David Ralph

A View From The Stage

I am sitting on the stage at Lakeside – in the set that is part of the service for tonight – waiting for several hundred people to arrive.  This year the presentation is different than it normally is.  The music will be as good as ever – the visuals will be awesome – but instead of me sharing a talk as part of the service – we are doing it different.  The set looks a little like my office and the focus of this year’s presentation is about a “spiritual seeker” showing up in my office trying to figure out how to get rid of those nagging feelings of emptiness that come after Christmas is over.  I am working with Susanne Golds and she does a great job playing the part of the seeker.  She asks great questions and pushes back when I try to simply spout off those well worn cliche’s that we often use to communicate the story.  Her struggle is all about this feeling called happiness – a feeling that most of us are looking for.   Last night I watched a movie – again it was about a young man looking for happiness – but struggling to find it.   Happiness seems like something we all seek and yet it at times seems so illusive.  I hope that through our presentation over the next four services that somehow we can communicate that happiness is not a bad thing – but it is not THE thing that will fill that void we all feel in our soul from time to time.  We want happiness to fill this void – but it won’t.  The only thing that will is to have a personal relationship with Jesus and out of that relationship begin to discover a life that is full and abundant.  A life that is filled with feelings and emotions and thoughts that are much deeper than happiness.  I hope we can communicate the truths without “pat” answers or cliches.  This will be my last entry prior to Christmas.  I wish all who read this – Merry Christmas and a great and joy filled New Year.