Embrace the squiggle
Have you ever been on a tilt-a-whirl or scrambler, or any of those other spinning rides at fairs and amusement parks? Those rides where you spin in different directions at the same time and you kind of forget which is way is up and when you get off you almost fall over because you're so off balance? They used to be my favorite when I was younger, probably because I didn't really like heights. But that was back before I got motion sickness on a simple swing. I can't do those rides anymore. But I was thinking about them today.
See the theme of my day seemed to be embrace the squiggle. I am attending the Simply Youth Ministry Conference this weekend, and in the session I am attending, which is focused on junior high ministry, we talked about how we want youth's path to Christ to be that straight line toward Jesus. We think that's the ideal. But we know that's not a reality - so instead we think of it more as a path with peaks and valleys - kind of like a heart monitor - it goes up and down, but as long as the general trajectory is towards Christ, we're doing alright. But if we're honest with ourselves that's not the reality either. The reality is that the path toward God is a whole bunch of squiggles going all different directions.
The first and the third lines look kind of like this, but instead of success as the goal it's a deeper relationship with Jesus.
Now in the session the point was that often when youth are dealing with this squiggly faith our temptation is to try to straighten it out. We think that will help them somehow. One of the biggest challenges for adults when they work with youth is wanting to fix everything for them. But really what we need to do is embrace the squiggle and walk alongside of them as they try to sort up from down. They're on a tilt-a-whirl and we're called to be a steady presence in their lives. We're called to embrace the squiggle.
But as I thought more about this concept, I realized that we also need to embrace the squiggles in our own lives. Because sometimes we feel like we're on a tilt-a-whirl and we're saying, "Hey God remember how I get motion sick? This might not be a good plan." But the reality is God is a steady presence in those moments saying "Embrace the squiggle. I've got this."
Sometimes this squiggles are minor: This conference is being held in Columbus; always before when I have gone to these conferences I have stayed on site or nearby, but since this one is so close I am staying at home and driving back and forth. The only problem is that I don't really know that area of Columbus very well. So my first squiggle of the day was a bit of a detour trying to get to the parking garage that had been recommended to me. Then I had another squiggle trying to find my classroom, and a third trying to find another room in the convention center.
Those were small, somewhat annoying, but manageable squiggles. But sometimes the squiggles are major changes in our lives that we aren't ready for. We've all experienced those squiggles. The moments where we thought we were heading in one direction and suddenly there's a big detour sign in our way, and we wonder where this detour will take us. And in those times we have to embrace the squiggle.
And as I thought about this during my drive home (which I managed without getting lost!) I thought about how dancers are taught to do all their spins and not get dizzy. They are taught to focus on something, and keep their focus there as they spin. That is what we called to do when we end up in these squiggly times of life - which let's face it, it feels like this is more often than not for most of us. We're called to keep our focus on Jesus, and remember that even when we don't know which way is up - he does. And he's right there beside us on that journey.
The truth is my life is in one of those times right now. And what I hear God saying to me is, "Katy, embrace the squiggle. Keep your eyes focused on me, and let me take care of the rest."
See the theme of my day seemed to be embrace the squiggle. I am attending the Simply Youth Ministry Conference this weekend, and in the session I am attending, which is focused on junior high ministry, we talked about how we want youth's path to Christ to be that straight line toward Jesus. We think that's the ideal. But we know that's not a reality - so instead we think of it more as a path with peaks and valleys - kind of like a heart monitor - it goes up and down, but as long as the general trajectory is towards Christ, we're doing alright. But if we're honest with ourselves that's not the reality either. The reality is that the path toward God is a whole bunch of squiggles going all different directions.
The first and the third lines look kind of like this, but instead of success as the goal it's a deeper relationship with Jesus.
Now in the session the point was that often when youth are dealing with this squiggly faith our temptation is to try to straighten it out. We think that will help them somehow. One of the biggest challenges for adults when they work with youth is wanting to fix everything for them. But really what we need to do is embrace the squiggle and walk alongside of them as they try to sort up from down. They're on a tilt-a-whirl and we're called to be a steady presence in their lives. We're called to embrace the squiggle.
But as I thought more about this concept, I realized that we also need to embrace the squiggles in our own lives. Because sometimes we feel like we're on a tilt-a-whirl and we're saying, "Hey God remember how I get motion sick? This might not be a good plan." But the reality is God is a steady presence in those moments saying "Embrace the squiggle. I've got this."
Sometimes this squiggles are minor: This conference is being held in Columbus; always before when I have gone to these conferences I have stayed on site or nearby, but since this one is so close I am staying at home and driving back and forth. The only problem is that I don't really know that area of Columbus very well. So my first squiggle of the day was a bit of a detour trying to get to the parking garage that had been recommended to me. Then I had another squiggle trying to find my classroom, and a third trying to find another room in the convention center.
Those were small, somewhat annoying, but manageable squiggles. But sometimes the squiggles are major changes in our lives that we aren't ready for. We've all experienced those squiggles. The moments where we thought we were heading in one direction and suddenly there's a big detour sign in our way, and we wonder where this detour will take us. And in those times we have to embrace the squiggle.
And as I thought about this during my drive home (which I managed without getting lost!) I thought about how dancers are taught to do all their spins and not get dizzy. They are taught to focus on something, and keep their focus there as they spin. That is what we called to do when we end up in these squiggly times of life - which let's face it, it feels like this is more often than not for most of us. We're called to keep our focus on Jesus, and remember that even when we don't know which way is up - he does. And he's right there beside us on that journey.
The truth is my life is in one of those times right now. And what I hear God saying to me is, "Katy, embrace the squiggle. Keep your eyes focused on me, and let me take care of the rest."
Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:1-2a)
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