Why are you going to Ordway?
As people looked at our route map, that was one of the common questions. Ordway is a small ranching community on Colorado’s eastern plains. It’s the pronounced “lump” in our meandering course along the Front Range.
Why Ordway? involved an invitation we couldn’t refuse. It’s a long story, but I’d like you to meet one of the folks who made our time in Ordway so special.
Jeb is a cattle rancher. Or a dad. Or a husband. Or pastor of New River Fellowship.
If that’s an odd way to introduce him, it’s because as I watched there never seemed to be a clear dividing line between roles. When he talked ranching he talked about God and kids. When he talked church he talked family and ranching. Ranching was parenting. Pastoring was family.
In every conversations the roles seemed to me to be totally integrated in his mind. I asked him about it; here’s what he said: “I’m a full-time rancher and full-time pastor.” I suspect if I’d pushed him he would have added full-time dad and full-time husband.
I concluded that Jeb doesn’t really have a job–he has a life.
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I hear a lot about work-life balance, about leaving work at the office and setting aside quality time for family and friends. But what if your work is your life and your life is your work? What if it’s not chunked up into segments of the day, the part you work, the part you live, the part you’re a parent, a spouse, etc. And if there’s a few minutes left over, maybe God gets them.
I know…it’s not practical. It’s impossible. Too many obstacles.
True–it’s unlikely that any of us can perfectly integrate our lives. We’ll always mess it up. But I left out the key role in Jeb’s job description, the one that ties it all together. It’s one you and I can adopt.
Full-time follower of Jesus.
I’m certain our FREEDOM TOUR team members would agree that the lines between bike ride, mission trip, fun, and community-building weren’t clear. I believe that’s one reason every member of the team rode the entire distance; we weren’t simply covering miles. Following Jesus blurs the lines.
I think that’s what He had in mind.
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