pay it backward

I resonate with this depiction of the prodigal son lately. With my life in flux more often than not these days, I often long to return home. A place in my heart where all that matters is Jesus. Working two jobs on top of all the other stress factors [new house, new child, new town, new church] is proving to be very taxing, and at times I feel like I'm shutting down.

There are times when I betray myself. I have a Jerry Maguire moment where he waters down his revolutionary life-change to having two slices of bad pizza, going to bed and growing a conscience. But I know this church plant is God's call, even though I doubt it sometimes.

In a conversation with a really smart friend of mine, we discussed church planting and philosophy of ministry. It was refreshing in that he reminded me of some of the very things we'd hoped for Vox, even from the beginning. Time had already begun wiping it from our minds, but he made me remember, and that was what I needed. It might be why I'm attracted to this picture. It's a reminder that there's hope on the other side, that there are dreams waiting to be made manifest.

Maybe that's the key to encouraging one another in church planting: reminding us of what we already know, waking us up to the realities we dreamed of not too long ago. This is also what I dream to become, an encourager who reminds people of the dreams Christ has for them and for all humanity.

Photo courtesy of G. Carol Bomer via White Stone Gallery [formerly Lime Street Gallery]

Tags:

• art
• christianity
• church
• God
• Jesus
• Spirit-life
• Vox