Monday, May 30, 2011

Transitions

  I just completed reading "Between a Rock and a Hard Place" and as usual there were things in Aron's story that resonate with me. First, he writes about being raised in Ohio and his fear of moving with his family to Colorado. He had been led to believe that Colorado was buried under snow all year. It was only after moving there and discovering the truth that it all changed. He not only began skiing, but the outdoors became a passion. It was a life transition for him. Second, having earned a degree in mechanical engineering, he began working for Intel. Nothing should have been more rewarding and secure vocationally than working  at one of the great corporations in America. It was not enough. After only five years, his avocation trumped his vocation, his passion trumped his career. I get it.
  Having been reluctantly drafted (or so I felt) into ministry to preach, I embarked on the proper education. While doing so, I envisioned a lifetime serving in an established county seat church. Over time, reality paid a cruel and unwelcome visit. I discovered that my passion for the kingdom was not shared by that county seat church crowd. Consequently, I ended up moving to an unfamiliar region of the country and it was there that my transition found expression. I discovered a gift for reaching unchurched people, which strangely enough, did not square with the establishment. Much like Aron Ralston, I had to decide: security or passion?
  "So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which my appear to give peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endless changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun." (John Krakauer, Into the Wild) Oh, I so get that too!

No comments:

Post a Comment