Category: Different Thoughts

Posted in Different Scriptures, Different Thoughts

a flex-ible lent.

Posted on by Wick

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of another season of preparation for Resurrection Sunday. 40 days from here until Easter morning (Sundays aren’t counted, as they’re “mini celebrations of Easter”). Tonight, we will gather with all ages, toward the end of our Wednesday night programming. We will have a short service where we acknowledge none of us is God (unless the resurrected Jesus shows up). We will remember the times throughout scripture where God prepares His people for something new.

In the story of Noah’s ark, the rain fell for 40 days (Genesis 7:12). They were being prepared for a reality “washed clean” of a disobedient past, and offered a fresh start for a humanity wounded by separation from God. As God’s people were set free from living as slaves in Egypt, they wandered in the desert for 40 years while God prepared them to recognize their new identity as belonging to Him. The Kings of Israel – Saul, David, & Solomon – each reigned for 40 years, as God prepared His people for each new season. Before He began His earthly ministry, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert for 40 days to wrestle with temptation in the same ways we wrestle still today in preparation to become our Living Hope and Salvation (healing).

So each year, the Christian calendar purposefully invites us to set aside these 40 days of preparation for what God may have in store. It doesn’t require a long look at the world around us to recognize we need a fresh celebration of Resurrection Life in Jesus this year. Let me clarify for a moment also: The world doesn’t need a fresh or catchy or choreographed or laser-lit celebration of Easter. The world needs the Body of Christ (The Church global) to experience a refreshed heart for living in ways that proclaim, affirm, testify, experiment with, and catch the beauty of Resurrection Life. It’s a life that sees Jesus (God who is Love made flesh) enthroned over all things in all dimensions, and dwelling in us now by His Holy Spirit. A resurrection that declares there is nothing, not even death itself, that can prevent or separate us from such Love.

When we are secure in such Love, we are free to forgive as we’ve been forgiven. We’re able to stop climbing for or clinging to power. We’re able to say, “I don’t know, but let me discover together with you.” We’re able to release those we feel are indebted to us. We’re able to give to a need without considering what we get in return. We’re able to pursue shalom (fruitful living in peace) even with those we disagree with. We are able to offer a harborous disposition, even to strangers. We’re able to pursue face to face community where individuals can be fully known and fully loved, even when weaknesses are confessed. We’re able to be honest about where we fall short, in order for the Light of God’s Love to shine bright enough to remove all shadows of shame as we grow and are strengthened.

Today is a day we declare – to live in these ways (as our “knee-jerk” first response, stronger than willful deciding) will require some preparation. These ways are not the ways of the world around us. These are not our reflexes…yet.

So during this season, we deny ourselves some things or take on holy habits in order to reshape our hearts. Our goal is to invite & depend upon the Holy Spirit, but to also cooperate with the Spirit in ways we know would be helpful to transforming our minds and hearts. To position ourselves to receive the grace of God in powerful ways that often echo the ways we’ve seen God pour out such grace before.

Toward this goal, I’m trading my smartphone for a dumb phone for the next 40 days. The phone salesman was confused when I began asking about a “downgrade” from my iPhone 12 Mini to a Cricket Flex flipphone. I haven’t been on social media for a couple of years now, and yet my mind is still “wired” in ways that developed over years of unhealthy habits. In moments of boredom or reflexive moments of “needing to know” something, it’s often a habit to hop onto my device for a moment. One moment of Wordle or looking up a hockey score easily becomes checking my e-mail, which becomes feeling the need to respond to something or feeling the insecurities of not being able to respond in the way someone desires (hospital visits, longer Biblical questions, prayer needs, etc.).

It’s not going to be easy, but that’s kinda the point. I started earlier this week in order to have time for working out any potential kinks. Group messages are a mess, and some messages I just don’t receive at all. But anyone who needs me urgently can still e-mail me (and I’ll get it when I’m sitting at my desk eventually) or get a hold of me as needed. But already I’ve found myself not reaching for my phone (hello, silence) in times of waiting. I am looking forward to how these changes encourage habits of being fully present, focused in times of necessary device usage, and rewiring those dopamine receptors to find healthier sources.

May God use these moments in each of our lives to prepare us for New Creation living by His Resurrection Life, available in the Holy Spirit even now…

Posted in Different Moments, Different Scriptures, Different Thoughts, Uncategorized

a true story.

