Stuck.

But much more than that.  More like stuck in a crisis.  With no easy way out.  How did I get here?  And even more, how would I get through it?  Sound familiar to anyone?

I had experienced the peak…

I had been to the top of the mountain and I had seen what I could do.  My potential and purpose seemed to be right in front of me?  Why was I the only one who saw it?

Let me explain…

I had just come back from a mission trip to Guatemala.  One where I was filled with purpose.  In three days, we extracted 650 decayed and infected teeth from the villagers.  Three docs.  Three days.  And at the end- every single person was served.  People had walked for untold miles to see us.  And we saw every single one.  And we had one cartridge of anesthetic left.  God’s provision, right?

It’s easy to see why I felt purpose…

But then I went back to my home.  I went back to my wife.  And I told her my plan.  This is what purpose will do to you.  I told her that we were living too comfortably.  That we needed a smaller house.  We only needed one car.  We had way too many clothes and comforts.  My plan was for us to downsize so I could do mission dentistry.

But guess what…

She hadn’t been on the trip.  Amy didn’t have the same experience I had.  She hadn’t felt the same feelings.  Didn’t smell the same smells.  Her experience was different- taking care of our two young boys at home while her husband was off saving the world.  Let’s just say we were NOT on the same page.  But it tormented me.  It plagued me.  It was all I could think about.  I could feel my health and sleep being affected.

So what could I do?

At the time, I was being mentored by my pastor, Kevin Korver.  We would meet often to discuss life and he would pour wisdom into me.  If you don’t have a mentor, get one.  Trust me.  You need wisdom from those who are farther along on the journey than you.  I told him my story.  I shared honestly about where my heart was and how I felt I was not making a difference in my dental practice.  And how I had no freaking clue what to do other than step away from my practice and go save the world.

He sat back in his chair and smiled…

Hey Eric- how many interactions with people do you have in a day?  I thought.  With a busy schedule and interactions with my team, possibly 40 per workday.  His response was life-changing.  He told me that he was the senior pastor of a big church and didn’t have nearly that many interactions each day.  His charge for me has been a tone-setter for the last several years of my life.  It was very simple- here are your people. Be their leader

The thing is this…

I would have never come to that conclusion.  I would have kept living what I felt was a purposeless life.  My health would have been affected.  Also my family, my team, my patients, all parts of my life.  But I chose to seek wise counsel to help me through this spot.  Because I couldn’t do it on my own.

Most of us struggle with purpose…

At different times in our lives we struggle with our purpose.  With how to live it out.  And what it even is.  We don’t know or have forgotten our why.  And we need some help getting it back.  So here is my challenge to you- seek wise counsel.  In everything you do.  Have a trusted mentor, advisor, friend, or coach to help you walk through life.  As I have said countless times, we are better together!

So much better…

And if you feel like you are an island right now and need someone else to talk to, I am available.  Let’s have a conversation to see if we can work together to help you figure out your purpose.  And then you can step into a new day, maybe even put the hammer down, because good days are ahead!

I believe in you!

And one final thing- if you want to learn about missional opportunities to serve and learn more about your impact, check out Many Hands For Abaco.  I have been a part of this organization since its inception.  They are doing amazing purposeful work!  You get a chance to serve others, learn about yourself, and return to your people ready to make an impact!