new works by unknowns like me, for major publishing houses to review. If a publisher doesn’t like my manuscript, then I may take the road of self publishing, but there is a financial expense to that route.

Over the next few days, I want to share some excerpts from the book with you in order to get your mind thinking about God’s vision for your life. Vision is more than simply what could be. After all, what could be is simply an idea or a dream. Vision also carries with it a sense of conviction. It’s not only what could be done, but what should be done. It’s something that must happen. It moves you from passive concern to action. Conviction is what gives vision a sense of urgency.Vision always stands in contrast to the world as it is. Vision demands change. But a vision also always requires someone to champion the cause. It takes someone who is willing to put his or her neck on the line. Someone who has the courage to act on an idea. My prayer for you is that you will stop dreaming, and start doing.

From Chapter One, Turning Dreams Into Vision:

You know what God’s vision is for your life, even though you may think you don’t. You have always known.

While you have been busy trying to follow a dream, God was preparing you for His vision. I cannot pretend to know God’s specific vision for you. To do so, would mean that I would be misleading you down a path that could be disappointing and maybe destructive. What I can do is help lead you along a path that will be marked with clear signs on when and where to turn. God has a vision specifically for you and He not only wants you to discover it, but to live it. He wants you to live it, so you will be filled with joy, grow his kingdom, and bring pleasure to Him.
What is vision? The best definition I can offer is: the God-given ability to see a preferable future for an individual or organization based on biblical truth. Vision is being able to see what others choose not to see or cannot see. You can’t get away from vision. Once God puts it in your heart, it will become the focus of your life. In his book, The Power of Vision, George Barna says, "The heart of God’s vision for your life’s ministry will be serving people."[i} You will begin to reorder your life to accomplish his vision for your life or organization.

Human vision by itself is flawed. It is flawed because it is based on self-focus. Human vision will always come down to what I want to do; self is at the center. Where do I want to be and what I want to have? We set benchmarks and goals all along the way, based on self-focus. Human vision is fueled by Madison Avenue. From the time we were born, we have been bombarded with advertisements. We have been conditioned through advertisements and culture to believe that the world revolves around us and our needs. God’s vision is fueled by people. All throughout scripture, there is one continuous theme, "for God so loved the world." His vision is about you!

While the average person may have the right to dream his own dreams and develop his own picture of what his future could and should be, we as followers of Christ have surrendered our lives to follow Christ and His plan. We gave up our right to be in charge when we accepted Christ and agreed to follow Him. God has a vision for your life. Why would you want to think up and do your own thing? What could be more fulfilling than the plan that God has for you? When God puts something in your heart to do, He goes to work behind the scenes to ensure that it happens. It’s not up to us to figure out how to pull off the vision. Our job is simply to do what we know to do and then wait for God.

[i] George Barna, The Power of Vision (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1992) 154.