Paradigm Shift. Two simple words that are somewhat hard to define. Five years ago I don't know that I could have told you what they meant. But over the last few years Dad has started using them to define how he is has changed the way he farms and ranches. Since the start of this paradigm shift my parents have been called crazy, and told it would never work. They are managing ground, animals, equipment and labor in a totally new way. While I do not believe they would tell you it has been easy, it has worked.
Recently I have been encountering my own paradigm shifts. A realization that the status quo is not necessarily correct. I remember the line from National Treasure where Nicholas Cage talks about how you do things one way until the status quo changes. Then you must adjust to survive.
When I moved to Oregon a semester before graduating from Texas A&M I was going against the status quo. I was working for free, I didn't get a "good" job right after graduation. Then nine months later I moved to Alaska. I was called crazy for moving without a job lined up. I had a place to live, clothes and my car. That was it. No plan. I just knew I loved the people here and that God was calling me to minister here. He would provide for me.
Needless to say I have never really struggled with bucking the worlds status quo. What I have struggled with is the status quo I have been told I have to fit in order to minister to people.
I have struggled with the thought that those in ministry have to be poor. That I need to make just enough to get by and that is all. The desire to be free to minister but not wanting to ask people to support me.
Do I know that I am called to this and one way God may provide for me is through people supporting me? Yes I do. But that doesn't make it any easier. I still want to take care of myself. Dad has told me multiple times that they didn't raise us to stay in Perryton Texas, they raised us to change the world. They gave us roots and wings.
But you know what you have to do to start flying? You have to step out of the nest. You have to fall before you can soar. It may seem like I have stepped out of the nest, after all I am nearly 4,000 miles from my parents. Honestly though I haven't. I haven't faced my fears of rejection. I have not asked someone to support me because I believe in what I am doing.
Why haven't I faced my fears. Because I am scared. Because it hurts when someone does not see the value in loving on kids. Or fixing a window in an elders house. They do not understand how broken my heart is when I meet kids who at very young ages have been abused by the very people who are supposed to protect them. It kills me every time. I do not want to open myself up enough to share all of myself, because that means I could be hurt.
If you have lasted this long you may wonder how me being scared to fly relates to a paradigm shift. Here is the connection. I have to stop doing things the way people tell me to do them and start doing them the way God says to do them. I have to surround myself with people who push me to do the hard things. People who are in my corner. Those who won't only push me out of the nest, but will jump with me.
I need a paradigm shift. Away from "the safest place is in the center of God's will" to "be in the center of God's will, but know that may mean big risks." Recently I was told to start leading with my passion. When people see your passion they will want to be on your team.
So here's my question. Will you keep me accountable? Will you call me out when you see me living just dangerous enough to be thought crazy, but not crazy for Jesus. Will you ask me about how Jesus has changed my life? Push me to get out of the nest. Push me to do what my parents raised me to do.
Let's go change the world for Christ!!
