wrestling inspired faith

It has been a long time since I posted anything on my blog that wasn’t a sermon. The reason for that is simple: I’ve been working on a Doctor of Ministry for the past three years and serving full-time as a pastor to a small congregation. That doesn’t leave much time or brain-space to write on other things.

Yet, life has shifted for me. I’m writing this post at 9am on a Sunday morning, Central European Time. All of our friends and family in the United States are asleep right now, or headed to bed shortly, while Kelly and I are starting our day. My wife and I have started new jobs and will be living and working in Slovakia and Hungary for the next four years. We (and our pup, Winnie) are adjusting to all the cultural differences. Some of them are very explicit: language and currency, for example. Others are more subtle, like attitudes toward hospitality and how people interact with us because we are from the United States and a “bigger” Lutheran Church like the ELCA.

There’s a lot of transition to navigate and adjust to, but I think for me the biggest one is the pace of life. I am transitioning from full-time pastoral ministry in the United States, being a full-time Doctoral student, and coaching college wrestling, to serving a smaller congregation with a very fluid membership. I’m transitioning from an established place to a place of unknowns. It feels a lot like I’m starting over.

“And Jesus said to them, ‘Peace be with you….’ When he had said this, he breathed on the disciples and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” (John 20:21-22, edits mine)

This passage of the gospel text for Pentecost Sunday stuck out to me for two reasons. One, my 3-day weekend in Central Europe is not due to Memorial Day, but Pentecost, which is a national holiday across most of Europe. Two, being breathed upon is not something most of us are ok with these days (which has to do with that not so little event we’ve been living through the past few years). Yet, the connotation here is positive; Jesus breathes on them, and they receive the Triune God’s Spirit. Pentecost, which is the festival day in the liturgical church that celebrates God’s people’s reception of the Holy Spirit, marks a transition in the life of each person and in the life of the church. When I recall the stories from the book of Acts, I can’t help but wonder if the disciples felt like they were “starting over.”

In my life, transition has always presented this choice: self-preserve, or lean in. I think collectively, we feel that in our post-pandemic living. We choose to self-preserve or lean in. While there are times self-preservation is necessary, I think in general, it’s leading to things that diminish life and cause division. In my own life, this choice is evident right now. I could lament on what I’ve lost in my current transition: the comfort of serving a familiar group of people and in familiar places. Or, I could lean into the mystery of God, the Holy Spirit who will teach and reveal things to me I haven’t encountered or taken time for lately.

So I will choose to lean in, trusting that what perhaps typically brings me discomfort, God will bring something new and life-giving. In that way, I can continue to live out life’s journey and struggle: to be life-giving source to others, through humility, compassion, and justice.

It is at this point, dear friends, I could use your help. One of those things I want to lean into is writing and blogging more. What sort of topics, ideas, and questions would you like me to write about? Is there something specific you’d like me to use my voice to talk about? Feel free to comment here, on my social media platforms, or shoot me an email, text, or message!