Saturday marked a return to public speaking after nearly a year and a half out. As the morning person on a radio station, there were a number of invitations to share my story with various groups, and a lot of men's breakfasts. After The Fish left the air, I was done.
Or so I thought. I was recently invited to address a men's group in Pewaukee. My task was to create a theme that would reflect not only the testimony of what God has done in my life, but to also capture what has happened since a dream job vanished.
The Trouble, The Bubble, and The Rubble emerged. The 'trouble' was the 25 years spent adrift without direction. That used to be the majority of my talk--a wayward and sinful life built only to please myself before that amazing day in April 2000. I'd end with the feel good story of winding up at a Christian radio station. I'd wrap it up with some general motivation about discipline and we'd be done.
Except, The Fish went away and I was suddenly out of my 'bubble', the place where faith was the focus, my passion and profession. It was 6 amazing years but when it ended I was suddenly back in 'the rubble', the place where most of us live and work. Back to life, back to reality.
Having a year and half in the rearview mirror has given me valuable perspective. I knew it before, but it's in everyday life that person by person, moment by moment, you don't necessarily need a stage, a platform, or a radio station to spread the gospel. It happens when life is falling apart, when jobs are eliminated and people are in shambles. It occurs when delivering grace continually without expecting any in return.
It also happens when my old nature revisits. In the moments, minutes, afternoons, or days where life starts to revolve around myself a little too much---there are the gifts of hearing the whisper of the Holy Spirit that gives me truth far beyond what I could learn by myself.
Would I rather be back in the bubble, fairly safe and relatively shielded? Or, is the rubble the mission field where we find ways to shine when it's hard, blocked, or resisted?
I know what Jesus preferred. He was out finding us in the rubble.
Luke 2:16-20
9 hours ago
1 comments:
Good thoughts. I think we are all in the rubble of the world. You were quite blessed to be in a Christian environment but it's quite different for the rest of us. I have to endure quite a bit but I also find small moments to be an encourager rather than a condemner. It was very hard at first but gets better as time goes by and my coworkers learn that I'm going to be there no matter what. It means a lot to them.
Sue
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