Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

spiritual depth

Into the deep

I have never been sailing. Never been on a cruise. I have a fear of drowning.

But there’s something about deep water that draws me. I’ve often wondered what it would be like to be in the middle of the ocean, no land in sight. What would I see? What would I hear? What would the night sky look like unfiltered?

David Valuja via Unsplash

David Valuja via Unsplash

I’m fascinated by the creatures that live in the ocean depths, but I’m a bit claustrophobic, so I can’t see myself scuba diving or boarding a submarine anytime soon. I am content with pictures and aquariums, with the experiences of those who brave the deep to explore what can’t be seen.

So it is with my spiritual life, I’m embarrassed to admit.

There is a longing inside of me to go deeper. To have the kind of inner spiritual life that is untouched by the world and its circumstances around me. Sometimes I trick myself into thinking I am deeper than I really am, but when faced with someone whose life is richer and fuller and more deeply rooted, I see the truth.

I am shallow. My toes are on the sand, where the water grazes them and retreats. I am knee-deep by accident when the tide rushes in. I hear the water beckon, but I stay put.

Here on the shore, I can feel the ground beneath me. Here on the shore, I can easily retreat to a place where the water can’t reach me. Here on the shore, I am within shouting distance of help. Here on the shore, I am in control of my actions.

Out there, in the water, it’s unpredictible. Wild. Dangerous. What about sharks and jellyfish and riptides? What about water in my mouth and muscle cramps from trying to stay afloat and struggled breaths? Out there, it’s work to stay afloat, to stay alive.

Read the rest over at Putting on the New, where I post on the 12th of each month.

Swimming in the deep end: A review of Going Deep by Gordon MacDonald

Swimming lessons is a highlight of my 3-year-old’s week. In recent weeks, her teacher has been taking the kids to the deep end to jump off the blocks. Last week, I walked down there to encourage my daughter. I almost lost my nerve to keep her in swimming lessons at all.

The deep end scares me a little. I’m not a strong swimmer. I need the security of touching bottom while keeping my head above water. So seeing my little girl, with her backpack floatie wrapped around her torso, in all that water, makes me feel a little vulnerable. And helpless.

Maybe that’s a good thing.

Spiritually speaking, the deep end scares me a little, too. But I’m encouraged and inspired after reading Gordon MacDonald’s latest book Going Deep.

He opens with this quote from Richard Foster:

“The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.”

Going Deep is both a work of fiction and a guidebook for ministry. In it MacDonald revisits the fictional New England church he created for Who Stole My Church? and what I love about these two books is that they read like fiction but with such realism that I forget the church and its congregants aren’t real. I find myself wishing I could visit this church and meet these people. (As a side note: I did get to meet MacDonald a few weeks ago. I hadn’t yet finished the book, but it was a joy to shake his hand and pass along my feelings about his writing.)

MacDonald and his fictional congregation take a journey to discover how to grow deep people — people who can make a difference not only in their church but in their communities and the world. The book is subtitled “becoming a person of influence” — that’s attractive. Who wouldn’t want to know that their life had influenced someone else’s for the better.

The catch is this: depth is not achieved easily or quickly. Maybe that’s a “duh” statement, but I was humbled and challenged by what the group learns about themselves and each other and the standard of commitment they held to.

As my husband prepares to finish seminary in the spring, becoming a deep person, a person of influence, holds great appeal. Beyond that, it’s a noble pursuit. But the people MacDonald chooses in the book to “go deep” are just that — chosen. They don’t apply or put their names in a hat or sign up. Others nominate them based on their lives and character qualities. I had to wonder if I’d be chosen.

And I’m thirsty for a teacher like MacDonald and his wife to pour into the lives of those who are younger — both in age and spiritual maturity.

Going Deep is high on my list of recommended books to read and, like Who Stole My Church?, will be a book I read often for spiritual insight, encouragement and refreshment.

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In exchange for my honest review, I received a free copy of Going Deep from Thomas Nelson through BookSneeze.

I review for BookSneeze®