Where to begin. How about early 2018, that’s the last time I posted a blog. That January I started my Doctorate program, had a panic attack and started physical therapy. Later that autumn I began a stint as an adjunct theology professor, lasting four years all while working fulltime at my “day job.”
Mid-2019 began what turned into five years of significant health battles. I had two life-saving surgeries, three different hospital stays, a mysterious illness, and one ambulance ride (more on these in later posts).
But I was still working, still in grad school and still writing. Only I wasn’t writing blog posts. Instead, I was writing research papers, lesson plans, and a dissertation. But now my Doctorate Degree is finished and my run as an adjunct professor is completed. I now have time for more personal writing where I can explore new ideas, diverse genres, and different topics. Through these years, however, I have developed a whole new perspective on life, on suffering, and on what really matters.
The difficulties of the past years are what is informing my writing and, frankly, my purpose. I’ve learned a lot through this time. Much has come from books and research of course, but even more through my journey of suffering, through the love of others, and through the challenges to my faith.
I now know that my calling is “to equip the saints” and to show “that God’s kindness is meant to lead people to repentance” (Ephesians 4:12 & Romans 2:4 ESV). My goal is to be an inspiration to others; when times get rough don’t give up, don’t give in. Keep fighting the good fight. Darkness may encroach, but the light is coming. I know, I’ve lived it. And in the end, its relationships, listening, learning, teaching, and just being that are all part of the sweet spot of life.
Relationships & The Common Denominator
“I made known to them Your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
-Jesus, John 17:26
True and lasting relationships have love as the common denominator. The love of a husband and wife, parent and child, and close friends. The love of a Savior. “Love is patient, kind…and never ends” (1 Corinthians 13:4 & 8). Love holds your hand when in you’re in pain. Love sits next to you in the Emergency Room as the doctor frowns over the images. Love visits without being asked. Love endures. Love inspires.
Listening Well
“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”
—Stephen R. Covey
Listening well helps us to understand deeply. It helps us hear the cry behind the complaint, the feelings behind the flippancy, and the plea behind the patronizing. A good listener can unlock the heart of a silent sufferer, opening a space for more than dialog, a space that has meaning. A good listener can help make sense of the nonsensical and help get the derailed train of thought back on the track. A good listener can help move a mountain in your soul and remove the log from your eye, helping you to see the truth more clearly.
Learning & Teaching
“Learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
-Jesus, Matthew 11:29
Learning is a life-long endeavor. When we quit learning, we quit growing. When we quit growing, we quite living. Be curious. Ask questions. Teach others to help them learn. Then let them teach you.
Being & The Ever-Present Now
Slow down. What’s the hurry? The work will be there tomorrow, but the moment at hand will never be here again. Be present. Forget tomorrow, focusing instead on the now. The now is all we have. The past is done and the future is fluid, but the now is where the relationships are forged, hearts are touched, and lives are changed. The now is also when lives end. I thought about that while lying in the back of an ambulance. I was praying that I’d have more “nows,” but at that moment, I didn’t know if I would.
What’s Next
I’m back to writing. I have a children’s book called Carson’s Recovery available at Amazon. It is published through Alonili Press, an emerging, independent publisher being built by a small group of writers. I have another short story called Freedom Ride coming out later this year. And I’m finishing a larger, non-fiction work on how our union with Christ can help ease our anxiety. It’s tentatively called Anxiety, Me, and the Peace of Christ. I intend to continue blogging regularly. My topics will be varied, but will include some theological posts, some whimsy, and some cycling stuff. Maybe some guest posts if anyone’s interested. If so, please let me know.
I hope to inform, inspire, and entertain. But only you can tell me if I’m successful at that.
May the Lord smile upon you. See you again soon (Lord willing).
it or not?” That was the question posed by our Pastor this morning. It was posed in the context of what’s known as the Annunciation; where the arch angel, Gabriel, appears to Mary and says:
She was young; most theologians and biblical historians place her from 14 to 16 years old. And she may have lived a simple life, but she was not ignorant of her culture or ignorant of what she was saying “yes” to. She knew that saying “yes” in her culture would mean significant ridicule up to and including community banishment. Here she was, an unmarried teenage girl and pregnant. Yes, she was betrothed to be married, but she was not married yet, so her fiancée could easily tell her to take a hike; in fact, it is likely that that is what was expected of him—to send her away in shame. And on top of it all she was proclaiming she was still a virgin and carrying the Son of God.
Craig At Salty Earth 