Some Journeys Can’t Be Explained
Every now and then you experience something that completely changes your life.
The difficult part is trying to explain it to someone else.
Years ago, I participated in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer three different times. I can tell you about the miles, the emotions, the people I met, and the incredible feeling of crossing the finish line. I could spend hours describing it.
But no matter how well I tell the story, my words will never compare to actually experiencing it for yourself.
Our current journey feels much the same way.
A Journey of Faith
Before I go any further, I want to acknowledge something.
Everyone’s faith journey is different.
Your beliefs may not look like ours, and that’s okay. This isn’t meant to convince anyone of anything. It’s simply our story. I ask only that, whether you agree or disagree, you do so with kindness and respect.
Tracey and I have both been followers of Christ for many years. We were baptized long ago, and both of us can still remember the overwhelming joy and peace that came with making that decision. It’s difficult to describe, but anyone who has experienced it knows exactly what I mean.
For many years, we faithfully served in our church, growing in our faith, building lifelong friendships, and becoming part of a church family that means the world to us.
Learning to Trust Again
When our longtime senior pastor announced his retirement, I’ll admit I struggled.
He had been there through some of the happiest moments of our lives and some of the most heartbreaking. Like many others, I wondered what the future would look like.
Could anyone possibly fill those shoes?
As it turned out, God already had someone prepared.
Our new pastor immediately impressed us with his heart, his leadership, and his love for people. But more than that, over the following year we noticed something happening within ourselves.
We weren’t simply attending church anymore….We were hungry to be there.
We found ourselves rearranging schedules so we wouldn’t miss a message. If we happened to be traveling, we’d watch online. If we couldn’t watch live, we’d catch the replay.
Our desire to serve also began growing.
Neither of us realized it at first.
Later, when we finally talked about it, we discovered we’d both been feeling exactly the same thing.
An Invitation to Something Bigger
Late last year we were invited into a conversation about the future vision of our church.
We learned about a new initiative called Uncharted.
It wasn’t called Uncharted because no one knew where we were going.
It was called Uncharted because, as a church family, we had never been there before.
The vision included expanding our ability to serve our community, growing our ministries, creating more space for people to worship, and preparing for what God was already doing.
We were asked to pray about becoming sponsors.
After several days of prayer and conversation, we both felt God leading us to say yes.
Attending the leadership summit that followed became one of the most meaningful experiences we’ve had in many years.
On Fire Again
The best way I know how to describe what happened is this…
We left “on fire.”
Not in the emotional, temporary sense.
But with a renewed sense of purpose.
It reminded us of the excitement we experienced years ago after our baptisms.
This time, however, it wasn’t about us.
It was about serving something much bigger than ourselves.
We left believing more strongly than ever that God wasn’t finished with us.
In fact, we felt like He was just getting started.
Living Out Our Calling
Since then, our lives have changed dramatically.
We made a commitment to serve in ways we never imagined.
We committed financially beyond what we ever thought possible.
More importantly, we committed our time.
Today I serve in our church’s finance ministry.
Tracey serves as a Care Partner, working alongside people facing difficult seasons of life through benevolence and counseling ministries.
Together we serve as prayer partners after services, and we’ve simply adopted the attitude that whenever there’s a need, we’ll do our best to say yes.
Our Life Group has embraced that same heart for serving, taking on projects throughout our church, our community, and beyond.
Serving has become less about volunteering and more about living.
Life Looks Different
This new season has affected every area of our lives.
I’m currently working many more hours than I ever expected while helping cover responsibilities during a friend’s recovery from surgery.
After several years of retirement, going back to work has been quite an adjustment.
Honestly…
I forgot how people get everything done while working full-time!
Thankfully, Tracey has stepped in and helped more around the house than ever before.
One thing that has suffered a little is my writing.
I genuinely miss it.
Finding balance is something I’m still learning, but I know I’ll get there.
Less Stuff…More Life
One unexpected result of this journey has been simplifying our lives.
Inspired by Marie Kondo (yes, we’ve watched more than a few episodes), we’ve been slowly decluttering our home.
It’s amazing how freeing it feels to let go of things you no longer use.
The process is slow.
Sometimes overwhelming.
Occasionally frustrating.
But every box donated and every drawer simplified reminds us that less really can be more.
Besides…
I think our kids are getting tired of receiving text messages that simply say,
“Do you want this?”
Looking Toward the Future
Our long-term dream hasn’t changed.
One day we’d like to downsize our home, spend even more time traveling in our RV, and embrace a simpler lifestyle focused on experiences instead of possessions.
We’re also learning to be more intentional with our spending.
Travel will always be important to us.
It’s one of the greatest investments we’ve ever made.
But we’re becoming more thoughtful about the difference between what we want…and what we truly need.
An Uncharted Journey
If there’s one thing we’ve learned through all of this, it’s that God often leads us down roads we never expected to travel.
Sometimes those roads don’t involve moving to a new city or taking an unforgettable vacation.
Sometimes the greatest journey happens entirely within your heart.
That’s where we find ourselves today.
Living with greater purpose.
Serving with greater joy.
Trusting God more deeply than ever before.
And discovering that the most meaningful adventures aren’t always measured in miles.