Goin' Mercer…ramblings and rants!

Going back to the subject of spiritual disciplines and especially solitude I draw upon the idea of thinking deeply.  Somewhere in my life, I think in college, I discovered that I would much rather think thoroughly about what I might share in any given class before opening my mouth.  This concept helped me greatly because as I was forming phrases and concepts in my mind more was said in the room that I could respond to.  I find that the more I listen and absorb, not simply thinking about what I will say next, helps me to think more deeply and consider more angles and perspectives.

There is nothing better than times of solitude and silence to help you think in ways that you cannot amidst the noise and busyness of everyday life.  I appreciate solitude and the art of thinking.  I cannot take away for times of action and speaking.  But sometimes we need to not use words and use silence to challenge us into action.

Sometimes my best thoughts come from after a time of solitude.  When I sit and converse with my friends about what has been on my mind.  Sometimes I am in way left field and they bring me back to reality.  Sometimes they challenge my naivete.  Sometimes I make breakthroughs in my own faith.  Sometimes we just sit and ponder even more.

I appreciate great thinkers and especially those who can communicate their depth of thought in ways we can all understand.  However, great thinkers are not the only ones that can have great thoughts.  We can too. 

Take time to reflect on your day. 

Ask “What does God want you to know today?”

Ask, “How can I be a kingdom person today?”

Let your mind meditate and wonder and let God speak to you.

-Mercer

Ever since I began doing ministry (12 years ago) I have used my story to minister to all kinds of students.  The short and simple of my story is that my parents divorced when I was 5 years old.  The rest of my life has been living with and through that experience.

When I first started in youth ministry I encountered two seventh grade boys who loved to have fun, but felt really different because of their family history.  One had never met his dad due to divorce and his dad taking off and the other remembers his parents using him for a tug of war match as to who would keep him following divorce.  The conversation was rich and my relationship to those boys still continues today.

The journey continues for me now being a dad of two boys.  My promise to God has been to be true to God, my wife, and now my children.  I pray constantly that our family will be one of a secure relationship with the Trinity.  It was a real blessing yesterday when Leah’s Grammy spoke to us words of blessing when she simply said, “I know that you are going to be a strong Christian family, Leah is a great mom, Michael is a great dad, and things will be great for your family!”  That is our prayer.

When asked to teach a class on Wednesday evenings at Highland for adults, I chose to teach on children and divorce with the emphasis being on how children view divorce and what parents and the faith community can do to enrich a broken family.  I pray that this class will be healing for children of divorce (that are now adults), a new perspective for parents, and educational for those who see divorce’s affects on families around them.

I don’t believe that God caused the divorce of my parents to happen.  However, I do believe that He has helped open my eyes to using my experience to minister to others.  I pray that as my journey of healing continues my experience will minister and be healing to others.

-Mercer