Do I really have anything to say today? I am bleary eyed, and a little groggy from the lack of sleep this past week. However, there is much to do today. Why on earth would I take time to write in this blog when there are books to write, and respond to--there are probative questions to develop an turn in--and there is research to be done. And yet, all I want to do is tell you about my week! That is the great thing about this blog: you can read it, or not! Either way, I get to write!
First of all, many of the friendships I have formed at this school were deepened as a direct result of sitting through a week of class together! The class, Rhetoric in Christian Leadership. It was exhilarating, challenging, frustrating, exhausting and fun! We had opportunities to 'think out loud'--it turns out, I'm pretty good at it, especially when I do not understand the question at hand.
We had opportunities to do extemporaneous speeches, where a question was written on a 3 x 5 card, we were told "go" at a certain point, and we had twenty minutes to prepare an answer...and then a specific number of minutes to speak about that answer--forgive me the number of minutes is a blur of a memory at this point--7 or 10 seems correct.
We each had a partner (in my case there were three of us) to work together to script a mock radio talk show concerning out topic of choice. We had to take the "opposite" stance of our "real" position on the topic, in an effort to formulate truly hard questions about our topic...what an exercise...punching holes in your side of any given situation is difficult, but healthy. To better clarify, we each wrote our name and topic on the back of a three by five card. Each person then drew from the stack of these cards. For example, I drew my friend, Mike's card. That meant that I took his position on his topic, and he asked my the hard questions about his issue.
My topic was the current foster care system and the problem of kids who 'age out' of that system without adequately formed healthy adult relationships. These kids, especially those aging out of a group home setting, are at great risk for homelessness, joblessness, illness, violent, addictions, lack of educational opportunities and early child-bearing. These are very real concerns for our entire society--for there is something that can be done, and it is very simple, really. However, that is not what this blog is concerning today. I will write more on my topic later.
Thank with me, for what I am about to say blew me away. I drew a card and this is what it said, "Why does a loving God permit pain and suffering?" Yeah, let that one sink in for a moment. We were given creative license to make up the qualifications of our guests, giving them appropriate credentials to speak about our the topic. As we practiced for my partner's interview, he did the opening to his 'show', introducing me and after my name he follows with "she's joining us this morning to talk about her new book on today's topic: why Christians suffer". I was shocked.
And, so I said, well, do you want the title to the book I am actually writing? Of course, he took it and incorporated it into our show...and so, I was able to take my journal (that is my starting point of this book) and refer to it as we did the interview. It was a blast.
This experience was surreal, in that it struck me as I answered his questions (and our 'listening audience who were actually a viewing audience were completely engaged) this is to prepare me for when this really happens--sort of a rehearsal for life--but what a gift.
I do not know what the coming days look like, but I think that interview will not be my last opportunity to speak about love and loss, joy and pain, suffering and healing and where God might be while we go through these things on earth. No, God is not finished writing my story. And, He is not finished revealing to me 'the next thing' in my life!
Yes, teens that age out of the foster care system is a very real concern for me. I am committed to raising awareness of the enormous opportunity we have to help in this crisis. Yet, I can't help but think that many of them are there because someone in their life did not adequately process their grief and it took over--causing all kinds of havoc. And so, my bigger message concerns appropriate grief.
When our radio show finished, applause erupted, and many encouraged me by saying, "You have to write that book-- you have a message that needs to be heard." I do believe that to be true.
But, for today, I will read about how to distinguish characteristics of people's world views (in order to be a better communicator) and then do some reflective work about becoming a 'revolutionary communicator'...yes, I am truly in my element, and in this place for a reason...I'll keep you posted on the book, though!
