Confessions of a CEO: Imagine That

I remember when our church first sang the chorus, I Can Only Imagine, by Mercy Me. It was and still is a great song because it encourages us to use what is often an under-employed part of our being: our imagination. We often get so caught up with the overwhelming practicalities and logistics of life that to take time out to dream and imagine can seem like an indulgent luxury. But I Can Only Imagine invites us to look into the future with eyes of faith and wonder, and be amazed at what might be.

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By Your side

 I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When Your face
Is before me

 I can only imagine

 Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for You Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in Your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all

You have probably heard already that Compassion Australia is about to hit the milestone of seeing 100,000 children, babies and students supported by Australians. What a great celebration that will be, to know that the lives of 100,000 children living in poverty, as well as their families and communities, are being impacted! We are incredibly grateful to God for that.

I wonder if 35 years ago, when the first child was sponsored by a Compassion Australia supporter way back in September 1977, if anyone could have imagined this organisation would ever grow to 100,000. I’m pretty sure I won’t be CEO of Compassion Australia in 35 years time, but even in five, 10 or 20 years time, let’s imagine what a mass of committed people can do under God’s mandate to impact lives with hope and opportunity. The mind boggles—and it should.

Blessings

Tim

Dr Tim Hanna is Compassion Australia’s CEO. Married to Chris, they have nine children (yes, you read correctly) and 16 grandchildren (so far). He loves to spend time with his family and travelling, which is fortunate considering he does a lot of it as he leads Compassion Australia’s ministry in more than 26 developing nations.