Leaning into the Spirit’s direction when in conversation is not easy. For years I know I’ve been too often the one sharing too much, so I’ve made it a regular practice to learn something, find something, enjoy something about the OTHER person in the conversation. For a long time I hoped to end up back in Twain Harte, CA where I grew up (actually I grew up in a little neighborhood called Ponderosa Hills and then the second part of my childhood just outside of Twain Harte). My wife and I moved back to California in 2011 and have been in Merced County since then mostly. We did move back up to Twain Harte for one year around 2013.

Here in the Central Valley, I’ve come to find conversations as my new mountains to climb so-to-speak. I absolutely delight in conversations. My daughter and I just had a conversation about how my co-vocation is more and more in the area of thought development but also conversation. My daughter couldn’t believe that I enjoy that more than the house flipping we have done together as a family. I shared that the house flipping has some big risks and that with my recent back issues, I’m realizing I need to keep wising up in my middle years and use my mind and heart in providing for our family more than my back if at all possible. She understood. We also talked about why conversations are so interesting to me. That she didn’t quite agree with as of now.

You all, people, are interesting to me. However, even more, our God is interesting to me, and I am passionate about Jesus Christ being our obsession to such a degree TOGETHER that we sit together in conversation CELEBRATING His goodness and worth, worship God in our conversations.

As I pray about caring for men in particular by way of honoring conversations with men who are in the 60+ season of life and haven’t arrived but are grounded, calm, rested in the goodness of our God and who spend much of their time praying for us, for those who are further down the path behind, less certain about quite as much of life, or maybe too certain in pride and too convinced they are good to go. My Dad and I often end up in the place I’d hope for these conversations to end up at… a place of conversational worship of the Living God. I also have enjoyed many conversations with mentors like this where we end up having lengthy conversations in awe of God, not comparing or competing in any way but just mesmerized by the Living God. I notice that guys closer to my age often struggle to get there, often so distracted and frustrated and burdened by all the middle of life responsibilities or not mature enough in following Jesus to genuinely relax about the stressors in their life in the way of resting in God’s love. We can easily try to find our peace somewhere else such as sports, hobbies, possessions, quite (or obnoxious) addictions, etc.

Just yesterday I was enjoying a great conversation with a brother in Christ who has been married to his wife for 52 years now.

He spoke about COMMITMENT and we talked about how challenging it can be for guys in their 30s and 40s to hold careers or marriages for 40+ years. He spoke of how for him romance is more private and commitment is the clear and resounding public and private thing that has kept them together. He said that resolve and commitment keeps your deeper and more godly love grounded and your feelings grow down deep, deep roots of genuine and pure love one for the other. Beautiful and not real common in our sound-bite culture, right?

These kinds of conversations are what I want to highlight. My conversation’s with my pastor Don B over the last few months. Those have really been winners! My conversation with my Uncle Stan today was refreshing, in which he highlighted the need for FOCUS in our culture and in my generation. Wow, isn’t that the case.

May our FOCUS TOGETHER, Jesus Followers, be on the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

As we focus on the Savior together and stay tight on His trail, we will find ourselves more and more unified. My meditation is YOUR LIFE TOGETHER over the last few days, with the word YOUR referencing first GOD’S life bringing us together with God. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Then, we get to enjoy OUR life together as Jesus’ followers, loving each other thoroughly. Lastly, we can even life our lives together with those we might not agree with in every way and ultimately be praying for God’s life to be seen, enjoyed, celebrated in us. We can pray that in time those we can love and serve will come to know the risen Christ. May they hear from us the REASON FOR THE HOPE THAT’S WITHIN US!

Much love, friends,

Torrey