Land HO! Part II
Posted on September 26, 2009
Filed Under Generally Spiritual (few if any geek references), Some slightly auto-biographical stuff | Leave a Comment
Today I feel as if I’m in a speeding boat. The breeze in my face is refreshing, the salt spray exhilarating. I can’t help but breathe in deep, very deep–and sigh. I look around at my family, they’re taking it all in as well. My wife has never looked so relaxed. She smiles as she looks ahead.
The sun is high, the air is clear, there’s an albatross over head (funny, you would think he was showing us the way…) Land is in sight, effortlessly we speed towards it. What will it be like? I can’t wait to feel the firm ground, to drink from the fresh stream, to enjoy the shade trees. Can I really climb those high hills? It will be difficult–and risky. But the view will be so rewarding.
I’m becoming a little obsessed with all the things I want to do when I arrive.My head swims with plans for “setting up camp” and at the same time exploring the land. The excitement mounts. It won’t be long now.
I can’t help but turn to look back. I can barely see the place where I was “rescued.” It is rapidly fading into the distance. I had no idea that it would turn out this way. Everything has changed. I really thought that getting to “dry land” would somehow take the form of slowly swimming my way into “making it” as a trainer and video producer–or something, I wasn’t sure what. The only thing I truly knew then was that I could *never* go back to an IT “day job.”
Never say never.
Through a series of steps my heart changed. It started with a request from my wife; one of those little please-look-at-this-job-openings requests. Sigh…. I don’t want a “day job!” I cannot go back to Cubicle Purgatory. Never the less, I clicked on the link to the opening and started reading: Judson University. Hmmm. We know something about Judson, what with my wife being in the community band and my oldest son taking music lessons and courses there. Then I read Judson’s mission statement. That really started me thinking–and praying. By the time I filled out the application, including my testimony and answering various questions about how I would approach IT within a Christian university (vs. Corporate America), I started getting very excited about the possibility of joining Judson.
Along the way, one of our church services was on “Ask, Seek, Knock.” I felt like God was speaking directly to me. The following Sunday we sang, “Where you lead I will follow,” which became my theme song for the next several weeks.
In preparing for the interviews I had never been so nervous in all my career days. Finally I realized that this was a bit too nervous; not quite a panic attack, but kind of getting there. Then it dawned on me: there was a spiritual battle going on here. So my wife and I prayed together, and a calmness came over me, a sense that no matter which way the Lord leads, it will be good–because He will be in the lead.
During the interview with five key faculty, including the “hiring manager”/provost of the university, we all seemed to connect well, so well that the meeting went over time by an hour. Between that meeting and a meeting with the Technology Services staff I felt convinced that if Judson made the offer, I would gladly accept it.
And so here I am, thrilled to be heading towards a new “island” in life, a new part of the harvest field to labor in. I can’t wait! Sure, there will be bumps along the way and I am a little nervous about the newness of it all and the challenges and the unknowns–but in all of that comes the additional excitement and attraction.
Above all else, there’s the exhilaration of knowing that I’m being called to Judson. I know it as sure as I knew that God called me to Chicago all those years ago. I know it as sure as when He led me to Willow Creek, first as a member, then for 3 years on staff, and then continuing on as a volunteer. I know it about as sure as anyone can know anything.
How do I know? I can’t give any empirical evidence, at least none that would satisfy a skeptic. Certainly, I could create a list all of the “coincidences” that led to this moment, and then say “only God.” Or I could talk about how Judson’s mission is a cause I feel very draw to, or how the position lines up with my spiritual gifts and my background, passions and skills, or how thrilled my wife and family are, for this is at last a place where they too can connect and be involved in ways that fit them amazingly well. True and wonderful though all that is, those aren’t really the reasons. The overriding reason that I know I am called to this position is that the Real Jesus keeps confirming it over and over in my heart.
I just know.
It’s a “voice” (and I’m being very metaphorical) that whispers, “get up” or “I have not forgotten you” or nothing at all tangible, yet leaves a profound mark in my heart. At the core of it all, I just know. I know my Shepherd’s voice.
And no “paper Jesus” can do that.
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