My heart melted as I finished this post... I find myself in a similar place. But as I reflect on life I can really say life is always better based on who is on my team. While I grieve at times that the people I THOUGHT would be on my team are not due to betrayal and heartbreak, God had ALWAYS supernaturally sent who I needed not necessarily who I wanted.
Such good words. I noticed Carol's comment here as well. 4 years into retirement, mine forced by COVID lay offs, my husband's planned, I can say these are words for even those transitions. One feels a bit like a boat drifting in the ocean. Like your working through grief, this applies to so many. Keep sharing. It's so easy to say "my identity is in Christ" until life changes and I examine how others' view of my identity is more significant than I thought.
Thank you so much for this reflection. My husband is retiring next January after being a civil engineer and salesman in the concrete pipe industry for over 40 years. It was so hard for him to reach this decision but through lots of prayer, encouragement, and wise counsel from our team he saw that this is what the Lord wanted him to do. We are excited about this upcoming new chapter in our lives along with the adventures and ministry opportunities the Lord is already providing backed by the support of our team.
Man you have no idea how much your journey and the penning of your thoughts has impacted me. Your grief tour showed up ‘unexpectedly’ while I was in the thickest of my grief, your book helped me go on, and now this reflection on your season of transition. Thank you for taking the risks and vulnerably sharing your inner thoughts. You’ve become part of my story. God bless you and your future endeavors.
First of all, let me say, how much We missed you. So happy to see you pop into the new pieces to read. So From where to start…
You cracked me up, when you speak about your way of being, just as much as you touched and moved me (as always with your pieces of work). No matter being the “rock” you shared you are.
Well John in the end, when you throw a rock into a body of water, it may go down but through the energy it radiates outwards, it creates a rippling moving not only the surface, especially what underneath. See this water as all of us, including you and our inner worlds. And each one of this rippling it’s in the end connection to each other. 🤍✨
Yes, I’m one of the many who cares to leave you my voice here to give back everything you give out. It’s not the first time, I’ve been telling you (even if Substack sometimes fails to show all comments properly and you could never see my thankfulness to you since the first words, we had exchanged)
I want you to know, I’m the one present here telling you thank you back, full voice coming from my heart. Your words, the ones in your pieces of work as well as the ones you gifted to me through our exchanges in the notes.
You become an hand holding my heart in all of its humanness. Thank you for the understanding, the love, the support. The smiles and softness gifted.
Thank you for inviting me in this space with you by sharing yourself, your journey, being vulnerable up here. It is not a thing that takes little out of us… but it is always the first part that goes on behind the scene.
I have been living it in my own way right about this moment based on where I am, still in the first part of the materialization of my life, since the start of my healing in the past years, bringing me to my true self.
My dream of being a writer, becoming since the start of this year not being so far away and unreachable, as much as life itself was for me. My visions growing with me these past few months.
Through being in our communities, I was seen, understood, witnessed, loved since the very first time, I read a piece of each creator on here. (Including the ones I knew already about). All things my heart has always been aching and longing for.
When not so long ago, I started and still continue to share myself simply in notes/restacks/comments, this love came to embody parts of my dreams: connections, support, encouragement, embrace, being there already for me, human to human.
Going beyond the presence given already to me, not only as soon as I start to share my own voice. Which has been maturing, soon happening.
The growth of it in all of its phases, ebbing and flowing through that vulnerability I mentioned, thinking you don’t really have anything that could help others (maybe this is just me).
Yet my confidence in it, from its nature of being my lifeline, being so concrete recently.
Being literally some of the only means for me, constituting the taking shape of myself and my own life. Now knowing who I am. Source of life.
I never met my people in life but I have learned, what that simple term really means for the lives of each other. I know they are in front of me and I’m gonna meet them by my need of sharing all of myself, need to voice my voice, being the love I always dreamed to be for others, sharing the whole all of it, I contain inside me. Creating an home of healing, support, humanness, holding space…
And I hope, I will have the honor through mine own words to give you back, what you do here in your own space and with your sharing. For you one day to enjoy in the ride as well.
Ale
Ps. There is actually one last thing, I wanted to leave here. I was wondering if I could restack this note with my own reflection about it, what our communities mean in our own lives.
I wished to ask first cause I didn’t want to be intrusive with your own writing.
