future | MND GMZ MINISTRIES: Reclaiming the Rules, Finding Identity in Christ.

Have you ever been in the “in between”, in the “not yet”? You’re not where you used to be but you’re not yet where you want to go either. My friend calls it “that place” – you’ve left the known, embarked on the journey, but you’re not sure where “there” is just yet. In fact, maybe you don’t even know where “here” is – so you’re in “that place.” And it is a difficult place to be. I’ve been in “that place” for a while. I know where I’ve been and I’ve left it behind. I know where I WANT to go, but the path between what was and what I want isn’t clear. Plus, we don’t always receive what we want!

So I’ve left what I’ve always known behind. I’ve left the comfortable in order to follow God to where I believe He’s called me. But I’m not at what I believe the destination is just yet. And I believe with all my heart that God is the giver of not just good gifts, but the BEST gifts and that His plan for my life is better than anything I can come up with on my own. So I pray and believe in the “there”, in the “not yet” while I hang out in “that place” of being in between. And I remind myself that my “there” may not be God’s destination for me. And I want to be OK with that, but honestly I’m not. I want to have holy indifference and total trust that God’s way is the best and His gifts are best, but I want my way and I’m anxious about what will happen if I don’t get it.

And so as I sat in “that place” the other night, I asked God, “How I am supposed to actually LIVE day in and day out in ‘that place’? How am I supposed to approach life in the in between?” And His answer to me was both simple and convicting…with gratitude. As the journey continues, as the adventure unfolds, live with gratitude. As the unknowns remain and the future stays unclear, be thankful for today. As you wait for “there,” stay present in and be grateful for “that place” or you’ll miss out. You’ll miss out on peace, on provision, on growth opportunities, and on His presence.

Yes, God. Yes! Exactly what I needed to hear. (Funny how He seems to always know.) Live with gratitude, even in “that place”, in fact, especially in “that place.”

I am the queen of awkward…seriously, you don’t even know. I’ve heard I’m known as “Professor Awkward” on campus. I can’t argue. I once insisted that I recognized someone at church from RPM spin class, even though this poor man repeatedly insisted that he had never been to a spin class in his life. I continued repeatedly to insist that he had been there – as if someone is going to forget going to a spin class! Trust me, when you come that close to believing you are going to die by exercise, you don’t forget! (So sorry Jesse – so glad you joined the small group despite our awkward start!) Then there was the time I was asked to take a family new to the community a meal following the birth of their first child. I was running late and so burst in the door, setting the meal on their kitchen counter while proclaiming, “Hi, I’m Karen. Cute baby. Here’s a meal. Sorry to rush but I’m late for dinner plans.” And then I left. I’m not even sure of the person’s name! WHO DOES THAT!? And why does the director of hospitality continue to ask me to interact with real life human beings! (Jenny – that’s you!) There are actually small children at church who enjoy teasing me by greeting me with the taunt of, “AWWKWARD!!!” I seriously seem to have a knack for making a perfectly normal situation extremely awkward. I just do. It’s a gift.

Well, without even trying, this moment is naturally awkward…

Maybe not Kanye interrupting T-Swift awkward.

Or Steve Harvey announcing the wrong winner awkward.

It’s not “butt fumble” or “butt slide” awkward.

It’s not even Dan Quayle trying to spell potato or President Obama trying to spell respect awkward.

But it is awkward…it’s awkward that it has been over a year since MND GMZ Ministries has posted on a regular basis. So we are owning the awkward.

But I want to assure you that we have a very good reason for our absence and that we are back with new material that will be posted on a regular basis.

First, let me explain the “we”. Although I (Karen) have been the primary contributor to the website, MND GMZ Ministries has always been a “we”. And I am SO excited to introduce you to others who have been, and continue to be, an integral part of the ministry. You are going to be SO BLESSED by them! And yes, you’ll still hear from me on a very regular basis as well.

So what happened? Well, frankly, God called us away from writing for a season so we could focus on other aspects of the ministry. Which is awkward when you are primarily a speaking and WRITING ministry. Sometimes being obedient feels awkward. God calls us to do things that don’t make sense. However, being obedient is also so rewarding! And God’s way, as awkward as it may feel or seem, is always the best way! God has been so faithful to the ministry over the last year and we CANNOT WAIT to share with you all that He has revealed to us and taught us. Oh man is it going to be a fun ride!

So where are we going? Here’s a sneak peak – we are still ALL ABOUT IDENTITY. And that is not going to change anytime soon. But we are going to take our discussions around identity to the next level. You can read the first blogs on identity by clicking HERE. And HERE. And HERE. And HERE and HERE. I told you – we’re passionate about identity in Christ! We’ve spent a great deal of time discussing where identity comes from and where it shouldn’t come from. Now we’re going to begin discussing what it means to actually live from a Christ-centered identity. And I. CAN’T. WAIT!

And as always, you and all of your peeps are invited to “join the journey”. Those of you in the Pella area can join physically by attending the Summer Series this Tuesday at 12:00 at Third Church. Check out the promo video below and if you are in the area I hope to see you there! (And if you’re not, don’t worry, it’ll be available online later next week!)

Blessings!

Karen (and the entire MND GMZ Ministries team)

MND GMZ MINISTRIES: Reclaiming the Rules, Finding Identity in Christ.

Tag Archives: future

“That Place” – Between the Old and the New

AWWWKWARD!!!!