This last Sunday was our last at our church home for the last six years. Amanda and I have been processing the departure together, and it has a strange mix of relief, sadness, excitement, and anxiousness. This is going to be a season of activity requiring some discipline. For the first time in a... well... maybe for the first time ever, I feel the entirety of the "head of household" responsibility for the spiritual well being of our family. God is good, and faithful, and present. But the local church as a conduit of His grace and care for our souls is now less present, less constant - removed to the outlying status of distant relatives rather than the tight knit nuclear family it has been.
There is a more pressing urgency to be acting on past discernment, and to be bringing all attentiveness to His still small voice. Seminary starts again on Monday. I am grateful to be rekindling time spent before the Lord with attentive Mentors and Spiritual Directors!
I have to decide whether my Character Formation Learning Contract this semester will be specifically related to artistic growth and expression, or a more traditionally central discipline. To do artistry would be to have the T/M process at seminary end in a clean arc with a common thread. To do the other is to hold the discovery and growth I have had integrating my creativity with my faith in its proper position. My identity is still in Christ. My focus is still submitted humble obedience to his will and call. Artistry is simply a gift and evidence of His imparted image. It is who I am in Him, but it is not all that I am in Him. I am leaning toward a focus on body prayer. Integrating my physical awareness and activity into the surrendered life of faith hangs out there as untested, unattained.
2 comments:
We will be praying the Lord will lead you to the Church family he has picked for you. We went down that road not too long ago as well and are so blessed where we ended up. We hope the same for you all!
We already miss you... praying for yall!:)
Post a Comment