For a Graceful Walk

Reading Christa Well's blog tonight reminded me how I've been absent from my writing the past couple of days and how I need to remain faithful to the journey of being better at my craft.  It's plain and simple.  I write to believe.  She puts it in a something I can easily digest tonight, 

I write songs to communicate with other people, but I write also to imbed more deeply in my own soul the truths I know I'm in need of.  

I've gotten back into the daily grind and it's been just two weeks since my vacation and I feel quite detached from the solace of the holiday.  A part of me feels disappointed that I seem to have lost "this peace" but a part of me feels hopeful.  I seem to be moving into a new thing.  It feels like God is doing something new.  While the circumstances surrounding my situation at work seems to not have fully turned around and while I struggle with these feelings of discouragement, I am slowly finding a foothold in the Word that I try to read every morning when I wake up.  The Word reminds me of my anchor and how I need to be grateful that it has lasted this long and has remained with me all this time.

Tonight I told some young people that they need heed that call for a more creative and redemptive faith life.  They have so much passion and their energy is overwhelming.  Their dreams are so beautiful and their courage is so raw that I am propelled to keep up with my path because they so hungrily want to keep up with theirs.  Youth ministry has always been inspiring despite the frustrations and the conflicts that come with it.  Youth ministry helps me mature in my viewpoints especially in the workplace because how else will I help young people find their way into the world of work if I am not able to gracefully walk in mine?  

I've taken some steps in trying to change my perspective about my situation at work.  To make it more redemptive instead of inhibiting.  I've allowed this crucible to teach me a thing or two about "hanging in there" and keeping my spirits up.  And I'm learning.  Much of what I've learned is really in the virtue of patience.  Things do not immediately turn around and rather than become completely frustrated, I just need to be able to define for myself what I can work with and when I can't work with it anymore, I can always stop.  But not after having tried.  

It amazes me how I've been blessed with grace to keep on.  I can only thank those people who continue to inspire me because they themselves have found a graceful way to walk.