Transparency

It’s been a little humbling to see how many people are watching this journey. It’s also been amazing to see others relating to the path - the steps we have taken, the thoughts going on behind the path, and all the other random ponderings. Vicki and I are so blessed that our story is encouraging others, and yet that’s the way it’s supposed to be...

Talking of our lives, sharing our stories is how life in Christ is supposed to be. These stories remind us that we’re not the only ones on the journey. If all we ever see is shiny people on Sunday morning, smiling and happy, we get the idea that the garbage that hits us on a daily basis is only happening to us. No one else seems to have these kinds of struggles, so I must be doing something wrong. Everyone else is shiny and happy - why am I so miserable?

When we hear other’s stories, we come to realize that others are also digging themselves out of garbage. We all struggle, we all deal with the mundane, we all try to limp through our days and still remain upright at the end of the week.

I’ve tried to be open in these posts, and will continue to do so, lest someone get the impression that it’s all easy - that our path has been an easy walk so far, and all is happy and shiny. There has been a lot of that, by God’s grace, but there is also mud. There are times of discouragement, times of weariness, times of pain. The point is, at the end of the day, the wonder always is greater than the mud. God makes it so, if we lift our eyes to see it.

Our church is taking time to share those stories - “Resurrection Stories.” We’re hearing what everyday life and everyday faith looks like in the lives of our church family. And those stories are worth SO much - to hear and identify and see where faith becomes real in the lives of our brothers and sisters makes it easier to recognize where faith becomes real in MY life.

(This week, it’s my turn to share our Resurrection Story. I need to write it out, and give it to Pastor and Jeremy. I really got to get to work...)

As Vicki and I walk this path, we will continue to try to be transparent. Both the good and the not-so-good will be out there to see. We need to put the story out there, for others and for ourselves. If you have a chance, don’t hesitate - tell your story. We all need it.