Mike Paschall . com

Yeah, it’s a thing.

I started driving some for Uber back in November. A friend told me last May that he knew a guy who was doing it because he had time on his hands. I was slightly intrigued at first, but it seemed more like the right thing to do after slugging through a nightmarish four-month run with a less-than-honorable insurance company. I would tell you more about those four months, but I usually break out in a bloody rash when I talk about it. So I’ll spare you and myself the agony.

About the same time I started driving for Uber, I was also poking around to find a pastoral environment where I might add value. The conversations I was having at the time were mostly exploratory. But that eventually evolved into a situation where I had the confidence of the leadership and the organization I was talking to, but they actually had more pastors than they had churches in this part of Colorado. Since I’m not licensed and ordained with that particular denomination, they genuinely owe the opportunity to the men and women who currently serve the denomination. I suspect it’s a timing thing regarding me, so I’m totally at peace and feel absolutely no rejection due to their decision. I got that word a couple of weeks ago.

I have noticed something different though. After the last couple of weeks, it has dawned on me that there have been a lot of intense encounters in my vehicle since I started driving for Uber. Not every ride is awesome, but the overwhelming majority are awesome! There have only been three times that I wished I had an eject button for the passenger’s seat. Too drunk and too high were the culprit on two separate occasions, and the third was just nasty rude. Most people are charming, engaged, and want to know about Uber driving. Honestly, it is a lot of fun, but it’s strangely very familiar. Well, more than familiar, actually. It’s my church right now. My flock. My people.

I know what the buds in the ears are advertising: “Just drive, sucker.” So I just drive and leave them to their phones. I’m kewl with that. But, most talk and ask questions nonstop. So, I’ve got anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour to show some love and respect for who they are, what they do, and share a morsel of hope for a good day. Most encounters are just casual and light-hearted, but not all.

Telling Tierra (age 19) that her all-night job at the local TNA didn’t disqualify her from the love of God was pretty awesome. Such a beautiful kid, but the fatigue and pressure of trying to do her dancing job, go to school, pay the bills, and hide from her paying clients are making some heavy duty demands on her body and spirit. She knew I was a long-time pastor before I realized her vocation. Instead of hiding herself, she shot straight. Either she needed some good news, or she was expecting to be carved and served on my religious alter. So when I dropped her at her apartment, I went for it:

Tierra, look at me and don’t look away. God is not put off by the choices you’ve made regarding how you pay your bills. He loves you no matter what you’ve got going on there. If anyone tells you any differently, they’re either liars or misinformed. God is crazy about you. You can always believe that!

Her smile and tears were enough. I pray for Tierra fairly often. Serving her was definitely a huge blessing.

Meeting Rick, who has now become a good friend, was also pretty dang special. Rick buried his wife 10 years ago because of cancer’s damage. He still misses his best friend. He works a lot. He likes it like that. The busier he is, the less time he has to think in the past. He’s a really good man. Still hurting.

I’ve prayed for lots of people, but it’s always at their request. “Preacher… mind saying a few words for me?” It’s awesome, really, but this week I met a chick early one morning who required me to be a little more muscular with my spiritual involvement.

It was shortly after sunrise, and Holly (probably age 21) looked like she’d been doing cartwheels or something. Her hair was all over the place. She popped in the front seat and immediately burst into sobbing tears. “I was so afraid… so afraid.” That’s all she would say between soaking outbursts. After what seemed like ten minutes, Holly said, “I’m so sorry to do this to you… but, I was so afraid.” I asked her if she wanted to tell me about it? She wouldn’t and I’m not sure she could. This was ugly cry stuff. Wailing.

As we neared a 7-Eleven store, she asked if I’d pull in so she could buy cigarettes. She left the vehicle still sobbing. I watched her enter the store. She went straight to the counter. The woman behind the counter was probably close to my age. She had on the smock 7-Eleven employees wear and a huge ‘80s mullet. She turned around and grabbed Holly’s smokes, and then she came around from behind the counter and clinched Holly in a massive hug. They stood there for a good minute. Watching that right there put me into tears also.

