Spiritual Guidance:

Most of my colleagues are familiar with questions about eternity and the nagging voice of doubt that plagues many people causing them to question the meaning of their lives and the reasons why they even exist in the first place.

And, while we all have answers for those in need, most of us know that the only real answer that satisfies the frequent fear and emptiness is some kind of direct experience with God. It is in this relationship where meaning is imparted and emotional clarity is achieved. This is the call to service that fills one with new energy and propels you into the world with a high sense of purpose and vision. I don’t know of a minister or a spiritual leader who has not heard and directly experienced this call.

For me, it was a culminating experience following eight years of study and an amazing trip to Kings Canyon National Park in front of one of the largest giant sequoias in the world: The General Grant. There I stood, in front of this 1,650-year-old tree, holding an acorn from an oak tree, glancing back and forth between the tree and the acorn until it finally dawned on me that I had never really made a commitment to my own personal growth.

In that pivotal moment I had a direct experience of God, and it was clear what I was being called to express. The doubt was gone, the meaning was apparent. To this day I still remember that tree, that experience, and the pivotal nature of that moment.

Feeling doubtful? Go to our website at www.cmcsd.org and I’ll take you on a guided tour of your heart. The tree of life is calling you to a higher purpose and a direct experience with love. God awaits your recognition and life is ready to deliver the most amazing journey.

JIM TURRELL is the senior pastor at the Center for Spiritual Living.