A Testimony: Caught in the Slipstream

Hello, hello...Welcome back.

 I am a Christian...

I needed to start with that just to level the conversation. I don't spend too many posts talking about my faith, because, I don't think I knew yet how to articulate it. But this post is all about that.

Recently, I have been mulling over this imagery of being caught in the slipstream (a slipstream is defined as a stream of fluid [as air or water] driven aft by a propeller or an area of reduced air pressure and forward suction immediately behind a rapidly moving vehicle). The images that these definitions evoke, are "riding" or "being caught in this force."   

 If I were to visualize this concept,  I see a giant rock, rough, mossy, "lived", stuck in a rushing river.

What you see of this rock is the roughness, the moss, the cracks, the things that you don't think as beautiful.

What you don't see is what is happening underneath and around the sides of the rock, is the work the rushing river is doing to smooth out the edges--erosion.

There are many slipstreams that I have been caught in, in my life, the one that I want to spend some time on is being a member of my church ministry. I am currently a ministry team leader in my church- Citizen Heights.

I came to this particular team at a time when I was still a young Christian-- there was a lot (even though there still is a lot) of work needing to be done in me. I was moved from one team, which I loved, had a rhythm and enjoyed very much, to a team that I was so afraid of--This team is in the direct presence of our Pastors---eek!

There's a timidness in assuming a role like this one, as a new Christian. As a new Christian, you are still "trying to measure up." And being in direct contact means being measured, right? This idea of perfection that we associate with pastors are that they are the "holy, holy, holy," almost the untouchable, but not because of them, because of how we feel we "measure up."

 I think we allow that narrative to be the detail we use to isolate ourselves, especially when we don't seem worthy--- but that could be another post in and of itself and it's not just in comparison to our pastors, but to other Christians in general.

But there I was, knowing I had some things to work on, but I was also being called to support this ministry team and essentially the HEART and VISION of this house, the Pastors.

In this sense I am the rock stuck (or planted) in this rushing water (presence of the pastors) and without me acting (we're going to come back to this), my edges are being smoothed. The things happening underneath the water are life changing.

Serving in the office team, in the proximity of the pastors and their hearts and their vision and their love for people, in how they express it to their families, to their friends, to the team that serves them, rub off on you merely by you showing up.  Being saturated by their character is what transforms and changes you.

I imagine this is what being at the feet of Jesus is like. Just sitting in His presence, doing nothing but, soaking it in and letting the river do the work.

But there are some actions that I have to take in order for that process to be accelerated, I need to show up. I might not always be ready to fully hear what is happening around me, but being in proximity changes me. It grows me up. There are things that compliment the actions of the river:

• Showing Up
• Being Present
• Participating in small groups
• Leading a team
• Being part of a team

And one day the slipstream becomes a little different. The slipstream, almost 5 years later becomes me a loose, more smooth rock, riding the rush of the river.

My journey is different now, I once needed to be planted steady so that the things underneath could be smoothed out. And then when I became smooth enough, I became loose and can ride the rush.
 That's where I am at now, I am riding the rush of the river. Still on the slipstream of life,  being refined, and smoothed out, until I am snagged again, planted for another season of smoothing, before I can ride the rush again.