A New Adventure

I've been thinking about starting a blog for several months now, but a couple of recent email conversations have convinced me that now is the time. One of the things I was having trouble with was a name. Anyone who knows me will understand that it was important to me to find a name for this thing that represents it's purpose. And so, after much deliberation, I made my choice. Unfortunately, my first two choices, "Twinkie Puppets" and "Flying Monkey-Junkie" were taken. Just kidding- Convergence really was my first choice, for two really big reasons. I guess I could just tell them to you, but what fun would that be? This is a blog, after all.

When I was growing up, I loved to go on bike rides. I think it was a basic hunger for adventure that motivated me more than anything else. At the age of twelve, there was nothing that compared to the feeling of riding just a little further than I'd been before and finding something new; a little bit of woods that I'd never explored; a bridge that crossed into a neighborhood where I hadn't ridden; a trail that I hadn't taken- yet.

I could never have described it then, but as I look back on all the incredible adventures, I think those feelings were stirred because I was at a point of convergence (see above definition). For a moment, there was more in front of me than new woods, or a new bridge, or even a new neighborhood. For just a moment, everything I knew was colliding with all that was unknown to me. I wanted to see more of this place and know more about it, but what I didn't know made me hesitate. As these two realities met, they generated those feelings that exist together in the paradox of choice that walks us all through life.

Can you feel it? Adventure and Excitement long to move ahead, but Fear is pleading with them to reconsider. Safety is tugging at the sleeve of Risk, reminding it of all the unseen dangers that may be waiting just out of sight. Doubt whispers in one ear, "You probably can't" and "It's probably not worth it," while Hope whispers in the other "What if you can" and "What if it is?

As we grow up, these "convergence" moments continue to happen, but begin to carry greater weight. Worthwhile journeys and epic adventures are rarely easy and often include some real pain. If we look at our lives as journeys, I think it's reasonable to expect that challenge (and yes, pain too) will be a part of what we experience. Not because of fate, or destiny, or random cosmic chance, but rather because God created us and understands what needs to happen in each of us to help our lives become the epic adventures that He envisions.

James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be complete, not lacking anything." (NIV) Because He loves us beyond what we can imagine, He won't give up on us. It's just not in His nature. "...if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself." (2 Timothy 2:13, NIV)

I don't know about you, but there are quite a few things coming together in my life right now that are either reminding me of God's faithfulness or testing my faith to develop perseverance. "Convergence" is a word that perfectly describes where I am finding myself these days, and serves to remind me that the collisions in our lives are often the very tools that God is using to develop in us the potential that He sees.

In Him We Live,

Jeff

p.s. - Yup, I know I only gave one reason. Stop by next week for the other one!