I met Mike Morrell at the Wild Goose Festival a few years ago. He was leading a “pre-festival workshop” which is (essentially) an 8 hour workshop where he and various other teachers take you through the ins and outs of a particular topic. He leads a workshop called “Wisdom Camp” where he helps his listeners experience God or the Divine or whatever in ways that may be way outside of their box.
Through Mysticism.
Through Contemplative Practices.
Through Buddhism.
Etc.
… That’s why we clicked right away.
The What If Project was already moving full steam ahead and since on the podcast we explore the question, “WHAT IF there are ways of thinking about God and faith and the Bible and all the things that are different than what our traditions have handed us?” … I knew we had to record an episode together. Mike is helping people experience God outside of what might be normal for them and we’re doing the exact same thing here on the podcast.
One of the things that struck me the most in our conversation was when he spoke about how as humans we go through a (repeated) cycle of …
Orientation.
Disorientation.
AND.
New Orientation.
… All throughout the course of our lives.
In other words, we go through seasons where we get comfortable in our life and then we get uncomfortable in our life and then we find a new level of comfort when we come out on the other side of the problem that made us feel uncomfortable or disoriented.
For me, most recently, I felt a sense of ORIENTATION at my job at Apple. I had been there for 11 years and could do my job with my eyes closed.
I knew it well.
I knew the products well.
I knew the systems well.
Then I left my job and went to work at Starbucks because it’s almost 90 minutes closed to home. I thought it would be a pretty easy job (I had done it once before!), but when I got there I experienced a great sense of DISORIENTATION.
I felt overwhelmed.
I felt out of place.
I felt lost.
And so I quit. I walked into the managers office halfway through my 3rd shift and told him I had made a mistake and that the job just wasn't going to work for me.
I left feeling defeated, of course. And as Mike said in the episode, I wanted to run away - go home, go to bed, and never come out from under the covers again. I was so sure that this was the best move for me and my family and now I found myself with no job at all.
Was leaving the orientation of Apple a mistake?
What was I thinking?
How could I be so stupid?
I decided to stick with it, though. Not Starbucks, but my hope. I decided not to give up, not to beat myself up, and not to throw in the towel. Instead, I spoke with my wife, I spoke with some friends, I spoke with my parents, I spoke with the Spirit … and we discovered some NEW ORIENTATION, a way forward that I would have never seen during the comfortable orientation of Apple that brought with it …
A steady (good) paycheck.
Amazing health benefits.
Stock options.
401k.
Major discounts on all things technology.
Etc.
Instead of going back to work for “the man” we' decided to try and make some space for me to do THIS on a more regular basis - to work on the podcast, to work on my book (it’s halfway done), and to pick up some social media jobs along the way as well (I already have one, check it out HERE).
The NEW ORIENTATION is scary, honestly. I’ve had an Apple paycheck direct deposited into our checking account for 11 years and now that’s gone. That (along with all the other perks) wasn’t easy to say goodbye to. Even so, it’s all so invigorating, so exciting. I love creating content and I love bucking the system of the Church with out of the box ideas that have roots deep, deep, deep within the heart of the Early Church. I love talking to podcast guests, I love reading their books. I love writing and making videos and graphics and connecting with people on Social Media.
I love it all.
And so, yes - I’m grateful for the orientation of Apple that gave way to the disorientation of Starbucks that led to the new orientation of whatever this shall be.
I write all of that to remind you that if you’re in a season of disorientation right now, don’t give up. Go home and lick your wounds and rest your heart and mind and soul, but don't you dare give up. We need you.
Much love,
- Glenn || PATREON / BUY ME A COFFEE
New Merch!
Head over to the What If Project Heretic Shop and check out this new design that dropped for the Fall. More are on the way!
Join The Street Team!
I'm putting together a "Street Team" for the What If Project! As part of the team I would mail you 10 or so flyers, stickers, and business cards and ask you to leave them in various places in your community. Perhaps a community board at a grocery store, Starbucks, or more progressive-minded church.
We have groups of listeners in Australia, the UK, Spain, Canada, India ... and all over the US. My thought is that if a few people from each of those locations helped spread the word in a more intentional and out of the box way, perhaps it would increase awareness of the show.
Would you be interested? EMAIL ME!
New Blog Post on Monday!
New blog post coming on Monday, here’s an excerpt!
“I don’t take sides”. We hear that all the time, right?
"I just want to keep the peace".
"I don't want to rock the boat".
"There's enough division, I just to make peace."
"Jesus was a peacemaker and that's what I want to be too!"
Here's the thing, though - although Jesus was a peacemaker, he wasn't always a peacekeeper ... right? He flipped over tables in the temple and drove out the money changers because some tables need to be flipped and some terrible, toxic, and dangerous thinking needs to be driven out of the church.
Out of churches.
Out of schools.
Out of communities.
Out of governments.
Out of families.
Although every instance calls for us to work towards making peace for all parties involved, not every instance calls for us to keep peace. Why? Because sometimes (maybe even EVERY time) the peace that the oppressor feels needs to be disrupted ...”