How Did I Get Here, Part 10
May 3rd, 2006 | by Scott |Or, Blog On
When I began this blog on January 26, 2005, I had no fully-developed idea why. I thought it would be a place to put my bulletin articles, a few insights on life and scripture, family stories, and entertainment recommendations.
I figured a few people from church would read it, along with some family and friends.
One vow that I made early on was that I would not be political or controversial. This would be a neutral site on all of those matters.
By June, I couldn’t take it anymore: I blogged about Darfur and the risk that we face of repeating the Rwanda catastrophe. Afterwards, I began to write out more of my feelings on poverty and being Christ-like. Comments began to trickle in.
Then I wrote about my opposition to the Iraq war. Crickets began to chirp. No comments. Not a one. But people began to read.
The direction of my blog had changed. I began to blog more and more about my struggles with the issues of the day.
The benefit of this was that I began to think more about where I stood. By journaling my journey I began to force myself to reflect more, to go deeper in my understanding.
This blog became the avenue through which I processed God’s leading me. It is where I grappled with God’s answering of my prayer to love more.
For example, when I began this series two weeks ago, I envisioned a 2 or 3 part summary of how I got here. But sitting down and writing it out, I realized the story was bigger than that. Even now, I could add 10 more chapters. I’m even considering drafting a book proposal from this.
Therefore, this blog is the final piece that got me to where I am today. I imagine it will be an integral part of where I am going. It has disciplined me to write and to reflect more than I would typically do.
Where do I stand right now?
- Completely alienated from my Republican past.
- Completely unwilling to embrace a Democratic “solution”
- No longer will politics determine my faith. Faith will determine my politics.
- No longer will I be guided by one or two “issues.”
- At the core, I will be directed by two “laws:” How I love Him, and how I love His.
- Knowing that I must not ultimately seek political solutions but that I must be the in-breaking of the Kingdom of the world I inhabit.
- My nation is that Kingdom. It knows no borders or secular entity. It is neither slave nor free, male nor female, American nor Iraqi.
- I must be a voice for the voiceless, hope for the hopeless and a reminder to seek the forgotten.
- I must be a “red-letter” Christian. No longer will I be content to embrace “Jesus Excepted”
- I love Jesus Christ more now than I ever have, although I understand Him a whole lot less.
This series ends now. Replacing it will be a semi-regular series entitled “Where I Am At Right Now.” It will be a look at where I stand on current issues that stand before us.
The title acknowledges both the journey and the struggle. It understands that, although the journey to this point is finished, the journey to where God is calling me is just beginning.
I look forward to the next chapters. I hope you will continue to walk with me.
11 Responses to “How Did I Get Here, Part 10”
By Phil Wilson on May 3, 2006 | Reply
“I love Jesus Christ more now than I ever have, although I understand Him a whole lot less.”
That is a great, great quote.
By Jason Bybee on May 3, 2006 | Reply
Great series, Scott. I know I speak for a lot of your readers when I say thank you for your transparency. I’m proud to call you my brother and your story challenges me to evaluate some areas of my life in similar fashion. Moreover, I’m thankful for the intersection of your story with the Eternal Story. There’s something holy that occurs in the telling of our stories. May He richly bless you as you continue your journey from here. Love you, bro.
By Amy on May 3, 2006 | Reply
I’m advertising your story today. Hope you don’t mind!
By Scott on May 3, 2006 | Reply
I’m honored. Thanks for the kind words.
By Carl McLendon on May 3, 2006 | Reply
Loved the series, your honesty, your wilingness to do what Christ would have you do, not what you think you should do. We have much in common in this journey to take up the cross for Him and for others.
shalom
By jettybetty on May 3, 2006 | Reply
I can relate to almost everything you say here. (I’m over from Amy’s place.)
By Mike the Eyeguy on May 4, 2006 | Reply
Spiritual memoir is a hot genre these days (see Blue Like Jazz and Girl Meets God). I’m thinking this baby could sell (with partial proceeds to the appropriate causes, of course).
Allow me to suggest a title: “Political Whiplash: How a Red, White and Blue Ditto Head Youth Pastor Became a Green-Loving Radical Evangelical Preacher.”
I’m not demanding any kind of cut, mind you, but I would appreciate a shout-out in the Acknowledgements. :-),
:-0, ;-0
The emoticons are for your legions of readers, not for you.
By Scott on May 4, 2006 | Reply
Carl and jettybetty, thanks so much. Please keep coming by.
Mike, you may be on to something there.
By Donna on May 4, 2006 | Reply
Scott,
I too have loved your series. I was struck by your prayer to love more and realize I have had the same experience. My attitudes, my prejudices and the causes that get me “up in arms” have totally changed over the last few years and as you said it I could see that it was God’s answer to my prayer to love more….thanks!
I too am not much of an extrovert. I enjoy one on one and small groups much more than parties. I struggle with the formality of prayer and have tried to develop my own dialouge.
The blog has also been a discipline for me, but I am too chicken to state all of my thoughts and positions….maybe slowly I will get to that point.
Thanks again for sharing your story!
By TCS on May 15, 2006 | Reply
Scott,
I have just finished reading your series on How Did I Get Here. Phil Wilson had recommended it to me and then Donna and Amy Grant and Amy mentioned it again yesterday. Glad she did.
Its always good to know that there are others who are questioning things. Who are trying to grow in their love of others. So many things I could say.
I have found this medium to be very good for thinking things through. Of course people do read and sometimes that causes heartache. But, It has also helped me to try and capture my story as well.
thanks for blogging! I’ll be back.
By Scott on May 15, 2006 | Reply
TCS, thanks so much for the kind words. I’m thankful for this forum to “work out my salvation”