…let us also lay aside every weight and
the sin that clings so closely, and let us run
with perseverancethe race that is set before us
-Heb. 12:1

Certain ages are natural milestones at which we pause for refl ection and assessment. Th e half-century mark for many of us is a particularly poignant one. As I approach turning 50 later this month, my overall mood might be best described as queasiness. Before you start ridiculing and teasing, let me just acknowledge that “feeling queasy” is not a logical reaction to this particular birthday. But I have learned over time to pay attention to these sorts of illogical reactions to events in life as they generally prove to be good fodder for spiritual and emotional insight and growth.

Some of my queasiness is actually grief as though I’m grieving the loss of my youth, the loss of certain dreams that are now more likely never to be realized, and the loss of some physical vitality since I cannot see, hear and move as easily as I once did. Some part of my queasiness is connected to regret about things done or undone, relationship hurts not quite resolved or healed, opportunities missed. No small part of my queasiness is connected to that deepening realization of how quickly time is passing and feeling overwhelmed by a sense of urgency to invest my time and energy in the right way… whatever that might be.

These observations have been good topics for prayer as I invite God to participate with me in this assessment and to continue to do a work in me. They have provided me with new opportunities to explore the depths of God’s forgiveness, grace, healing, and the ways God calls us to be alive in the world and engaged in God’s purposes. One surprising thing that has come out of all this reflection and assessment is a deep longing for more adventure in my life. I have such a deep sense of duty that I sometimes fi nd myself feeling bored and bogged down with obligation. So, I’ve made a decision to engage in a particular kind of practice during the next 12 months. Every month in the coming year, I’m going to attempt something I’ve never done before which will
not only provide a sense of adventure but also require considerable courage and perseverance.

I have identified a few things already. In July, I’m going to go skydiving (a tandem jump with an expert, of course). In August, I’m going to attempt a mini-triathlon which means swimming, biking, and running shorter distances than regular triathlons. In September I’m going to hike up Half Dome in Yosemite. Next May, Steve and I are planning a 3-week trip to South Africa. A decent agenda so far, don’t you think?

I’ve begun training for the triathlon. For some of you, this is not a big deal but others of you will appreciate that for a non-athlete, this is a huge deal. My goal is to finish the course in one piece with no major injury! Already my training is pushing me to the limit. Each time I come up gasping for
breath in the swimming pool, or my knee begins to cramp from jogging, I decide that I’m going to give up because I’m just not good at it. Persevering in something I’m not all that good at is causing me to pray in a different way, to practice grace toward myself and my body, to examine the resources I have for persevering in a challenging endeavor.

I’m finding that all of this experience is providing a bucket-full of rich metaphors for the life of Discipleship following Jesus which requires no
small measure of risk tolerance and perseverance. Undoubtedly these experiences will generate topics for future Cornerstone columns and a sermon illustration or two!

As I prepare for our "Hot Topics" sermon series, I’m reflecting on what it means for us as a congregation to persevere in the face of complex theological and ethical issues. Consider this tentative sermon plan for our Faith and Politics series:

• August 17 – Part 1: Where Faith & Politics Meet
• August 24 – Part 2: Gay Marriage
• August 31 – Part 3: Farm Animal Ethics
• September 7 – Part 4: Global Warming
• September 14 – Part 5: What Would Jesus Say to the USA?

On Wednesday evening following each sermon, we will have an opportunity to gather for feedback, questions, refl ection and discussion. In some cases, we will be inviting guests to participate on a panel in order to learn more about the subject.

You’ve already proven to me that you are a congregation that can take risks and rise to the challenge of persevering through some diffi cult topics.
I think it will be a great time to invite a friend or neighbor to worship as we together model the kind of Christian discipleship that wrestles with hard
issues together.

Walking with you as we follow Jesus,

Debra