coffee

I probably think about words more than a healthy person should (see: grace). Words matter to me. The end-of-year tradition of picking a word for next year is serious business! It’s a bizarre method of New Year Resolutions for readers, writers, dreamers, goal-setters, and visionaries: pick one word which will steer and shape the journey our year takes. The stakes are obviously quite high.

As I journeyed through the dark winter months of 2015, my focus continually returned to advent. As I pondered the “already/not-yet” tension of the season, I became aware of the absence of a feeling that once filled my perspective. I remembered it fondly and once again realized how bringing it is. It is amazing how profound, life-shaping feelings can just fade away. The familiar but faded-feeling was a sense of wonder.

When I found Christ at 32, my life became filled with wonder. The message of the Gospel was captivating. My thoughts were consumed with the possibilities… somehow this infant in a manger was the Son of God and savior of the world. My goodness…God had a son…just like me. Because of His deep love for us, He sent His son to the world to be raised by others, build close relationships, live out a ministry, stand falsely accused of blasphemy and treason, and then be unjustly and brutally murdered. As tragic as it appears, there was a beautiful purpose behind it all. God didn’t send an innocent baby into the world to be unjustly sacrificed for us…the Creator and Sustainer of all that is, was, and will ever be chose to enter creation to once-and-for-all make things right.

But the story didn’t end with the cross. He rose again, conquering death while proving he truly was who He claimed to be. He brought salvation for  mankind. Chewing on these concepts left me wonderstruck. Each individual piece of the story bounced around inside my head, opening my mind to possibilities and implications. Yes, I had a million why questions, and I explored them. More deep than the questions was the profound wonder continuing to draw me deeper.

Wonder overflowed into the rest of my life. I stared into the depths of the night sky with new awe and appreciation. The people I met–both in the States and abroad–I saw with new eyes. They were brothers and sisters joining me on a journey, each with inherent dignity and value. Even the words I wrote and lessons I taught were fountains of awe and wonder, not because of my own insights and efforts, but instead with the ultimate source of it all. God.

I can’t tell you what changed over the years. Life goes on. It happens to all of us. We grow accustomed to the light we live in. Our eyes adjust. It becomes normal, routine, and monotonous.

I can give a thousand reasons. I’m so busy. In addition to my day job, I’ve been attending graduate school, doing public speaking, teaching, photographing, and trying to get a book written. That’s all in addition to being a father, husband, and friend. I’ve always been busy, though. It’s a lousy excuse.

The word and goal for 2016 is to appreciate and fall back into the wonder of it all…to be aware of the awe that surrounds us. The seasons come and go, as do our plans and goals. A perspective of child-like wonder at the universe we’re in, the people around us, and the God above us leads to an attitude of thankfulness and hope. It brings optimism and appreciation. It fuels our gratitude and unity with others.

I rediscover the wonder in life by interrupting my day. It happens when I watch our bird feeders or when I capture a sunset. I remember it when I read the Word without expectation. It happens when I notice.

How do you rediscover wonder?

Let’s do this together.