Posted on by Wick

We ducked down a bit in the large passenger vehicle, trying to make it seem like it was no big deal. Our hearts were beating so fast, but we’d been told to stay quiet. Everything needed to look as normal as possible. We had no choice but to trust our driver. He had taken side roads for as long as possible, but there was no side road available near a border crossing. Before resuming the large, slow flow of single-file vehicles, he pulled over to call his wife. We had very little knowledge of the local language, but we didn’t need to understand his words to hear his concern. He was smuggling foreigners (us) across a very tightly closed border. He was telling his wife he would check back in with her after we all made it safely through the checkpoint. None of us knew what to expect.

As we came closer to the border crossing, we saw the recently erected army tents. They were detaining any foreigners, even those with proper paperwork. We had heard stories of families being detained and separated into gender-specific last-minute accommodations. Countries didn’t have official responses ready for something like this. As a married father of 4 daughters, that would mean being separated from all of my family, leaving them alone in a country where none of us spoke the language, and one of us with brown skin. A country not always known for warmly welcoming immigrants. He collected our identification cards (in case they were asked for) and told us to keep quiet and to not make eye contact with anyone. “Some of you pretend to sleep.”

It was March 2020, and we were returning to our Missionary work in Hungary from what had been a short trip to celebrate my wife’s birthday in Paris (European travel is VERY cheap when you’re already in Europe!). But while we were gone, new concerns over something called the “Coronavirus” had caused panicked countries globally to close their borders over safety concerns. We were legal, temporary residents of Hungary. Most of what we owned in this world was there, in our apartment, including our family cat, Toby. But legally, at that moment, we were unwelcome foreigners. Those in the country were allowed to stay, but no one else was being admitted unless they were native-born.

We had arranged for a Hungarian man to pick us up from the airport in Vienna, Austria, and drive us the 45 minutes home to the city we were living in. It was only as we loaded our luggage into his vehicle at the airport that he realized the possible dilemma. He remembered seeing army tents being erected when he drove west into Austria, but didn’t think much of it. In that airport loading zone, looking at his American passengers, a family in need, he made a quick decision to help us. I don’t even remember his name, but even now I’m thankful, and I pray God blesses him.

I remember what was probably a 5-minute stop, feeling like hours. Soldiers approached our vehicle. I remembered our time in Congo, caring for our daughter, and eventually being able to bring her home. We’d seen soldiers before. But our daughters were fairly young and untraveled, and seeing the armed soldier after hearing our concerns talked about openly, I can only imagine how they were feeling in that moment. We prayed quietly, holding hands unseen. We looked down at the floor mostly, quietly stealing glances at the men in the front of the vehicle, talking back and forth with soldiers. We couldn’t understand their words, but he gestured back at us once or twice. It sounded like small talk, and our driver kept his cool. Finally, we were given the thumbs up, and as the vehicle ahead of us drove forward, we were allowed to follow. We entered the country, and after a few moments of tense silence, our driver celebrated aloud. He congratulated us, saying he had just officially declared we were all Hungarian citizens. We all felt even more relieved than his voice sounded as he called his wife to tell her all was well. We were on our way “home”.

“Immigration is an issue. Immigrants are people.” These words were repeated over and over when I was studying to pursue my Immigration Law Paralegal status back in 2016. As part of my “MDiv”, I’d taken a course on Multi-Cultural Ministry, and the paralegal work was offered as an additional opportunity. As a pastor, I could not represent someone in court, but I could understand the law better and help fill out the required paperwork. Life and work have taken us in new directions, and I haven’t kept up my training. But I’ll never forget the heart of Jesus I discovered volunteering with local immigration lawyers, and learning how the issues were impacting individuals and families. It’s a very broken system, in need of reform. (Example: Current processing time for a U.S. citizen to petition for their parent/child/spouse is over 60 months. 100+ months if you’re a permanent resident, but not a citizen. Can you imagine not living with your loved one that long?) People on both sides of the aisle are doing great work to ensure and promote that work continues…both for secure borders and to offer assistance to those in deep need.

All of it is a needed reminder: No one goes through these processes for fun. Especially given the climate of conversation (or lack of conversation) these days, who would want to sign up for the stigma and separation from loved ones that can come in these processes? Many do so because they are desperate for a new life, or feel forced on this path because, like us, heading back into Hungary, they feel it’s the only option, and worth the risk. The story I shared was nothing like what so many people face, risking everything for the chance, not just of a “better life”, but of a continued life in struggle, compared to a known risk of death on other paths.

