remembering to take your shoes off

"Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder."

E. B. White

"We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away."

Hebrews 2:1

Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living."

As often as we have heard this, we often fail to implement it. 

No man wants to live a worthless life.

So, as we move toward the end of 2024, rather than getting sucked into the vortex of the Christmas season, it’s important to reflect and examine who we have become over the past year.

I was reminded this morning of a few lines from Elizabeth Barrett Browning's classic poem Aurora Leigh:

Earth’s crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God;
But only he who sees, takes off his shoes.

In the world today, we are not in a crisis of experience; we are in a crisis of perception. Life is ablaze, yet we are often blind to the flames.

Jesus was often grieved that the people of His day could not see the wonder and kingdom in their midst. In His frustration, he said, 

‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’
Matthew 13:13

If Jesus was on social media, that would probably be His only post. 

I want to see the common things ablaze with God.
I want to see the work of God crammed into my daily life.
I want to take off my shoes in holy awe that God is in this place.

So, at this time of year, I begin to go back through my photos and memories and look for the moments that mattered over the past year.

To be honest, it's been a remarkable year for me. I released a new book called Fighting Shadows, a course for dads with daughters called Raising Resilient Daughters, two courses for Art of Teaching, a couple of seasons of Awaken Network Podcast, married off my son, preached in Australia, Iceland, and Scotland, and fell more in love with what God is doing in our church in New York than ever before.

It's also been a challenging year. Friends leaving the city, ministry criticism, the long miles of distance from my family in Australia, and unexpected financial costs—it’s been a year of both rejoicing and weeping, living fully into both sides of my heart.

But after looking through hundreds of events, thousands of photos, and reflecting on the presence of God amidst it all, some moments rose to the surface. 

Some made me take my shoes off in awe.

The Response to Luke LeFevre’s Sermon at Altars
A young man in his twenties preached at our conference on revival, and the response of the public confession of sin, the fear of God, and genuine repentance lasted six hours. It was a glimpse of what is possible in a move of God.

The Fighting Shadows Book Tour
I met two young men whose father had recently died. They asked me to sign their copy of the book (always feels weird) and write a note of encouragement. An hour later, they came back in shock. "You literally wrote the last thing our Dad said to us before he died." They felt seen and known by God. 

The Awe of God at the Hebrides Revival Conference
I had the joy of preaching at the Hebrides Revival Conference in Stornoway, but the highlight was Pastor Donna's prayer on Saturday night. God's presence came with such force; it was a visitation of awe. We literally did not know how to respond. God comes where He’s wanted, and God does what He wants when He gets there.

Marrying My Son to Mai
The final culmination of the Primal Path: launching a new family. What a day of rejoicing. People gathered from three countries—my parents from Australia and people who have known Nate and Mai since birth. They took their vows, and we took over the dance floor. Tears of joy, overflowing hearts, feasting like kings—a taste of heaven on earth. I could not be more proud of my son Nate, and we could not be more thrilled to have Mai in our family.

Going Back to the Old Butcher Shop in Australia
I had the chance, while preaching in Oz, to visit the butcher shop where I worked as a teenager. It was here that I learned to seek God. It was here that I learned to hold my ground. It was here that I pleaded with God to open a door to America. 

As I reflect on how He answered those prayers these 27 years later, I stand in awe at how far He has bought me, how rich His mercy, and how free His grace. I am now praying for open doors for my sixties.
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TAKE OF YOUR SHOES

I know that taking time to reflect can be hard, and how to do this can be overwhelming, so I created an end-of-year reflection PDF for you. Just click the button at the bottom of this email to download it. 

I hope it lets you see how goodness and mercy have been following you this past year. 

And as you move forward…

I pray God gives you eyes to see a life marked by His beauty, faithfulness, and presence. 
I pray you see His fingerprints on the days and months of 2024.
I pray you get a vision to become all flame, all ears, and all eyes next year.

Here, with bare feet and holy awe.

Cheers.

Jon