BEST OF 2017... — JOSHUA DEASE

HERE IS A LIST OF MY TOP FIVE THINGS FROM 2017 THAT SEEM TO HAVE MADE ME A LITTLE BIT OF A BETTER PERSON OR HAVE CAUSED ME TO HAVE ENJOYED LIFE A LITTLE MORE...

1. Books: "From Water to Wine" by Brian Zahnd and "The Pursuing God" by Joshua Ryan Butler.

Reading these two books created a crucial paradigm shift in my relationship with God and how I live my life. I suffered a major theological breakdown in 2016. I started this year still reeling from the experience. These two books along with great community and friends helped to pick up the pieces and transform my faith in the Living God who is present and near.

"I've come to realize that the main purpose of prayer is not to change the world, but to change me... and I am under the assumption that this will take a lifetime. I might naively think the world can be changed in a decade or two, but I know good and well it will take the better part of a lifetime to change me... We grow like oak trees, not dandelions."

-Brian Zahnd, p. 121

2. Missio Alliance Awakening Conference.

I mean, I got to hear NT Wright, in person, talk about people being the poetry of God who are designed to make poetry. I got to hear the Ruth Padilla de Borst talk about our communion with the Trinity. I got to make art and received a free book from Mandy Smith, who is also a pastor that makes art. I was at a place where it wasn't crazy or liberal or against the Gospel to talk about the reality of racial injustice. I ate bone-in pork chops with greens and an old-fashioned two nights in a row from two separate restaurants. Crazy!

Above all the beautiful ideas that I was introduced to at this conference, it was helpful to me in a deeply personal way. After the dream Ashley and I had of moving to Slovenia as missionaries died, I was uncertain what my relationship to ministry should be. In the midst of this conference, watching people do the thing they are compelled to do by the moving of the Spirit, I knew that my path should be working alongside them. It gave me the clarity of purpose which led me to working at Brick City Church.

3. The Silver Surfer by vol. 1-5 by Matt Fraction, Mike Allred, and Laura Allred.

I have a deeply rooted, long-time love for comics. Even though I read a lot of indy stuff, I still have love for superheroes. This comic is one of the most fun, clever, exciting, and emotional books I have ever read. I basically buy every book that the Allreds are a part of. Their work is just inspiring (especially their creator owned Madman comics). This book is something that I think about often, even months after I finished reading it. It is an experience I am not used to, but I feel like it is important and beautiful. If you have followed comics for any period of time, you have probably heard someone mention the importance of the Lee/Kirby run of Fantastic Four, the Claremont/Byrne run of X-Men, or the Frank Miller run of Daredevil: THIS IS ONE OF THOSE IMPORTANT ERAS THAT PEOPLE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT.

So if you are up for an intergalactic love story/adventure that will leave you with a great example of what comics can do that no other medium can... this is the story for you.

4. Ministry: Brick City Church + the Dignity Center.

Oh man. Working with all the cool people at Brick City Church, getting to see so many dreams realized and the creation of new dreams has been amazing. THEN on top of that, being associated with the Dignity Center and the work that they are doing with homeless and distressed folks here in the city has only added to that. They help give my theology purpose. I feel truly alive in these friendships and in this mission. The welcoming and acceptance I have experienced has brought healing to my life, and the expectations and confidence these people have placed on me has helped me to grow up in really important ways.

DIGNITY NOT DEPENDENCY.

5. Being Ashley's husband and Jules' dad.

I know this might seem forced or cheesy, but Jules has made my marriage with Ashley and my life so much better and more meaningful.

For such a long time I heard people talk about children as a burden. Ashley's entire pregnancy people talked to us as if they were prepping us for the front lines of the Vietnam war. I cherish my friendship with Ashley so much that I was nervous about how a child might change it.

Jules could not be further from that reality for us. Of course having a child is difficult and requires self-sacrifice on a daily basis. But each day, with the cleaning and the straightening and the food-throwing and the lack of sleep and the crying and the concerts we don't get to go to and the canceling on friends, I get to watch a person grow and taste life and experience new things and show affection. I get to help guide that person through their experiences. And she will help guide me.

Jules has affected me in ways I am not even fully aware of. My eyes are welling with tears even now just thinking about it.

She is light. She is beauty. She is adventure. She is love. She is... sassy too.

Forced, cheesy, or not... everything that I experience is through the lens of being Ashley's husband and Jules' dad - in our trifold community together. And I think those experiences are much richer because of it.

Goodbye, 2017.

-joshua.