On the Other Side Part 3 “On the Other Side…Of the Promise” THRIVE Service Livestream

It can take anywhere from 6-10 years, start-to-finish, to move through the ordination process in The United Methodist Church. After college there’s seminary, a residency, interviews, psychological evaluations, mentors, and lots of paperwork. In the many moving parts, it can be easy to get bogged down in the monotony of the paperwork or crumble under the pressure of an interview. While I was going through the process, I often had to remind myself of my goal-I wanted to be ordained. That became an internal mantra to myself when things were difficult or tedious. Naturally, there was a sense of relief when I got to the finish line.

However, almost immediately following, I began to hear the question “What’s next for you?” The ink was still fresh on my ordination certificate, and I couldn’t imagine what was next!

Moses led the Hebrew people through the wilderness for a long time. They had their own twists and turns (that were undoubtedly much harder than any ordination process). After Moses died and Joshua began to lead, they find themselves at the Jordan River, ready to cross over to the other side. They had wandered for so long, it probably didn’t feel real to them that they were about to cross over into the Promised Land. And I can imagine, that as soon as they set foot in the place they had longed to be for generations, someone asked “What’s next?”

Sometimes we get so lost in the process of getting to where we are going, or getting to the next place once we arrive, that we forget to celebrate where we are! When we take a moment to pause and really be present in the moment, we remember all the things we have to be thankful for. We remember how faithful God has been. We remember that even along the journey, God has been with us. And that is one of the greatest gifts of all.