here's to upside down living

Finding myself at a crossroad again, looking toward an interlude of structural and relational transitions, I find that my God is ever consistent. While I am small and operate within systems' trajectories, my God authors this life and transcendently governs it all. I may forever compartmentalize my life to try to make sense of it, but His sovereignty and love have never, will never be contained within boundaries. I am grateful beyond words for this.

Here's to following Jesus with this little life, and loving him more earnestly with this little heart. Here's to unnaturally laying down myself for the sake of anyone who rejects me. Here's to walking in confidence in uncertainty, and thriving in freedom from myself. Here's to seeking his vision for my part in the Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven, when orphans and widows will be rescued, foreigners beckoned in, poverty no more, and justice and compassion will mutually make this world whole.

Here's to serving those closest in my life with the utmost love, and maybe making more eye contact with strangers. Here's to giving more to my parents for the invaluable upbringing I have received. And here's to mercy that ever beckons me to continue hoping when I fail at any of these things.

Yes really, at this point, Jesus has taken my heart. I'm barely starting out, yet after a handful of decades, I will look back on my life and observe the finality of things. With this undergrad degree, with this network of friends and colleagues, with the crumbs knowledge and wisdom I've gained, and with only Christ to boast in, I look forward to what is in store for me.

I'm trying to write less abstractly, but it is oh so difficult. I will try fill these web pages with those same-old Shela-esque reflections, but also more concrete things and faces and places. Like I said, I know there is so much in store, as I choose to pursue Christ in this life.