Are you stuck?

Today I was reading this article (link: http://issuu.com/relevantmagazine/docs/relevant50/49) and it struck me...I'm living 'stuck in Saturday'.

The article starts off talking about waiting and our lack of patience with it. Think about it. We get annoyed when we have to wait for almost anything. We like things to be instantaneous. I know I do. The most frustrating wait in my day is often Monday mornings when I turn my computer on. It seems to take FOREVER, when in reality, it's probably a minute. Or when the internet is being a little too slow when loading a page, the thought goes through my head "Ugh; what's taking so long?" I could go on and on with examples of ways I get annoyed when I have to wait a little longer than normal. Confession: I am an impatient person. There, I said it. Now, the whole world knows.

The crazy thing is that I can get impatient with God too. Thoughts like "God, I asked you about this 30 seconds ago, why haven't you answered yet??" run through my head more times than I like to admit. Maybe it's just me, but there are times when I really start to wonder if he's forgotten me...or if I missed hearing his voice...or if the answer is just "no" and I'm too stubborn to recognize it. Can you relate?

The article continues on, relating it to the Easter story. We mourn the death of Christ on Friday and we rejoice at his resurrection on Sunday. But we never talk about what happened on Saturday. Have you ever thought about what the disciples or the crowds went through on Saturday? I'm sure they were filled with all kinds of questions and thoughts from "was that it?!" to disappointment that Jesus died, leaving his promises unfulfilled. I can relate to those feelings. Even now, on the brink of something new and exciting, there have been times where I wonder "was that it?" or feel like promises are unfulfilled.

A few years ago, I heard a sermon about living in a liminal state...those times when we're in transition. Something has ended or changed and the new thing hasn't begun. I've been living in a liminal state for a while now. But, with my last week of employment at EMM starting in two days, the liminal state I've been living in is starting to draw to a close.

All that to say, Saturdays and liminal states are part of the normal processes of life. I must remember to have hope in the midst of those times. Hope that God is at work, even when I can't see it.

It's the end of the world as we know it...

Isn't there a phrase like, "all things must come to an end in order for new things to begin?" If not, there should be. I mean, it is true and all. And, that's where I'm finding myself these days...at another point on the transition map.

This week, I begin to train my replacement at EMM. Don't get me wrong, I am super excited by who we hired to take the reins as DM Department Manager. Jacki will do a great job! She will be able to take the role to a different level than I was able to. She'll bring fresh vision and passion to the role...something that I fear has started to wane within me as I look ahead toward the Czech. I can't wait to see how God uses her here!

With Jacki's coming, that means that I won't feel like I'm pulled in so many directions. I'll be able to focus more fully on preparations for the Czech...packing up my house, going through trainings, working on my upcoming presentations, fundraising, and beginning the good-bye process. Not only that, but her coming means I'm one step closer to leaving for the Czech. That too is worth looking forward to.

But, as exciting as all that is...it's also a bit sad. I'm leaving my job at EMM. The place I've worked for 5.5 years will no longer be the place I report to on a daily basis. My department will no longer be my department. I will no longer be part of discussions about the future of DM or on what the next Commissioning looks like. I will be passing on the mantle.

What does that even look like? How does one do that? How does one transition all that they've learned over that length of time to someone else? Where do I begin?