Being an Also in a world of ONLY's

God has been doing some really cool, detailed, and deep things in my life lately. He’s teaching me a lot. I’ve been learning so much about identity in Him.
God used a chance that I had to go to a Beth Moore Simulcast to last fall to bring some things to light in my life. In the teaching time, Beth explained how close Luke and the Apostle Paul were, and gave a picture of how they worked together. In her teaching, she came to a logical conclusion that Luke might have felt like he was living somewhat in the shadow of “The Great Apostle Paul”. Even in the way Luke wrote his gospel, really he was just adding to and supporting what other disciples had written. In many ways, there wasn’t anything terribly dramatic or original about the ministry of Luke. But wow! The ways that God used him to support and be behind the scenes in much great, amazing work! One phrase that stood out was at the beginning of Luke’s gospel as he is explaining that he’s writing an account of the Life of Christ, and he’s writing this letter to a friend, and he says “It seemed good to me also.”
It seemed good to me also! Wow. How cool is that? To just say “Hey I know others have done similar work, I know it’s nothing big. But this is what I have to offer, and what I feel lead to do. This is my way and my style and voice. So here goes. Seemed like a great idea to me.” And Christ has included me in HIS “also”! In Romans 8:30 I’m told that “Those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” And “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” in 1 Peter 2:4-6! WOW! And I know that there are tons of other scriptures inviting me into the ALSO of Christ! Well that’s a couple of times I WANT to be an also! I don’t want to be left out of that crowd! Praise God for THE ALSO! I’m so thankful that I’m included in God’s great plan for me!
We line in a world that is on one hand telling us to blend in, settle, conform and be like everyone else, and on the other sending mixed messages. On the other hand it’s yelling, kicking and screaming at us to fight to be individual, get yourself on the rich-and-famous- fast-track, stand out, never do anything normal or subtle, it’s refreshing to know that I myself don’t have to be different! (Now hows that for a run on sentence? ;) ) Yes, as Christ-People we are to stand out to make our mark. But that mark, that outstanding character and part of who we are comes from Christ alone. Apart from Christ, there is nothing exciting, individual or worth knowing in me. Christ makes me who I am. He makes me an individual. He makes me stand out, want to do great things, go beyond the natural into the realm of the super natural. But only HE. Only Christ.
One thing that He’s really been working on with me lately, is how in some ways, I’ve felt like I have kinda grown up in the shadow of my family and I need to deal with that and get a right perspective. So I totally get how Luke might have felt. When I was little my dad was on the deacon board (when you're 7 these things feel HUGE) so it was like “Oh! You’re Mikes daughter.” And then, as I grew up in junior high, my brothers turned out to be pretty awesome guys, leaders in school, captains of the soccer team, everyone liked them, and good looking to boot. “Oh! You’re Brian and Craig’s sister!” And at that time, my mom was a key leader in a Bible Study that we were involved in, and then years later by the time I was in high school, she stepped back from volunteer Bible Study ministry and into paid ministry as a Director of Children’s Ministry at my old church. PK Status. “Oh! You’re Shannan’s daughter!” And fast forward to today. Neither of my parents are involved in the ministries they used to be in, now. But my brother’s have grown up into pretty cool guys. Craig is a Youth Pastor, Brian is a State Trooper. Pretty cool jobs. Cool, respectable training/education for their jobs. They both married two of the most wonderful ladies I have ever met. Pretty cool spouses. And each has a beautiful set of kids – a son and daughter. Beautiful families. (I love my Pollywogs and Cupcakes!) 
Then there’s me. Working as a CNA. Not a really highly appreciated, educated or prestigious job. It’s unseen work. BUT I love what I do because I am getting paid and fulfilled to use my gifts and love on people! Still single. Nothing on the horizon suggesting that could change any time soon. Always wanted to be a mom, but no signs of that dream coming true in sight. No beautiful family of my own. That’s kinda my life now. A bit non-traditional, unremarkable and waiting for direction in big choices. I’m only 24. I think I have my track to my career cleared off, but it will be a long track. :) More mature than others in some ways, less mature than others in other ways.
Really, what it comes down to is that I compare myself to others. My parents. My brothers. My friends. I consider their accomplishments, what they have going for them, how they’ve served the Lord, or been used. And what I take my eyes off of is what I’m called to do. I consider what I do a specific calling, and I take myself and what I do for granted. I just pass off the ways that God is at work in my life and how (I hope anyways) that He is using me to bless others. I forget that there is only one Lindy Glaser, and just because my calling looks different than what God has called many other awesome people in my life, it is valid and powerful. (Again -I hope anyways!) Because what I do is so second nature and natural to me, I forget how unique my combination of strengths and weaknesses are until somebody says “You’re a CNA? Awesome, I have no idea how you do your job, I never could.” Or “You work with youth? Cool, no way I’d do that!” Or I forget how much freedom and wholeness I have to offer as somebody who has no scars from a romantic past or the ties and responsibility even in a wonderful marriage. “Oh? You’re still single?? Go do things NOW!! Travel! Go to school! Do things you’ve always wanted to do! Don’t put off your dreams! Take chances! Be adventurous!”
So that’s why I can come and have peace. My life may not look like I “think” it should. It may not look like what other’s “think” it should, or the world tells me it “should”. But I am in a place where God has me to learn and grow in Him. I’m in a place where I He can use me the best, and grow me the strongest and fastest. I am learning how to depend on Him in bigger ways, in better ways and I’m going into deeper, closer places with Him. In many ways God hasn’t done “normal” things with me in my life. He hasn’t lead me to school and complete a degree just yet. He hasn’t lead me to get married yet – even though it seems like my single friends and family are dropping like flies. :)He hasn’t blessed me with motherhood yet. He hasn’t totally launched me into a career yet, just given me step by step direction for the future and contentment for the present. I know he will fulfill all of these desires – He gave them to me. So to me it seems logical, and safe to trust these dreams into His hands and to give these dreams back to Him. I don’t know how He will fulfill these desires – part of me wouldn’t be surprised if He decides to go about fulfilling them in a unique and different way, which I don’t anticipate since we are already on the less traveled road. I don’t know what my future looks like. All I know is that I belong to Him. I am His Child and He has great plans for me. My identity lies in Christ. So I don’t have to compare myself to others. I don’t have to try to look for great, dramatic plans, I don’t have to search for greatness. All I have to do is look for and embrace the greatness that I have already been called to and asked to serve. My job is to be sensitive and responsive to the Leading and Voice that I have come rest in and find huge adventure, risk and safety in all at the same time. Nothing can be more fulfilling than answering the calls that God has given me NOW and trusting Him to bring everything else into place. So yeah. It seemed good to me also.