Another attempt to destroy my vision

Whew... today my engine set sail on this latest notion that came from an older gentleman today. I was shocked at what he said and how he said it.

Here's how the conversation went:
"So, you're leaving?"
"Yep! headed to Va beach to finish my degree"
very questionably, as if he were talking to a young, naive girl, "uhh. why Virginia Beach?"
"The Lord led me to Regent University, sir."
"Oh. right. What is your focus?"
"My major is Professional Communication. With my HACC credits I should be considered a sophomore when I transfer."
"What does that entail?"
"Its focus is geared towards raising leaders to communicate effectively through professional avenues. It basically prepares students for work in the professional atmosphere like PR, for example. i'm very excited!"
(rolling his eyes in a discusted state) "haha. another one of those schools that's gonna quote"change the world".."
"well, yeah! in fact, that's Regent's mission statement."
"HA! these schools think that they can make one person change the world and make it a quote 'a better place'. they're cynical" (shakes his head and walks away)

After tilting my head sideways and squinting my eyes as I watched his back while he walked away, I sat there puzzled. Wow. No wonder our world is suffering. All of the division, murder, immorality, strife, bitterness, it isn't enough. We have to bury those with misaligned, wrong and bitter attitudes - ones that serve only to discourage, defeat and disarm the faith of every believer out there. You know, 'Where's Waldo' isn't the well-known game anymore - I'm playing the never ending game of 'Where's all the optimistic people?'

Can we please make any room for the optimists to prosper in their inspired vision?

Gosh, there's nothin' like being around a pessimistic, hopeless person. It's only after you realize they're just as you were before Jesus was able to fill you completely with His Spirit of life that you can see them through a different lense. If you're anything like me, it takes a minute or two for that part to completely register and the first minute of "reaction" in your head goes a little something like this, "you're kidding me, right? did you just stomp on the greatest vision of redemption for all mankind through "changing the world"? more than that, one that Jesus Himself appointed for me most recently at Regent University, and for you if you would WAKE UP!"
(Harsh, I know. My mind totally processes conversations this way sometimes. There's a more gentle answer... and thankfully I accepted the rejection without saying what was in my mind... it all just took a few minutes to process... I'm working on that!)

C'mon, mister. You've gotta start somewhere. And somewhere starts with some body. And some body starts from some One.
THIS is why I am attending Regent University! To engage in the learning methods of changing the world through ONE man, Jesus Christ.

What a clever attempt at blowing out the one candle that you are burning! None the less, coming from a man in his early 70's who could be setting a prominent example for a young woman like myself. I guess the legacy around here is to 'choke 'em a little bit with your pessimism and knock down yet another boisterous student who wants nothing more than to prove to the world that IT NEEDS JESUS!

What's tragic is that constantly listening to someone like that has the capability to blow out that one candle that keeps burning inside of you. That kind of attitude can suffocate a person of purpose! I don't know about you, but I refuse to constantly listen to people who dishearten the vision God has called me to join. It's destructive in the Kingdom and I won't allow it to penetrate my soul.

After conversations like these, I become so thankful for spiritual family. I'm thankful to have friends who love God as much as I do - ones who can understand these worldy frusterations and stand up to the challenge of making a difference. I'm thankful to now be at Regent and in an atomosphere where I can be encouraged and challenged for growth in the Lord - where my inspired dreams to change the world through Christian leadership are supported, raised up to the Father, and moreso acknowledged by an army of warriors on fire for the living God!

(I'm experiencing a lot of these responses from people lately... any one think the enemy KNOWS God has a bright future planned for me?!)