Thank you for sharing this. I have and still get caught up in the WHAT. After reading this, I can’t help but reflect on my life and who is my WHO. I feel like outside of my family, I don’t have a team. I lack genuine friendships.
My wife and I moved from a city of around 100k people to a rural town with 2K people. We are close with people down here but not actually close. I don’t feel that I have any brothers to call and go have coffee or go hoop with.
So how did your team get built? How did you maintain it and nurture it?
Ah Jon, such a powerful reflection. I can relate in many ways, not so much giving up two decades of a combined life/career(!) - but in recently becoming a mother, and the themes of drowning and find a new identity that have come up for me too. It’s so important to find your constant, something tangible to hold onto in an ever changing landscape, right? People do that for us, and I’m forever grateful for my team too. Sending you love and thank you for sharing this perspective 🙏🏻
There are so many people who have helped us along the way and are still helping. If I created an excel spreadsheet, I’m sure that list would be long. But there have been a few people who have been with me thru the ups and downs of this new life.
Having a team is important, and I realize how much I resented that because would let my pride do want to do it on my own. Trying to prove something to everyone that I can do this on my own. “I don’t need help.” “I got this!!”
I remember playing sports football, basketball, and Track & Field. Even though I loved football and I liked basketball, but track and field was my thing because I knew the work that I put in, I would see the results. The other two sports, I had to rely on others and I realized how I don’t like to rely on people.
Missed assignments to me were always a sign of you didn’t prepare good enough. I was undersized and not a naturally gifted in size or strength; so, I had to take advantage of every opportunity but also push myself to the limit in every time I trained.
I've followed Rob Bell for years and it's been very interesting to witness his shifts into various different media, activities and creative work. Like, right now he's painting in plywood, writing fiction in an allegorical style, and getting into plays. With your team around you, I'm sure you'll find cool and meaningful directions that right now can't even be glimpsed. Looking forward to following your specific story of change.
My heart melted as I finished this post... I find myself in a similar place. But as I reflect on life I can really say life is always better based on who is on my team. While I grieve at times that the people I THOUGHT would be on my team are not due to betrayal and heartbreak, God had ALWAYS supernaturally sent who I needed not necessarily who I wanted.
Such good words. I noticed Carol's comment here as well. 4 years into retirement, mine forced by COVID lay offs, my husband's planned, I can say these are words for even those transitions. One feels a bit like a boat drifting in the ocean. Like your working through grief, this applies to so many. Keep sharing. It's so easy to say "my identity is in Christ" until life changes and I examine how others' view of my identity is more significant than I thought.
Thank you so much for this reflection. My husband is retiring next January after being a civil engineer and salesman in the concrete pipe industry for over 40 years. It was so hard for him to reach this decision but through lots of prayer, encouragement, and wise counsel from our team he saw that this is what the Lord wanted him to do. We are excited about this upcoming new chapter in our lives along with the adventures and ministry opportunities the Lord is already providing backed by the support of our team.
Teammmmmmm!!!! 🙏🏻
Man you have no idea how much your journey and the penning of your thoughts has impacted me. Your grief tour showed up ‘unexpectedly’ while I was in the thickest of my grief, your book helped me go on, and now this reflection on your season of transition. Thank you for taking the risks and vulnerably sharing your inner thoughts. You’ve become part of my story. God bless you and your future endeavors.
First of all, let me say, how much We missed you. So happy to see you pop into the new pieces to read. So From where to start…
You cracked me up, when you speak about your way of being, just as much as you touched and moved me (as always with your pieces of work). No matter being the “rock” you shared you are.
Well John in the end, when you throw a rock into a body of water, it may go down but through the energy it radiates outwards, it creates a rippling moving not only the surface, especially what underneath. See this water as all of us, including you and our inner worlds. And each one of this rippling it’s in the end connection to each other. 🤍✨
Yes, I’m one of the many who cares to leave you my voice here to give back everything you give out. It’s not the first time, I’ve been telling you (even if Substack sometimes fails to show all comments properly and you could never see my thankfulness to you since the first words, we had exchanged)
I want you to know, I’m the one present here telling you thank you back, full voice coming from my heart. Your words, the ones in your pieces of work as well as the ones you gifted to me through our exchanges in the notes.
You become an hand holding my heart in all of its humanness. Thank you for the understanding, the love, the support. The smiles and softness gifted.
