I want to ask you something this week. What do you think you were made for? Not what you do for a living. Not what you are good at. Not what other people expect from you. What do you actually think you were put here to do and become? I ask because I believe every person in this room was formed for more than they are currently living. Not because your life is bad. Because you have more in you. Drop your answer below. One sentence is enough. I will go first.

Started my hospital chaplain orientation and it has been a lot. Good, but a lot. I'm checking in to let you know tonight's Zoom is canceled. I've got an overnight shift at the hospital and I can't make it work. We'll be back next week. Same time, same place. Thanks for your patience as I navigate this new season. The work we're doing in The Arena matters to me and I'm not going anywhere. See you next week. — Nico

During my scribing time this morning, I was in Genesis chapter 15, the famous passage of God’s covenant with Abram. Verse 6 says, “And [Abram] believed the LORD, and [the LORD] counted it to him as righteousness,” (ESV). There is a note in my study Bible that reads on this verse, “A person’s faith or lack of it is most apparent in crises such as Abram was facing.” A person’s faith or lack of it is most apparent in crises. I had a moment last week where I had another episode, and was overwhelmed by the frustration of being done with my body giving out on me and being so tired of getting lightheaded and having to stop what I’m doing and sit down and rest, lest I lose consciousness. I remember thinking in that moment how relatively easy it was been to stay faithful and content in my circumstances up to this point, and how my absolute trust in the goodness of God has not at all been shaken. But it has been months and we are no closer to answers. I can’t help feeling like now is when the real battle begins. Now is when my body is continually weakened and the discipline of rest sewn in with all my other goals is going to become paramount. Now is when the real test of character is going to be had. Will I continue to find joy and contentment in whatever the LORD has sought to bring me through, or will my faith waiver and allow me to begin questioning God’s goodness in my suffering? I want to vehemently declare the former, and am ready for the fight that will ensue. But I’m glad I have a community for accountability and encouragement through this process. What is it that is testing your faith in this season?

One question and then I am going to ask you to do something. What is one thing that happened this week that actually mattered? Not a highlight. Something real. Could be something you did. Something you felt. Something you finally said or finally stopped saying. I will go first in the comments. Then I want to hear yours. Drop it below. This room is for real things.

It is out. I sat down with Jason Dennis from WTVM and talked about the three things that drive everything I do. The Ranger. The Reverend. The Runner. And why I built The Arena. This is probably the most public conversation about who I am and why this community exists. Link in the comments. Go listen and come back here and tell me one thing that landed for you.