Surprised By Joy

[vc_row columns_on_tablet=”keep” padding_top=”50″ padding_bottom=”50″][vc_column h_text_align=”left” h_text_align_mobile=”left” v_align=”v-align-middle” use_background=”” width=”1/1″][tm_textblock textarea_html_bkg_color=”#ffffff”]

Dear Inner Circle,

Sitting in my office late one night this week, a conversation with a young woman captured me and filled me with awe. For a short time, this woman became every story I’ve ever known about those whose life has turned from destruction, to life. Just a few years ago this woman’s life was literally one that was set on suicide. Her body bears the marks of her history and yet her face, her face… If only I had words to convey the force of life and energy that stream through this face, reaching deep into your heart and lifting you in a breath of inspiration. We’ve known each other for a couple of years. Our first meeting occurred in hell. She’d lost the will to live. Every meeting since has been a surprise and watching her embrace new challenges and increase the size of her goals and achievements, a source of joy. For some reason that I can no longer recall, I’ve given her the nickname of, “Tonic”. I’m such an old philosopher that I used the word as Aristotle did, as a musical term, suggesting, ‘one who brings harmony’. Naturally, the young woman herself, like everyone else, probably understands the term as a medical word. This week for the first time, I explained my understanding of the word. She told me that she loved the nickname I’d given her because her father always called her, “Poison”.

Another night this week, I also spoke to a young fellow who is also a story of turning to live, in spite of a long struggle with mental health issues. This fellow is making a fabulous attempt at learning English in a relatively short time. We don’t have much trouble understanding each other, but as it was quite late I offered to, “run him home.” A look of bewilderment came across him and he looked at my shoes. He was stumped at the suggestion that he and I would “run” from my office, all the way to his place. I explained that I’d be willing to “drop” him off on my way home. Things went from bad to worse.[vc_row columns_on_tablet=”keep” padding_top=”0″ padding_bottom=”0″][vc_column h_text_align=”left” h_text_align_mobile=”left” v_align=”v-align-middle” use_background=”” width=”1/1″][tm_image image_id=”1043″ link_image=”none” textarea_html_bkg_color=”#ffffff” caption_type=””][/tm_image][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row columns_on_tablet=”keep” padding_top=”50″ padding_bottom=”50″][vc_column h_text_align=”left” h_text_align_mobile=”left” v_align=”v-align-middle” use_background=”” width=”1/1″][tm_textblock textarea_html_bkg_color=”#ffffff”]We of a certain age, are inclined to look upon the next generation, wondering if the combination of naivety and blind courage will get them successfully through life. I have a 20-year-old granddaughter who has fallen in love with a young soldier and they’ve moved interstate to set up house. I love this girl more than I love oxygen in the air but she forces me to remember that I married Robyn when she was just 19 years old and we also moved interstate to set up house. Now I know how my parents felt. It’s oddly comforting to know that young people find their way without knowing a word of Hebrew or Greek, nor knowing anything about the Nicene Creed or seventeenth-century European philosophy. 

A phone call from interstate yesterday came from a young woman that I knew well when she was in high school. Every meeting in those days gave me cause for concern. There were so many ways this kid worried her Mum and siblings. I’d heard that she’d moved interstate and was living with a fellow who was many years her senior. How easy for me to think that this was a most unpromising development. Today she is a terrific mother of twin boys and is fighting to provide for her sons in a situation that would knock the wind out of most us. To hear the purpose in her voice as she explained all the steps she is taking to love and provide for them was both an encouragement and a lesson for me. 

On the run again, so thanks for being part of our inner circle,

Graham

Rev Graham Long
Pastor & CEO
Wayside Chapel