A New Dance

A New Dance

A Tale of Two People

My wife and I are so different. 
She loves spontaneity.  I love a plan. 
She loves adventure.  I love predictability. 
When we were dating, these differences drew us together.  We saw the other person as exciting and possessing something that we needed.  It was magnetic attraction.  We were high on emotion and blissfully unaware of what we were getting into!

Fast-forward a dozen years of marriage.  Our story goes from excitement to confusion, honeymoon to unmet expectations.  We were trying to change each other but only ended up hurting one another instead.  We each tried to control the other person but only ended up frustrating ourselves and our spouse.  Over many years and with the help of others, we wrestled through our differences. Just this past year, God spoke to us about embracing the identity of Jesus within each other, and recognizing the unique Kingdom leader that God is making them to be.   It has only been through His love and grace that we have begun learning a new marriage dance; one that started out feeling unnatural and mechanical.  We are learning to step into this dance.  It slowly becomes graceful and beautiful. 

How do our personality differences and Christian faith play out?

Three years ago, we met people who lived out a genuine and powerful Christian faith.  We found that the key to their robust faith was predictable patterns.  In other words, they had a strong “rule of life.”  They lived this out daily, weekly, and monthly.  It connected them to God, to each other, and to a larger faith community.  It was a way of life in Christ that applied individually, as a married couple, and as a larger extended family (community) on mission. 

For me, this was captivating and exciting!  I loved the idea that predictable patterns could connect me to God and others.

For my wife, this was scary and oppressive!  She disliked the restrictions and regulations.  To a spontaneous adventurer, it seemed to put limits on her ‘spur of the moment’ lifestyle.

God led me to start living it out with the help of others already on the discipleship journey.  I was to begin with my own life first.  It was through witnessing the transformation in my life that Leigh learned how she could flourish by embracing predictable patterns and still be spontaneous.  Over time, Leigh stepped into her own life-giving rhythms.   

Predictable Patterns

At first glance, predictable patterns may seem burdensome.  A rule of life seems like it will tie you down.  In the beginning, predictable patterns may feel wooden and mechanical. 

Leigh and I have pressed in and discovered something wonderful.  A rule of life has become a framework of freedom.  It is life-giving.  Some of our rhythms and patterns are different, but a few intentionally overlap.

Rhythms are like spiritual glue which bind us to God, to each other, and to others on the journey.  Leigh and I live out rhythms individually (daily bible reading and prayer), as a married couple (checking in and praying for each other daily), and as family on mission.  We live UPwardly with the Heavenly Father, worshipping in community; INwardly with a community of disciples; and OUTwardly with the world, to share God’s love.

This week, pray and ask God to lead you into a new predictable pattern.  He is faithful.  He will lead you into a way of life in Christ.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Cameron