QUEST FOR WHOLEHEARTEDNESS | PART 2

Pursuing wholeheartedness requires “radical simplification” Whyte continued, as Whyte and Thomas Huebl held a conversation as The Poet and The Mystic. As I am on a quest toward wholeheartedness, I have started taking steps toward radical simplification. This process comprises discerning and deciding what really matters and radical letting go of what does not resonate with my pursuit of wholeheartedness. To put it positively, it is allowing others to pursue their wholeheartedness that is not mine to pursue. In a sense, there is a communal element to the wholeheartedness process. I can lean on others’ pursuit of their wholeheartedness and complement what I can bring to the table out of my wholeheartedness for a better and hopeful future. 

Taking stock of what I possess and do not possess is a good start, I am telling myself. We are in the process of purchasing a home for the first time in our life. My organization is partnering with Habitat for Humanity for us to own the house we have been living in since 1998. Until now, we have been paying rent (with generous subsidy) without much complaint. When I say “we,” we include Grace, myself, Hannah, and Jeremiah (Hannah’s husband). I had told myself I would not want to own a house, as Grace and I envision a freer lifestyle and ministry not bound by locations, systems, and possessions, including a home. Thus, we told Hannah and Jeremiah that they would eventually own the home we are purchasing and that we would “rent” from them when we are in the US, utilizing it as our US base. They are enthusiastic about the arrangement and want to support us above and beyond, so we can pursue our calling. 

What follows is our finances. The concept of radical simplification in a practical way includes a significant portion of how we steward our finances in this next phase of our life. We want to live simply and generously. I have seen and tasted how freeing it is to embrace simplicity and generosity. Yes, simplicity and generosity can co-exist in the same sentence. Freedom of simplicity is too great and attractive to compromise or let go. As Hannah and Jeremiah moved in to live with us, my wife recently packed away multiple kitchen wares in two big boxes and donated them to a local thrift store to make room for Hannah and Jeremiah’s kitchen wares. This is a small tangible step of letting go and inviting freedom. My wife is much freer in letting go than I am as I mull over letting go of dishes, plates, etc that I have been accustomed to using for many years. 

Then there is the death of a dream I once had. I had somehow drilled into my mind that I as a parent had to and wanted to maintain a base where our adult children can come back. I put it on myself that I had to provide a sense of stability and security for my children. Radical simplification pokes and exposes good-intentioned but “misguided” dreams I have. My good intentions may have imprisoned my children inadvertently had I pursued the dream. I am learning to let the dream go and make space for the children to pursue their own dreams, unattached to mine. 

Ultimately, radical simplification probes deeply what really matters to me now, stemming from my God-given self. My posture is that of consenting to God what God wills in my life and making way for God to do God’s work. It is akin to Mary who said a big “yes” to God and bore God’s son in her womb, paving the way for God’s incarnation to be fully expressed. My interior work and God’s incarnational work in me converge, create, and deliver a unique and divine gift for the world. I must believe pursuing who I am helps and heals the world.