My Spiritual Journey

This past weekend was my 30th High School reunion. Since High School I've basically kept in touch with one classmate, the only other Senior swimmer on the men's team in 1982. Occassionally I've run into others and just "touched base." Facebook has provided some additional links, which have been nice.

It all got me thinking about how I got to this place. Scott said to me Saturday night at the reunion: "When you left high school you knew what you wanted to do. And you're doing it. Plus you're still into the swimming piece."

Not many people can say they are doing what they planned that many years ago.

My life has always been about the pursuit. I'm competitive. It started with swimming since I was age 5. My first memory is of being in a 50 meter Olympic size pool, anchoring a relay because a 4th swimmer was needed. The suit I wore was 3 times too big. The goggles were as big as my face. And the pool was twice as long as I'd ever seen much less swum in before. "He just has to make it," Coach Tim told my mom as he recruited me off the deck. And what I remember as clear today as the day it happened was at 25 meters - when "normal" pools end - I was halfway there. I lifted my head and thought "O my." Then put my head down and swam to the end. I would make it.


For the next 15 years I pursued many things but none of them ever satisfied. Medals, trophies, records, recognition. Then money became the thing to pursue. Girls were in there too!

But every time something difficult would come along; every time something tragic would happen. My world was shattered. The first time I didn't make the final 8 in championships. When I didn't get the record before aging up. When the stock market fell. It was like a huge wave had come and exposed my pursuits for the temporary sandy foundation they were.

I came to faith in Jesus at the end of 7th Grade but these other pursuits still dominated my life. In fact, looking back, Jesus was just another pursuit among all the pursuits, until somewhere in college. Perhaps marked by the end of the swimming career as my shoulder had enough and broke down.

Jesus has been a foundation that isn't washed away. I'm still competitive. I can create a competition out of anything. When I allow that pursuit to dominate my life, I lose, the sand being washed away. Pursuing Jesus has never been a disappointment. He's never disappointing. He's never late. He never comes with empty hands.

My most important lesson of my summer sabbatical (see my Sabbatical Blog) is that I love what I do for a living. Not many people can say that. It sometimes grates on my soul. It's sometimes incredibly frustrating. Any time more than 1 person is pursuing something, sin will get in there and mess it all up.The Church is filled with imperfect human beings led by an imperfect human Pastor. It's a formula for a mess. And it's a formula for God's glory because anything good that happens, the credit goes to Him. You could say: "I'm livin' the dream!"

What's your story? Are you living your dream? Are you following His dream for your life?