A post from Jordan

Somebody brought up a great question last week when we posted our video.  “What does Jordan plan to do instead of working?” 

So at long last I, Jordan, am making my first entry into the blogging world in an attempt to shed some light on that question. 

First off let me say that as a father, husband and leader of a family I wholeheartedly believe that it is my calling and responsibility to “invest” and “provide” for my family.  That being said I also wholeheartedly believe that my calling and responsibility to “invest” and “provide” goes far beyond finances.  It is my belief that in the economics of the Kingdom of heaven, finances are actually the easiest capital to come by.  Our father in heaven “owns the cattle on a thousand hills.” Psalm 50:10.  The more challenging capital to invest and build into your family is physical (time and energy), relational (knowing and being known), and most importantly spiritual (training in faith and belief). 

 

I have spent the last 6 years investing and providing for my family financially, which has been good, healthy, and right.  Work is a gift and was a huge part of God’s original intent in creation.  But the reality of this situation has been that I have not been able to invest and provide for my wife, kids and family in other ways to the extent that I would have liked.  My ability to invest and provide for my family physically, relationally, and spiritually has been hindered due to the fact that I’ve spent a minimum of 40 hours a week investing financially.  It is not that I’ve been unable to invest in these ways; I have simply been unable to invest to the extent that I would like to and feel called to. 

 

Now hear me…I believe that financial provision and investment is the starting point and must be the first step…it would be unwise and in my opinion sinful for a man to not invest in this way and put all of his focus on the others (unless of course God calls him to…God’s calling trumps everything).  It is equally unwise and sinful, however, to put all of the emphasis of your investment and provision for your family into finances and neglect the others.  Our responsibility as men goes far beyond financial provision; yet typically we are content to place the larger portion of this responsibility (physical, relational, spiritual) on our wives while we leave the home and go “provide for our family.”  I believe this is because men feel the most capable and comfortable investing financially…and often times don’t know the first thing about what it is to invest in these other areas.

  

So Eliz and I began asking the question, “what if there was another way.”  This Sabbath year idea is the answer we feel the Lord has given us to that question.  Work is not part of the curse; toil is the curse, but resting from work is equally important.  I will spend the majority of my life (6 out of every 7 years) stewarding a large portion of my time towards providing financially (40 hrs/wk); but my hope for the 7^th year is to steward my time and all that I am towards investing and providing for my kids, wife, and family in ways that go far beyond finances. 

 

So that is what I’ll be doing instead of working this year.  Specifically, I feel a calling to cast vision for my family. I hope to understand God’s unique calling on my family, as well as his big picture calling on the role families are to play in the Kingdom.  I plan to invest time in getting familiar with hearing my Father’s voice and walking in the power of His Spirit; I feel this is absolutely necessary if I am to fully step into this enormous role of father and husband that He has called me to.  And lastly Eliz and I hope to establish weekly, monthly and yearly family rhythms that reflect our family’s vision and priorities, and create a strong foundation that we can build on in the years to come.  What does that all look like?  No idea…but feel free to check back often and find out!