Journeys (A Testimony)
My journey as a Christian feels like it could be a movie, but needs no adaptation. As others have walked alongside me, giving gifts that continue to grow, I do the same for others. Under Christ, I am lifted higher than any earthly platform could raise me.
The walk of all of us is seen as a journey. You can stay in one place your entire life and have an incredible story that rivals the greatest of fiction stories of all time. The reason is our story truly starts with and ends with the Gospel. The breadth of life that Jesus lived in the same as we are called to live.
As Christians, we are promised that we will find eternal life in new creation as long as we follow Jesus, what has always struck me was one of the most spiritual people I know saying, "If there was no promise of heaven, I would still be a Christian". I watch a lot of people online and have even said to myself, "my life is better then Ludwig". Ludwig recently lost 3 million dollars, he is a popular influencer, he desires to help people as well. Though for me, I am not called to be Ludwig, I am called to be Michael and through Christ I think Michael is a pretty cool guy.
I have walked as a Christian since the end of 2014, my journey continued to a climax of faith in the start of 2017 and now it has been a constant walk to where I am today, along the way so many people have helped me to move to my position now, nearly, god-willing ordained into the Anglican church. It is a journey that feels like it could have a movie adaptation made of it in my mind, but would never need to. Because just as many people have come alongside me for a time and have given me gifts that continue to grow, I do the same to others, who then pass on the gifts I give them, those gifts all come through God, God's blessing on all our lives giving us abilities to breath.
I am comfortable that I don't need a platform to stand on in the end or a book, or movie, because under Christ I am lifted higher then any place could on earth and it is Christ who has called me to this ministry in the Anglican church, it is Christ who called me away from other parts and changes in life, it is Christ who loves and cares for me and is a fan of me and who are am. Christ celebrates the ups and empathises in the downs. The craziest thing is Christ is God, he intercedes to God the Father for me, God the Father also celebrates me and so does the Spirit who empowers me even when I am far from deserving of the gifts I hold.
This means while I walk on this crazy journey I am never truly alone. I have wants and desires for my ministries ahead, I would love to be in the country rather then the city for a good while, but as long as that comes after both my wife and I have completed our studies or at least feel comfortable with where we are being called. I have some crazy ministry ideas as well involving video games and new media.
Those plans though are bound up in me and my personhood. I don't know when they are to come to pass and truly right now as I am about to go on retreat before ordination, I can't fully know that I will be celebrating on Saturday because nothing is truly confirmed until it is happening. There is joy in that, that all parts of the future become uncertain apart from one, sure it means that the certainty of dawn tomorrow can be questioned but so can the idea that there will not be a dawn tomorrow can be held in tension.
My journey now, is a point of tension and short breath between my birth and death, God's desire is that I truly can enjoy this moment in life as much as tomorrow and as much as the day before, and while my life crosses with others, those around me in this room I can enjoy how they stretch and pull on my life too because my certainty is that I am a child of God. I can count the blessing of those who have affirmed my calling but also the blessings of those who questioned it too and that is incredible.
I do truly believe when one day I fall asleep and I am not to wake up in this creation, the end of the road, I will wake to find new creation, but while on this temporary road right now the Journey is with God. Some will be bounded up with me for a long time like my wife, others will only join with me for a few steps, for this road may sometimes seem lonely but I am never alone both in this world and beyond.
