(published at http://somethingshappeninghere.wordpress.

com/2013/04/28/transitions/) (Twitter @cvenema_shh)

Transitions
When our next steps are unknown, we can falter, unsure of which direction to go. Equally so, we can stop altogether, stymied in our indecision and fear of going forward. But transitions are a natural part of living. Growth really only happens because of the experiences that challenge us. But that doesnt make them any easier to live through. While a few inspire us with their resolute path their one road they must follow many of us pause or flounder because of the uncertainty either because we are pushed out of where weve been, or because something is pulling us in a different direction, or both. If we could just realign to the essential goal or purpose, we could take that leap of faith and go boldly forward, knowing that we are meant to follow through on what we are being called to do.

The Message:
Matthew 4:19 Come, follow me. Galatians 5:7-8 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Philippians 1:3-6 I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Reflection:
As an educator working with youth, and as a parent of young teens, I have the privilege of witnessing the ever-changing development of young people as they try to figure out the world around them and their place in it. Their path isnt always easy, nor does it necessarily have forward momentum at each step; but growth and change always occur regardless. And if theyre lucky, as they grow and expand into adulthood, these young people keep their hope and resilience intact, which will help them approach future transitions with a healthy mix of critical inquiry about where they are headed, and the courage to go forward down what they perceive to be the right path at the right time. It strikes me more and more that, as adults, our journey matches that of the young people in our midst. We, too, experience many transitions some of our own choosing, some that are thrust upon us. Dr. Bruce Ferguson and Dr. Kate Tilliczek call this Fresh Starts, False Starts in their work about the conditions adolescents require in order for them to move forward in their development. And like these youth, who are in constant tension between being and becoming, we, too, continue to experience these telling moments where we face a transition into something new from being, to becoming, to being anew, and to becoming all over again. We, too, experience many fresh starts, and still some false starts or arrested starts. When we know it is time to move, how do we ensure our momentum is truly forward-looking? How do we avoid the hamster wheel of investing so much energy into simply spinning? And when the present has been pretty comfortable, albeit confining, why would we go into that wilderness in the first place and leave what we know behind? For those of us who have felt that stirring, that restless Spirit that prompts and prods and pushes sometimes gently, sometimes forcefully we know that staying still really isnt an option. Yet, the fear of letting go and trusting completely stops us in our tracks. We have heard that call: Follow me. And for a while, we do, with first-timer naivet, fervent energy and abandonment. But then it gets more complicated. We witness tragedies, experience trials, and are tested in our faith either in God himself, or in humanity, or both. And it hurts. And it distracts us from our purpose and our praise. But then we hear Gods call again, and the Spirits admonishment: Who cut in on you and kept you from running that good race? So we seek the courage to go forth again, to believe again that the Lord our God goes before us and will never leave us. Praying for renewed courage and strength, we want to believe that the work that was started within us will not be abandoned unless we do the abandoning it ourselves. Part of the answer has to lie in Pauls letter to the Philippians: Prayer, for thankfulness, with joy, and with petition for renewed confidence to complete the good work that has been started. As we come face-to-face with transitions that call us to something new, foreign, risky, yet something purposeful, may we ask for the courage to move forward, and expect the Spirit s strength and guidance to see us through.

Message in Music:
Walk on the water, by Britt Nicole Lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/brittnicole/walkonthewater.html

Click on the picture to take you to the youtube video.

I Will Follow, by Chris Tomlin (acoustic version) Lyrics: http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/lyricsdetail.php?lyrics_id=66666

Chris+Tomlin+-+I+Will+Follow+A coustic+Versio.mp3

Double click link to open the audio file

The Words I Would Say, by Sidewalk Prophets Lyrics: http://www.lyricsreg.com/lyrics/sidewalk+prophets/The+Words+I+Would+Say/

Click on the picture to take you to the youtube video.