How to walk...

This has been one of those weeks for me where the "things" of life, and "life" itself, as we know it in this flesh-driven world, seem to grab for my attention at every single turn. The hard part is that these aren't even all bad things. They are the things that we surround ourselves with and must take part in: jobs, family, travel, holidays, relationships, details....and the list goes on. And yet it is so easy for me to lose sight of what matters in the midst of these things. And I would venture to say that I am not alone in this problem. How do I balance all of these things with living out my Christian walk in the radical way that Christ seems to demand? Or maybe a better question is, "What does my life look like when I am truly dying to self and living solely for Christ, not Christ and other things?" It seems to be something we all struggle with at times, and this week has brought these questions to the forefront of my mind. So often, I seem so preoccupied with the things that don't matter-the things that won't live past tomorrow. And I somehow lose sight of things eternal, or at least add them to the list of "important" things in life. As I have been reflecting on these struggles and questions, the Holy Spirit pushes me to The Word. In 2 Corinthians 4 and 5 Paul discusses the same struggle to look past the things of this world, whether persecution, material possessions, or any of the things that easily entangle us. In 4:18, he says "...we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." This helps bring clarity and even simplicity to many of my questions. Live for the things unseen, the things eternal. In Matthew 10, Jesus sends out his disciples to spread the Gospel. He tells them to "be wise as serpents and harmless as doves." Not exactly a clear-cut recipe or step-by-step manual. Yet, it is all we need- Keep my eyes on the eternal, walk in the Word and with the Spirit, and He will guide.

During this week, I have mostly been contacting and attempting to meet with supporters and visionaries for my position. It has been so encouraging to see the Lord provide, both financially and with direction for this role. And yet I am pushed to trust Him more and more for continual provision in both of these ways. Please pray for me as I trust the Lord to provide for this role, and to grant me discernment as I seek ways for our church to get involved. Yesterday I met again with people from Cornerstone, the Christian school in Woodlawn. We have been nailing down more specific ways that we will be working together in the New Year, and I am soo excited these amazing opportunities that I will be sharing more soon! Until next time,
Learning how to walk,
Dwight