Settling In.
Life for me has come about as full circle as it can come--and I am beginning to settle in to my new home. You see, I now live thirty miles from the place I was born. I returned home after being away for thirty-one years. Brenda and I moved from Arkansas in 1975 in order to attend the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. In 1986, after several years of study, pastoral work, and teaching, we moved to the Parkview Baptist Church, Monroe, LA. There we would stay for the next fifteen and one-half years. For the next four and one-half years, we served the First Baptist Church of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Now, since mid-December of '06, I serve at the First Baptist Church, Arkadelphia, Arkansas. The circle seems complete-and it feels good.
We have been many places and done lots of wonderful things in the past thirty years, and I give thanks for each event and every moment--but coming home has done something inside me I did not anticipate. I have discovered that the spiritual life, and the callings of God upon our lives, is indeed related to physical surroundings. Even as I re-read the paragraph above, I am reminded of how intricately our personal histories (including our walk of faith) are interwoven with particular events, people, and circumstances. And in particular places! Perhaps that's why, in Old Testament days, pillars of rocks were erected at places were significant spiritual encounters occurred. The rocks became catalysts for memory--and memory is indeed a tremendous resource for great living.
I sense now, more deeply than ever, the hand of our gracious God who guides our ways. That's not to say that we are puppets on a string, acting out the impulses of Another apart from our decisive involvement. Not at all. But in fact, there is a Companion who walks beside us, and before us, and who leads us in ways that we might never have chosen for ourselves. But in those ways, grace has risen to bless beyond our wildest imagination.
I would be interested to hear what others have to say about the places and times of our lives. Any responders?
Talk later.
LM
We have been many places and done lots of wonderful things in the past thirty years, and I give thanks for each event and every moment--but coming home has done something inside me I did not anticipate. I have discovered that the spiritual life, and the callings of God upon our lives, is indeed related to physical surroundings. Even as I re-read the paragraph above, I am reminded of how intricately our personal histories (including our walk of faith) are interwoven with particular events, people, and circumstances. And in particular places! Perhaps that's why, in Old Testament days, pillars of rocks were erected at places were significant spiritual encounters occurred. The rocks became catalysts for memory--and memory is indeed a tremendous resource for great living.
I sense now, more deeply than ever, the hand of our gracious God who guides our ways. That's not to say that we are puppets on a string, acting out the impulses of Another apart from our decisive involvement. Not at all. But in fact, there is a Companion who walks beside us, and before us, and who leads us in ways that we might never have chosen for ourselves. But in those ways, grace has risen to bless beyond our wildest imagination.
I would be interested to hear what others have to say about the places and times of our lives. Any responders?
Talk later.
LM
posted by Lee McGlone | 1:56 PM
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