Shifting Up

10 deep breaths, 2 sighs, 3 oh-my-gosh-that-could-have-ruined-this-truck's-suspension potholes, numerous potholes besides, 2 passenger parents, 2 sweaty palms, 1 much needed lesson in smooth gear transition, 1 i-think-that-started-at-the-base-of-my-neck headache, 1 i-am-so-glad-i-decided-not-to-change-lanes-because-that-would-have-ended-very-badly-for-all-involved split-second decision, 1 tense body including a set of especially active knees

THESE ARE THE INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE MY FIRST 7-HOUR DRIVE FROM NKWANTA TO ACCRA!!!!!

So there you have it. I have crossed over into that great cloud of drivers who first braved their premier excursion behind the steering wheel. How noble the feeling! How uplifting the sensation! How glorious the knowledge that I have joined the ranks of the...blah blah blah. Enough of that. What I am really thinking about is my struggle to find a section of the road smooth enough to get above second gear!

I mean really, the number of potholes was such that I could not tell whether the paved ("tarred") road had potholes, or whether the dirt had been broken up with fragments of erupting concrete. For a while, the dirt road was just as smooth as any other...smooth...dirt...road. Then, we hit some nice paved road. That was like a cool glass of water after a long walk! Next came a few brief patches of broken road, but the smoothness continued shortly thereafter. The bliss was not eternal, though. The roughness of the journey started in the third hour or so, and did not seem to stop until only one hour remained. I wanted so much to go faster, but I was prevented; the road looked to be intact in many crucial places (going over hills, turning corners, overtaking other drivers), but very often it was not. So, I ended up speeding up after one eruption of concrete, only to slow down again almost immediately. I just wanted to get to where I was going!!

The same happens in my life. Once I get some idea of my next destination, I tend to loathe the journey to get there, counting it as a necessary evil rather than an opportunity to learn and mature. The moment I know a sketch of what is to come, I am wont to "kick it into hyperdrive," as it were, moving so that warning signs become a blur and distant memory. I am forced to realize at every bend that the journey is part of the total experience. I am always so eager to move from first to second to fifth gear that I lose sight of both the intermittent stages and of the part of the road directly ahead.

Do not be like me in this way, because it is not like Christ. Make the most of every opportunity, remembering that, for those who love him and are called in line with his purpose, he orchestrates everything for your good in the end. Everything includes the trips and the transitions, so look for him in them all. He will be found when you seek him with all your heart - Romans 8:28; Jeremiah 29:13. When you do start picking up speed, "don't be in such a hurry to release the clutch," in the words of my dad. Do all things well, like God does - Ephesians 5:1.

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This Ministry's Purpose

of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

Paul's ministry is about making the gospel of Jesus the Christ fully known, so that he might present everyone mature in Christ. Is that true for every one of God's ministers?

Today, we were on the road again from Accra, where we spent not-quite-two- days buying necessary groceries, dog food, and plants, back to Nkwanta, our home. The journey will be around 6 hours in duration. It could be shorter, if the rain has not damaged the last hour-long stretch of road too badly, or if no large trucks have gotten stuck on the road, effectively impeding progress and raising stress levels for all travellers. It could be shorter if, after the paved road ends, the dirt road has been grated and only slightly dampened by rain; or if the Chinese contractors have paved the road completely, so that the whole journey will pass over tarred (paved) road. But, of course, we're in the rainy season and, while it is dry in Accra, Nkwanta and its surrounding areas are making up for the capital's lack. It'll be longer.

Remember, your identity is found in relation to someone(s) or something(s)...unless you are source of all the somethings and someones, in which case, if you're reading this, I am grateful and greatly humbled and welcome all of your input on...everything. If you are not, then I would thank you to read on. Without what(s) or whom(s) would your life be less than satisfied or satisfactory? Mind you, I do not intend to imply a scale as our teachers may have in grade school, from Failing to Satisfactory to Excellent. Rather, I intend to denote the difference between satisfied and not satisfied, simply. If _ were not a part of my life, I would have no reason to live, no purpose in living. As an attempt at greater clarity without confusion, if you could make allowance for _'s absence, then you need to keep searching. I mean, without ___, you would lose your sense of self. I hope that's clear.

Now, if you have no point of reference for such a source for your sense of self, then I would urge you to both begin and continue the search. By the conclusion of these thoughts, I hope you understand the importance of your identity. I know that many may not know where to start, and might not have even given this topic a first, let alone second, thought. To you, then, what follows is a case for identity. To you who are searching and who meet with mixed success, encouragement and exhortation are my goals. To those who encourage and exhort in this area, I pray that this is helpful as you help others grow, and as you find nourishment for your souls. To all of you and everyone, may your source prove just and benevolent and, perhaps above all, present.

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