Chris Maxwell's Newsletter

Another Day Along the Way
Friday, June 30, 2006

Another day,
Alone in a dark church auditorium, I stared at the empty seats. I walked up the four steps and stood on stage beside a pulpit. The place knew me; I knew the place. People – my friends, my family, my parishioners, my life – would arrive in two hours. Then and there, I breathed and thought. In a sanctuary with God, I wondered about my life.

Nineteen years. Almost one thousand weeks. How had I done? Had I succeeded or failed? Who knows? And why was this the time to say goodbye to a congregation I love? How many sermons, prayers, songs, appointments, books, meals, illustrations, tears, and smiles have occurred in this season now ending? Have I really made a difference?

The questions voiced themselves in my mind. No answers followed, so my thoughts moved on. They moved toward nouns – these people, these places, these things. And verbs – so many experiences during these seven thousand days of pleasure and pain.

I smiled and cried. I bowed and prayed. On my knees, I thanked God. For the honor of pastoring, of proclaiming, of seeing beyond masks on faces, of serving people loved by their Maker, I thanked God.

Now, the move has happened. One month later, I'm still thinking and praying and thanking.

Last night I stared at images and meditated about my new position on a new team. I drive around more curves here. I notice rabbits, hills, chipmunks, friends, and amazing opportunities. All while experiencing the merging of emotional extremes: hello to the thrill of new possibilities and goodbye to so many friends.

Still, it is the same sun I noticed in Florida that I now view every morning as I glance east from north Georgia. And, though lightening bugs wink at me here and my eyes notice a few more of the many stars, I continue praying to the same Listener. I still hope my life reflects love from the same Son who gave His Life for us all, no matter our zip code.

We can realize five hundred miles do not distance us from truth or life or love. Change can help us appreciate it all even more.

If only we choose to allow it.

Here and now, let’s breathe and think. In a sanctuary with God, let’s fill our lives with wonder. And be glad.

Along the way,
Chris Maxwell

Prayer Surrendered: Whatever the name of this place, I enter the door of grace, and bow before a Face. I am amazed. I ask to be made new. Amen.

Another Day Along the Way
Friday, June 09, 2006

Three sixes. Some people wouldn't take the risk of saying or typing a six after two other sixes. A biblical mystery has left multitudes of people convinced that a 6 and a 6 and another 6 are too much to be close together.

But this week's Tuesday was 06/06/06. It was also the anniversary of Chris and Debbie Maxwell. Anniversary number twenty-five on June 6, 2006.

The Book of Revelation uses images and mystery to reveal God's truth given to John many years ago. A portion of the end-of-time drama includes a mysterious ingredient often labeled as the mark of the beast. Though the Bible is not clear and refuses to use specifics, people have spent 2,000 years revealing their own revelations about what that 666 mark of the beast actually means. Presidents, rock singers, movie stars, terrorists, and dead people have all been selected as the antichrist while meanings of those three sixes have been equally explained as birthdays, years of death, computer systems, bank accounts, and yes, anniversaries.

It has always confused me how we try to explain in specifics what the Author chose to leave unknown. It has also concerned me that we spend so much time on the uncertain and avoid obeying the specifics God declares.

While the three sixes have left the beast's mark unknown, I do know this about this week's 06/06/06. Debbie and I are still together. Though we've moved now to a new state and entered new careers, though we celebrated the 25th anniversary with me in Georgia and her in Florida, though difficulties and disappointments have merged with joyful fun over these two and a half decades, we are happy to still be one.

Our anniversary was much different than the mark of any beast. The 6-6-6 was a reminder of obedience to God, of forgiveness, of hope, of life, of better-or-worse, of in-sickness-and-in-health, of promises kept, of grudges released. Let’s call it this: love.

I love Deborah Oliver Maxwell. She loves me. We both love Taylor and Aaron and Graham. And we have realized that we are loved by our Maker. We hope to be marked by that love.

And, until the end of time or whatever we want to call it, that is a mark worth keeping.

Along the way,
Chris Maxwell

Powerful Statement: I do.

Another Day Along the Way
Thursday, June 01, 2006

Another day,
Our youngest son became 16 this month. We are amazed. Our middle son graduated from high school. We are proud. Our oldest son asked a beautiful lady to marry him. She said yes.

Us? We are setting new records of stress-level events during these life-changing experiences. As our sons grow up so quickly, we are now both changing careers, moving to a new state, and saying goodbye to true friends. Many true friends. Years of praying and cheering and talking and listening and counseling and laughing and crying and praying some more: now we say goodbye.

Taylor engaged. Aaron out of high school. Graham sixteen. Debbie and I moving to Georgia, working in new jobs, living in a new house, living a new life. We can call it stress.

I’ve taken the test about stress levels. After a little reading, a lot of research, and a few chocolate chip cookies, I located "Life Events Questionnaire" under "Systematic Stress Management" from the "American Institute of Preventive Medicine" at their aipm.wellnesscheckpoint.com. It informs you that if certain things happen, the events raise those levels of stress. Below 100 would have been okay. I passed that. Below 200 would have been normal. As many of you know, I’m not normal. Between 200 and 300 means the likelihood of a major health problem within the next year. Well, maybe I should call my doctor now. I passed 400.

Yes, it is called stress.

But, what if we decide to call it something else? Think it might help? What if we decide to do something about our inner selves, our worry, our thoughts, our feelings? What if we let the emotions send a few tears from our eyes, while we decide to even laugh a little in the middle of the storm? My guess, a little joy and peace might find their way into us.

I said to myself, "Enjoy this journey. Realize how amazing and adorable and exciting these streets are. Refuse to let the pressure control you. Confess it, pray about it, defeat it." Maybe I’ll pause from my packing and rushing long enough to listen to myself. Maybe I’ll do what I tell myself today. If so, I might be moving forward in more ways than with over 400 boxes. I might be moving toward joy in the journey.

Along the way, Chris Maxwell

Powerful Statement: (Psalm 16:8-9, The Message)
Day and night I'll stick with God;
I've got a good thing going and I'm not letting go.
I'm happy from the inside out,
and from the outside in, I'm firmly formed.