If you weren’t doing what you’re doing, what would you want to be doing? If you could have a different skill set, what would it be? If you had to choose another profession, what would you choose?
At one point, I was fascinated with medicine and thought I might want to be a doctor. I honestly think it’s because of all the ailments I’ve endured. I’ve had asthma my entire life. I’ve had half a dozen surgeries ranging from reconstructive knee surgery to emergency surgery for ruptured intestines. And I’ve been diagnosed with lots of things I can’t even spell.
When I was a freshman at the University of Chicago, I was a pre-law major. I thought I might practice law or pursue politics. I find it funny that my brother is the lawyer! And while God did call me to DC, it wasn’t in a political capacity.
My first occupational desire was to turn my love of sports into a career in the NFL or NBA. I was a first-team all-American in basketball, but it wasn’t the NCAA. It was the NCCAA. The extra C is for Christian. And the NBA doesn’t do much recruiting out of the NCCAA! And here’s a little known fact, my back-up in pee wee football actually did play in the NFL.
At one point I wanted to teach. At first, I thought it might be American history. That was my favorite subject in high school. Then in graduate school I thought I might want to be a professor. But I realized that the classroom wasn’t my calling.
Lately, if I had to choose another profession I think I would enjoy, I’d pick architecture. I can’t draw a straight line to save my life, but I love the process of turning dreams into reality, and architecture does that in a way that is so tangible! You literally turn concepts into concrete. I’m loving this process of dreaming and designing our campus on Capitol Hill. But I’ll leave the drawing to our architects!
Having said all that, I know I’m called to write and to pastor. And I would honestly be doing exactly what I’m doing, even if I didn’t get paid to do it. I love what I do and I do what I love. Just thought I’d share what I’d want to do if I wasn’t doing what I’m doing.