Thank you for inviting me in this space with you by sharing yourself, your journey, being vulnerable up here. It is not a thing that takes little out of us… but it is always the first part that goes on behind the scene.
I have been living it in my own way right about this moment based on where I am, still in the first part of the materialization of my life, since the start of my healing in the past years, bringing me to my true self.
My dream of being a writer, becoming since the start of this year not being so far away and unreachable, as much as life itself was for me. My visions growing with me these past few months.
Through being in our communities, I was seen, understood, witnessed, loved since the very first time, I read a piece of each creator on here. (Including the ones I knew already about). All things my heart has always been aching and longing for.
When not so long ago, I started and still continue to share myself simply in notes/restacks/comments, this love came to embody parts of my dreams: connections, support, encouragement, embrace, being there already for me, human to human.
Going beyond the presence given already to me, not only as soon as I start to share my own voice. Which has been maturing, soon happening.
The growth of it in all of its phases, ebbing and flowing through that vulnerability I mentioned, thinking you don’t really have anything that could help others (maybe this is just me).
Yet my confidence in it, from its nature of being my lifeline, being so concrete recently.
Being literally some of the only means for me, constituting the taking shape of myself and my own life. Now knowing who I am. Source of life.
I never met my people in life but I have learned, what that simple term really means for the lives of each other. I know they are in front of me and I’m gonna meet them by my need of sharing all of myself, need to voice my voice, being the love I always dreamed to be for others, sharing the whole all of it, I contain inside me. Creating an home of healing, support, humanness, holding space…
And I hope, I will have the honor through mine own words to give you back, what you do here in your own space and with your sharing. For you one day to enjoy in the ride as well.
Ale
Ps. There is actually one last thing, I wanted to leave here. I was wondering if I could restack this note with my own reflection about it, what our communities mean in our own lives.
I wished to ask first cause I didn’t want to be intrusive with your own writing.
Thank you for sharing this reflection. I felt every word. You are an inspiration to me. I appreciate your vulnerability and transparency.
Thank you for sharing this. I have and still get caught up in the WHAT. After reading this, I can’t help but reflect on my life and who is my WHO. I feel like outside of my family, I don’t have a team. I lack genuine friendships.
My wife and I moved from a city of around 100k people to a rural town with 2K people. We are close with people down here but not actually close. I don’t feel that I have any brothers to call and go have coffee or go hoop with.
So how did your team get built? How did you maintain it and nurture it?
The moment you realize friends are what really matters and then the daunting journey of finding and maintaining authentic, mutual friendships.
JOHN* so sorry!
Ah Jon, such a powerful reflection. I can relate in many ways, not so much giving up two decades of a combined life/career(!) - but in recently becoming a mother, and the themes of drowning and find a new identity that have come up for me too. It’s so important to find your constant, something tangible to hold onto in an ever changing landscape, right? People do that for us, and I’m forever grateful for my team too. Sending you love and thank you for sharing this perspective 🙏🏻
I’ve built a business which people thought “should be” forever. Yet, now I’m transitioning to a new career with the prior running strong.
It’s because of the team with and around me!
My man. This is so timely for me. Thank You.
Your time in Phoenix was so rich and encouraged me to finally start therapy.
There are so many people who have helped us along the way and are still helping. If I created an excel spreadsheet, I’m sure that list would be long. But there have been a few people who have been with me thru the ups and downs of this new life.
Having a team is important, and I realize how much I resented that because would let my pride do want to do it on my own. Trying to prove something to everyone that I can do this on my own. “I don’t need help.” “I got this!!”
I remember playing sports football, basketball, and Track & Field. Even though I loved football and I liked basketball, but track and field was my thing because I knew the work that I put in, I would see the results. The other two sports, I had to rely on others and I realized how I don’t like to rely on people.
Missed assignments to me were always a sign of you didn’t prepare good enough. I was undersized and not a naturally gifted in size or strength; so, I had to take advantage of every opportunity but also push myself to the limit in every time I trained.
It’s a default mode.
This is beautiful. Happy to find you
I've followed Rob Bell for years and it's been very interesting to witness his shifts into various different media, activities and creative work. Like, right now he's painting in plywood, writing fiction in an allegorical style, and getting into plays. With your team around you, I'm sure you'll find cool and meaningful directions that right now can't even be glimpsed. Looking forward to following your specific story of change.