When I Became a Cultural Exegete

Well, I am back from New York City. I must say, I have never had an experience quite like the one I had this time around in the big apple.

If you ask me what the best part was: it was class. This class challenged just about every avenue of my life. It challenged the way I have lived my life prior to March 24th and how my life will be lived from now on. It challenged my view of the city and of ministry in the city. It challenged my view of poverty and the term "inner city". It challenged what I eat, drink, wear, and buy on a daily basis. It has literally challenged just about every thought I have in my daily life here in Joplin.

Now, that sounds like a lot. It is a lot. But I am not kidding when I say it challenged every aspect of my life. Not in a radical-my whole life is going to be different-way. It changed it in a, do I really understand what drives me and why I make the choices I make? Or am I in zombie world, making decisions based off of routine and what my life is supposed to be? I do think my life will be/is different than before. Don't expect a radical change in my life, but just a version of me that is aware. I am now, and forever want to be a cultural exegete.

It's nearly impossible for me to express what I learned. I am having a hard time with that. I do classify this class and trip experience as one of the top three most influential experiences I have ever had. No joke. God stirred up a brand new passion in my heart. He opened my eyes to things that I did not see before.

Okay, enough of the class-talk! I will be re-living my every day experiences over the next several days. But it would all be pointless if I did not first express the great impact the actual class had on my life. Because that is the point. Yes, I did a ton of really fun and really cool things while I was there. But just as anyone asks me about my trip I first tell them that if they have the opportunity to take this class: they must. It is too important not to know how to exegete the city.

Making a plan with God in mind...

This weekend Tyler and I had the great pleasure of spending a lot of time with my entire family. Joely came from Portland, The Smiths from Fayetteville, and us from Joplin. We were all brought together by two things: 1. Joel was coming home and that does not get to happen often and 2: We were able to celebrate my parents 30th anniversary. It is not until April, but only seemed appropriate that we celebrate while we could all be together.

I was SO super excited about being at my home church for once, it does not happen very often. Today my father continued through a series on the book of James. James is a great, practical book that I read through often. So many simple principles, so many important principles too. One of the points he made is that we need to make plans with God in mind.

It is no secret that Tyler and I are trying to make plans right now. I was almost comforted while challenged in this thought. Our soul focus while job searching has been God. We have not put hardly any limits on what we want including where we end up moving. What we care about is where God can use us best. We know that if we follow his plans for us, we will be used in the best ways possible and his kingdom will benefit more than if we follow our own plans. I have seen way too many people in my life make plans without God in mind- simply because they can. The more people I see planning around themselves rather than how God can use them, the more I know I do not want to do that. It's not even that I think God can't use us when we don't follow him closely. I think God can and will and does use us whenever we offer ourselves to him. But I think it is key to Tyler and I that we go exactly where he needs us, to do things only we can do, to fulfill a plan he laid out to us. Right now we are looking to him and saying "Where does this take us? What does this mean?" It's hardly about what sounds appealing to us in any way. There is a part of me that knows how scary this is- to surrender ourselves without limits of where we will go.... but the benefit of the kingdom is too great to ignore where he is taking us.

It's great to have a good phrase for what we are doing. We are making plans with God in mind. God is in the center of all of our plans. There is no other way to us, but his way. I think he allows us to make choices, but I know that there is a specific place that we can serve him best and we are seeking wholeheartedly for that place right now.


"Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.'" James 4:13-15

Busy, busy, busy!

I know it has been awhile since I blogged. When life picks up, my blog is the first to be tossed aside.

So what has been keeping me so busy, you ask? Well, lots of things really! 

First, homework. Being a senior has been good for me though. Not sure if I have mentioned it previously, but rather than any apathy taking place, the fact that I am so close to being done is pure motivation. I have so much excitement and energy to put in to my assignments. I recently turned in my last exegetical. This was a good feeling, but I know I still have several papers left. But like I said, I am completely motivated to finish strong! Graduation is only 75 days away!

Ministry is also a big part of our lives, obviously. This weekend we spent much time with the new high school minister and his family as they were introduced to sponsors, staff, elders, and the congregation. It has been a great time, I must say I really like the Hansen's and know they will do a great job at College Heights. They are so excited to be a part of all that College Heights is doing in the community. His passion is very apparent. While this weekend was great, it was very tiring. I am not quite the social butterfly that being a minister's wife forces me to be sometimes. It is quite tiring to be around people so much, but luckily I don't have to be around many people for a few days. This is good news!

We have been pretty busy looking for and praying about our next step. Now that CHCC has a new minister coming (and soon!) it makes us pretty anxious to figure out what's next for us. God has shown us a few opportunities. Unfortunately a lot of these opportunities mean waiting on churches to respond. We are both so confident though that this is in God's hands. While we are uncertain of where we might be in the next several months, we know that God has never not provided for us, so we know he will now. Basically, we have done all that we can do regarding seeking opportunities (and we continue to do this daily), so waiting is just a part of the process!

As I said, Tyler and I both know that God is faithful. This whole transition at CHCC has been his plan and he continues to plan for us and will open doors for us. It's not the easiest or most peaceful of times, but I know that this will produce growth and change in our lives that will allow us to serve him even better in a new venue. The fact that he has something in mind for us that he is working out for us is really exciting. I trust no one more than I trust God to provide for us.