Author: Wick

Over 3 years ago, I moved into my office at Moundford Free Methodist Church.

I’m not a decorator. I re-arranged the furniture in the office my first week, and it’s been the same ever since. A couch along one wall, a few chairs, and a desk facing the wall so I can turn to be with a small group if I want, as opposed to facing them over my official-ness.

Over the years, I’ve collected a few small tokens of love from teens and children. Pictures/doodles that were drawn (probably when they should have been listening to someone 🙂 ), etc. Some I’ve stored, some I’ve filed, and some randomly selected – I taped on the wall by my desk.

This past week, momentously, I put nails in a few spots on my office walls. I said “no more” to taping things college dorm style. I took down things dated from June 2006 that were clear taped to the wall. My office now looks (almost) like an office. I still have one opening. It’s for something….no clue what yet.

The items that are hung? My ordination certificate. A picture of the ordination moment. My college diploma. A giant painting done by Linda Harmon (local friend/artist/neighbor) that was simply sitting in her garage that she’s allowed me to hang cause I think it demands to be seen. Finally, a framed color print of the former “Lambs Club” on 44th Street, New York City. A few months after 9/11, some of us from BURPO were able to minister to the city based out of the “Lambs Club Church of the Nazarene”.

That trip would have to be one of the most impactful trips of my life. For the time spent with the brothers….the ministry done in such a wounded city/time….the cultures met and all too obvious need for God’s Spirit/Love…..and a church that embraced artistic endeavors as a means of bringing/revealing God to His people.

Unfortunately, apparently through “eminent domain” – the building was more valuable to the city redeveloped. Nevermind the incredible history of artists who were members when it was the Lambs Club. Nevermind the incredible location/ability to minister to the heart of Times Square.

Slated to open later this year, after a long period of greedy wallets waiting….The Chatwal New York. Luxory hotel. Although they did name the giant ridiculously overpriced restaurant on top of it “The Lambs Club”. I’m sure someone believes they should get a pat on the back for historical integrity there.

On a positive note, the Lambs Church is still going strong in a new location, and offering new ways of proclaiming His Kingdom still today.

When in NYC, a large part of our work was re-painting and repairing many of the walls – inside and out – of the Lambs Club.

I still believe the Kingdom work we did during the time spent there was eternal.

So may we call continue to decorate/change/paint/repair the walls around us. Even if they appear to be torn down soon after. The Kingdom is, is coming, and is to come…

The second area? Vocation. Job. What you do for a living, whatever you wanna call it. Has God called some to do some jobs? Yes. I have to be honest with that, because as someone who has submitted to ordination, I have confessed publicly that I believe God has called me to ministry, and in Decatur. This is a call felt by myself, and witnessed/attested to by others. It does happen. When it does, you cannot miss it. Consider Jonah and his call – he wasn’t ignorant and accidentally missed it, he actively ran away – and STILL – God routed him back on track.

But does God call every person to a specific vocation/place of service? I believe He enables us for many things in life, and often leads us in a direction that contains many choices. We each have passions, gifts, talents, and weak areas. These elements funnel us in certain directions, and we have to choose out of the available ways to make a living usually. I encourage my teens, and will encourage my girls as well – choose something you and God can enjoy doing together.

That’s tough, in a world with increasing amounts of jobs no one might seem to enjoy. So I always pair those words with the Truth that what we do is NOT who we are…or even the sum of our ability to be used for the Kingdom. But I do believe that ANY vocation we may find ourselves pursuing God in, can be used by God. (Having spent over a year in radio advertising, and selling mail machines with Pitney Bowes in my past, I believe God used me during those days as well.)

Overall – I think my point here is that God takes joy in our discovery. Discovering new things, discovering relationships, and choosing things that bring us joy as well as our creator. As we move towards God, we are open to his direct call, but also choosing from the entire garden He has given us to live in….anticipating that day when we will be able to choose “work” more wholly/freely in a world completely made new.

“I just want to know what God’s will is.” – follower of God

“…be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is…” – Romans 12:2

There are two main areas where I see this paralyzing, over-enthusing, and otherwise impacting people on a regular basis. The first is in the area of “significant other”. I’ve seen teenagers, young adults, and grown men and women who fall into the romanticized trap of God “having one person for me”, or even having “chosen this person for me”, etc.

Does God sometimes “choose”, or otherwise orchestrate things so that two people will more easily become one? Probably. But perhaps it’s more the exception than the rule. And definitely not something we need to be afraid of somehow “accidentally” finding the wrong person, or the one that God “didn’t choose”.

It paralyzes some that are dating to the point where they may never marry, for fear of “falling out” of God’s will by choosing the wrong person (i.e. any of a million reasons a girl may find to break up with a guy, must be God saying he’s not the right one). It over-enthuses others who have all the “holy inklings” of God being so stinkin’ behind this relationship, that it must be his will…and who says we need to save our purity for “marriage”, if God is with us? Who cares about the major issues we will face if we commit to life together? It’ll all work out because God has “brought us together”. 🙂

I love my wife. I believe God is pleased with us becoming and living as one. Maybe He was involved in orchestrating some of the events that led our lives to each other. Looking back, it’s kinda cool to think about. I thank him for everything that led us to each other. But Sarah could have chosen some other guy, and had a completely different life, but been just as happy/complete as she is today (I would selfishly add – “not really”). We offered God our dating relationship, our engagement, our marriage, and our family for His blessing. When we said “I do” (or “I will”), we became “the one” for each other. We continue to work out our relationship with Him, and with each other – committed through whatever may come…

At the same time, you only get one life. Hopefully you choose the right person to spend it with. Marriage is a huge deal. You should probably freak out about that sufficiently. 🙂 hehe

Whew….probably over-blogged that one. I’ll over-blog the second area tomorrow…

ps. I know I got family/friends at various stages of relationships. Know that I didn’t write this in response to any of ya’. It was more inspired by the teens I’ve worked with than anything.