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| (Image: Photo I took of a statue of St. Francis from St. Francis Winery in Sonoma County, California) |
I've been writing in one form or another for almost two decades. From early blogs (Downshoredrift) to a couple of books to articles for publications and book chapters and Tweets and Facebook posts and weekly sermons, I've likely written millions of words by this point in my life. Some preserved, many lost. They're out there in different forms in print and on the web, but lately, I've been wanting to strip things down and just have a place to simply reflect on what I see God doing, on Scripture, on how spiritual growth happens and what it looks like, and perhaps how grief and setbacks and trials are also part of the journey. So, I thought I'd go back to my roots and the very first way I began to write years ago - with a simple Blogger account. No frills. Nothing impressive. Just thoughts and words and a desire to see where this takes me as I drill down back to the beginning when my words were read by just a handful of people. I have no particular audience in mind, but I want to get better at writing, and that happens by reading and writing more and doing so freely, so this seems like a good way to start ... again.
I'm calling this writing venture "Telling a Better Story" because that's what I hope to do, its something I've worked at for years to keep myself positive in the midst of a seeming constant bombardment of bad news, and adventure of how we tell a better story about the better way of Jesus and his work in the world keeps me getting up each day to engage this one life we are given.
Controversy, criticism, and complaint drive traffic and get readers to engage. Its easy to do and any writer knows how to push those buttons to get a reaction. But, I haven't found any of that to be very life giving. Not saying I won't ever wade into any kind of critique here on occasion (sometimes a prophetic word is needed), but that won't be my focus. At all.
Where is life found? Where is God working? What is good, true, and beautiful? That's where I'll be looking. And, if obstacles to the view have to be removed, that's fine. But, the point isn't the obstacle, but the vista I want to see.
I'll interact with books and music and food and nature and the Missio Dei and the Scriptures and reflect, take notes, put together some thoughts, and use this as an online journal. No comments. No arguing. Just words and thoughts, music and art, beauty and probably a bit of despair. But, light breaking through the cracks, I hope. I'm also starting a doctoral program at Fuller Seminary next Spring in Missiology called the Doctor of Global Leadership. I imagine that this will be a good place to share some thoughts about what I'm learning along the way as well as things I'm teaching in the church I pastor in Sonoma County, California.
I added the pic of a statue of St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) I took back in the spring up top because his life story helps point the way of simplicity of devotion to Jesus, finding God at work in all the world around us, and in seeing beauty and hope even in the midst of poverty and lack. I hope my writing here looks a bit like his call to simple and clear devotion to Jesus and his better way of living in this world with an eye on the world to come.
Here is a hymn written by St. Francis performed by All Sons and Daughters called "All Creatures of Our God and King." They performed in in Assisi in Italy, where St. Francis lived. Hallelujah indeed.
All of this finally gets me to what set me out to write today, which is a personal call to engage this Thanksgiving Week of 2021 with a renewed a desire to "abound in thanksgiving." Colossians 2:6-7 says,
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
There is so much in these two verses. "As you received Christ Jesus as Lord" - by faith and grace, with nothing in my hands to offer, nothing to merit the merit of Christ. Just my sin to be forgiven and weakness and ... faith which is sparked by the work of God in my life as the gospel came to me and continues to call me to the goodness and mercy of God. I'm to walk in Christ the same way I came to him, depending on Jesus to be my Savior, recognizing I can't save myself. Rooted deep and built up strong in Jesus. Established in faith in Jesus. Remembering what I've been taught about Jesus. And, abounding in thanksgiving.
That word "abounding" means an overflowing abundance that goes beyond what is expected. A surplus. More thanksgiving than one would think is needed. Its one thing to say "thank you" and to even feel some gratitude for good things. But, through Jesus, we are called to abounding, overflowing, more than seems to be expected thanksgiving. This isn't natural.
We can so easily be captured by what is wrong, by what we don't have, how we've been wounded and disappointed. Our whole view of life can drain into an abyss of what has gone wrong and isn't what its supposed to be. And, we might very well have a point. But, Jesus - by his grace and by faith - calls us to "abounding in thanksgiving." Above and beyond. That isn't my natural bent. It requires a supernatural infusion of the grace of God and the presence of Jesus. Fortunately, that seems to be what God has in mind. Rooted and built up in Jesus. Established in faith in Jesus. Abounding in thanksgiving.
So, that's it. A new/old place to write and sketch out my thoughts and reflect. A call to simplicity in devotion to Jesus and the beauty he gives in this world God created. And, an invitation to abound in Thanksgiving - above and beyond with plenty to spare and share. That seems like a good way to Tell A Better Story.