Lately, it seems like those on both sides of the political extremes are launching anger at the other. Anger toward and dehumanizing those who desire safety and are working to secure borders to protect their future and their children. Others have anger toward and are dehumanizing those who desire to cross or remain within secure borders to protect their future and their children. Politicians at the top of both sides are moving pawns around, whether angry protestors or angry ICE agents, to make their points and secure future elections, without assessing the human costs involved for those suffering on the front lines.

Jeremiah 22:3 “This is what the Lord says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.”

I don’t have a solution. But I do agree with those calling for prayer. Calling for dialogue. Calling for greater amounts of listening. Slowing down our responses to increase safety and discernment. Calling for both sides to regard the preciousness and the humanity of those they currently see only as an obstacle to accomplishing their own goal. Lord Jesus, help us in these moments. Protect the vulnerable. Give us wisdom, and help us to move forward guided by Your Spirit, with Your Kingdom as our foundation.

Posted in Different Moments, Different Scriptures, Different Thoughts, Uncategorized

memories.

Posted on by Wick

There’s one from the Mercantile in Oklahoma. We went there as a family in the middle of winter, on our way to speak at a church in Kansas. We were raising funds and prayers as we became missionaries to Hungary. The church didn’t offer any financial support, but they did take us out for Mexican food. We were thankful we worked in a fun family side trip to see “The Pioneer Woman”, because otherwise that trip would have felt a bit disappointing. We trusted God and traveled anywhere someone would invite us to speak. He provided, and we were thankful to go and minister in Hungary as long as He had us there.

There’s another from “Wheel of Fortune”, as I was a contestant on the show in 2007. You should definitely go if you ever get the chance; it’s worth it. When I graduated from college, I hadn’t only learned Greek. I’d also learned how to use a credit card. The habit cost us deeply in our first years of marriage, and 5 years later, in 2007, we were spinning our wheels in mud trying to pay it off. I went on the show and won just enough to pay off the credit cards (and buy a dishwasher). We were thankful that I also won a trip to Vegas and a trip to Hawaii. We will always be thankful for how God used this show. Without it, we wouldn’t have been able to afford adopting our daughter or living as missionaries for a season. Don’t go into debt on purpose, but always know God’s resources are way beyond what we may ever expect.

There’s a purple ornament from Olivet Nazarene University. I remember going to ONU when I was a high schooler to compete in “talent competitions” called “Celebrate Life”. I didn’t appreciate it much at the time, beyond a great social event, but God was offering me a vision of the extended family a connectional church provides beyond the borders of cities, states, or even countries. Olivet ended up being where Sarah and I dated and began living as a married couple, and where our oldest daughter attends even now. It became my first “home away from home”, a respite from rough seasons of life, and a source of family in so many healing ways. I know no institution run by human beings is going to be without faults, but we really are thankful for ONU and the ways it continues to bear fruit.

There’s a picture ornament with photos of our family in Paris. More than just a “fun vacation” we took on Sarah’s birthday, we had no idea the precipice the world was on during those days. We were based in Hungary as Free Methodist missionaries, but flew (European flights between countries are very cheap sometimes!) from nearby Vienna to Paris for a few days. While we were in Paris, the world closed its borders in response to the growing pandemic. We made it back to Vienna, but were pretty much “smuggled” back into Hungary past army tents where foreigners were being detained. I’ll never forget our driver pulling over to call his wife and tell her what he was about to try and do…not knowing what would happen to any of us. We were so thankful to finally get “home”. Thus began a season of ministry overseas that would continue to both test and shape our family’s trust in the God we’d felt called by and sent to serve.

There are many more ornaments, from each of our lives as individuals, as well as family moments we remember together. As we decorate the tree each year, we don’t stop to tell all the stories, as that would take forever. But we’re blessed to pause here and there, as someone in the family says, “Hey, remember this?”

God has been good. God is good. The promise of this season of Advent is that God will be good also. We can trust in Him, not only because we have no other option. We are blessed to be able to place our trust in our God, who has revealed Himself as a loving Father. He invites us today, no matter what our experiences have been in the past, into a renewed experience of walking in loving attachment and being attuned to His face, which lights up with joy as we turn toward Him.

I look forward to all the ways we will remember these current moments in our walk…as we hang ornaments commemorating what God will do this next year.