Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Purposefulness (Purpose in Life) (05/25/06)
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TITLE: Two Doves, an Ugly Duckling and a Swan | Previous Challenge Entry
By Brandon Benson
05/27/06 -
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I can still remember my first attempt at a “book”. I’m not sure how old I was, but I remember writing about some birds running a town. The sheriff was a blue jay, the mayor a cardinal. Different species of birds for different characters in the town. Each bird served a purpose whether I knew I was putting them into a position of purpose or not.
I grew up; spreading my own wings to fly. Rough take offs and landings, and I’m still perfecting that. I’ve always known I could write and have always wanted to pursue book ideas that I have. I’ve also felt a call from God to serve Him…but most of my young adult life flying away from that call as fast as humming bird.
You could say I got involved with several bad birds in my nest. Terrible relationships. Then along came Jenny. I’d say that she would be a dove. Though things did not work out for Jenny and I, I was able to start the migration towards my purpose. I returned to church and became very involved in my local young adult Bible Study group. About the same time I met Jenny I also started to read the Rick Warren book The Purpose Driven Life. I started to realize I hadn’t been using my God given talents. I started to explore my options and talents deeper. I decided that I wanted to return to college, this time to a Christian college to further study the Bible. Next fall I will major in Christian Education.
A few months later I met another dove, Jordon. Things with Jordon didn’t work out either. She will be an English major next fall. So together we started to explore the work that each other had written. She gave me very high praise for things I have penned. About the same time I discovered the FaithWriters.com web site. It was like a long journey south during the winter, flying alone, then all of a sudden you land at the right place, finding thousands of other birds like yourself. I am home!
This is what I am to do. To write all things right. To write about all things that are Him! I am a word artist. That is how I refer to myself. Not a writer. God gives me the images. I then paint them with my pen and keyboard. I will paint His message in the sky with my wings for all to see.
At this same time my pastor…the wise old owl came to me asking if I would lead a discussion group at our church on The Purpose Driven Life. Now why was he asking this ugly sparrow to do this? I accepted the challenge. As I pondered the deeper question inside and begin to put together a study plan it came to me once again. This is my purpose! Yet another step in teaching me how to spread God’s word.
Writing and teaching. That’s my flight plan. At times I’ve even been an eagle, as I work for NewsMax.com, a major conservative online news web site. Patriotism has always been a part of me. And now once again finding my Christian faith to further guide me in all my work.
So there you have it. This ugly duckling with a past of floating down terrible streams and flying through unfriendly skies, finally found His purpose. Now I’m not sure that as a male duck I really want to say I’ll turn into a swan. Not typically looked at as such a masculine bird. But one of these days hopefully I’ll write something and be able to say, “I was the goose that laid the golden egg.” Then again male birds don’t lay eggs. So I suppose I’ll be content to be a swan. After all, I imagine after my work has been done, no matter what I have written is considered good or not…the lessons that I teach being good or not, I will eventually fly to that place with my fellow Christian word artists to be with the King Swan. Swans…made in His image.
That is my purpose. I hope all of you that read this will join me in that great migration because as Christians we are the ugly ducklings of this world. But alas a great pond awaits us, where we will all be beautiful swans. Find your purpose and serve Him. Fly high!
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