So What Faith

Greg Smith

A Year of Change (#1767)

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Last week I was asked to summarize my experience of 2018 with a single world.

After a slight pause, I replied “change.”

2018 has been a year filled with personal and professional change.

Here’s my Top 10 List:

  1. Living. For the first time in my life, I’m living an urban lifestyle (in the 15th largest city in the United States).
  2. ACEP18Moving. My wife and I moved from a two story suburban home with a golf course view to a four story downtown dwelling with a city view.
  3. Growing. The Adese Fellowship increased my capacity as a spiritual entrepreneur and deepened by understanding of how best to live as a follower of the Way of Jesus focused on creating a more just world for all people.
  4. Opening. I helped the Mansfield Mission Center  build and open a new thrift store.
  5. Bridging. I pastored a Presbyterian Church for four months.
  6. Searching. My wife and I are searching for a new community of faith close to our new home.
  7. Teaching. After teaching as an adjunct professor for 21 consecutive semesters, I didn’t teach any courses during the Fall 2018 semester.
  8. Working. I returned to healthcare for my primary employment. This new role provided my introduction to the world of publishing.
  9. Aging. I lived my first full year of life in my 40s.
  10. Traveling. I visited California more than any other state this year.

So What?

According to the Holmes-Rahe Stress Inventory (HRSI), I’ve had a very stressful year.  The HRSI assigns specific events a “Life Change Unit” score, which are then added together for a period covering a year. The total score is used to predict risk of illness. Those with a score of 300+ (my score was 336) are at greatest risk of health breakdown in the next two years (80%).

It doesn’t surprise me to learn that the rate of change I experienced in 2018 is atypical and unsustainable.  It does, however, inform my planning for 2019.

  • What were some of your biggest changes in your life in 2018?
  • Do you expect more or less change in 2019? Explain
  • How does your religion inform how you seek or avoid life change, and how you process such change?