Daring and Rising on the Cusp
"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12
As 2016 is now being counted in hours, this verse from Psalm 90 is a helpful reminder that God's timing isn't the same as ours. And a heart of wisdom grounds us when we go into the arena, when we are committed to being brave in our lives, when we want to authentically be connected to other people and to God in life-giving ways.
A heart of wisdom calms us when the shame gremlins come out to play; play with our emotions, play with what we see as truth, play with our possibilities and paths forward. Those shame gremlins are always scurrying around saying, 'do more, have more, be more . . . hid more.' They are the masters of exhaustion!
But a heart of wisdom, grounds us in God's love and grace that are bigger, broader, bolder than our imagination. A heart of wisdom is cultivated through calm and still (one of Brené's guideposts for wholehearted living), through prayer, through daring trust and gracious empathy that encourages us to be more honest and authentic. The Holy Spirit works in us to grow a heart of wisdom.
I'm grateful at the end of 2016 for all the amazing church leaders and congregational members who have joined me in this wholehearted daring and rising journey. Being more courageous and joy-filled isn't always easy work; patterns and systems want to return to homeostatis. But this is God's good work and I look forward to being part of what God is doing with this in 2017.