When Holly got back into my car, she immediately grabbed me. “Can I hold your hand?” I responded with, “Yes babe, you can.” She started crying again. Then she put her forehead down on my hand. I could feel the tears rolling down the side of my hand. She was repeating, “So afraid… so afraid.” She stayed that way until I pulled into her driveway. I asked a few questions about whether or not we needed to call the cops. No way. Her mom was at home so she wasn’t going to be alone. So I leaned in and asked her if I could pray. I don’t remember the words, but whatever was tormenting her seemed to lift some. She thanked me and left the car to go inside her house. I pretty much prayed for Holly until the next ride had my full attention.

Lots of people are just trying to get from point A to point B and that’s all there is to it. But, I’ve been doing this long enough now to notice some things about the people who arrive at Church of Uber:

FIRST – Some work to pay the bills, but most feel they are making a significant contribution to serving mankind. That’s encouraging to me.

SECOND – People are tired. Granted, I see most of my riders between 4:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., but people got a lot going on in their lives. If you’re listening, you’ll detect the fatigue. Stress is definitely doing a number on us. Respect and preference of others is usually well received, especially when they’re under so much pressure.

THIRD – Most everyone responds to kindness with kindness. I’m totally convinced that the whole sowing and reaping thing is legit. Some are too wounded or angry to reciprocate, but they still need the kindness from us.

LASTLY – You can’t judge people by first impressions. You’ve got to share air with them a few minutes in order to appreciate their unique way. It feels everyone is different than me, but I love the variety. God’s explosion of creative splendor is always on display with people. Seeing and appreciating is definitely church.

Just this morning I picked up Lucy. She announced to me that she’s known as the “Lesbo Bouncer.” She’s probably more than capable of doing the job, but 10 minutes in the car with her was amazing. All she could talk about was how the people she works with in various bars are her true brothers and sisters… the only family that ever has anything to do with her now. Her love for her colleagues made me want to be one of her peeps. God bless Lucy!

So, until the timing declares something needs to change, I’ll continue to roll at Church of Uber. It’s a great congregation!

Can I get a witness?!!! Beep beep! AMEN!

Live every day inside this magnificent truth: GOD LOVES US ALL!

Mike

P.S.  Tip your frikk’n Uber driver. Generosity is always a good thing. Be good at life!

I got the Indian out a couple of days ago. It still looks like the dead of winter here in Colorado, but the sun and surprisingly warm air more than make up for the crusty brown landscape. I’m under no naïve notion that springtime is fully here, but it has genuinely been nice the past few weeks.

While on that ride, I decided to pop in to see a long-time buddy. We’re in different seasons now and time together is scarce, but it’s always easy to catch up once we’re in proximity. As we nursed a micro-brew while basting in the warm afternoon sun, Jimmy could barely contain himself as he revealed his new love affair with his quiet time. I’m always interested in what people are doing to connect, but the words “quiet time” are usually packaged in the genre of spiritual disciplines, i.e. concordance study, bible readings, devotionals, and journal writing. At least those have been my routines for decades now. To be totally candid, that’s not so much the pattern anymore. What my buddy talked about is where I’ve been now for some time.

When you no longer fear whether or not you measure up to God’s expectations or demands (btw, there are NO demands), the pressure comes off in regards to groveling for His grace. All you can see—everywhere—is grace.

Jimmy is a few years older than I am, but it’s clear he’s kicked over his spiritual container and he’s sorting through the data. I’m sure I’ve bored you all with my Rohr quotes, but my appreciation for what that guy has taught me has to be expressed. Kicking over the container is a necessary and real thing if a person truly wants to move into the fullness and mystery of God. My own personal experience can only confirm the glorious liberation of not having all of God figured out. Imagine that! We have a God who can’t possibly be contained in a single systematic theology. Right? Mind blown!

I asked, “Dude, give me the details.” I’m happy to report that I didn’t get a list of things. No lighting lavender candles, no memorizing scripture, and no reading of the devotional that I spent years writing. None of that is bad, but it’s pretty darn predictable. The tears that immediately filled his eyes confirmed this guy had definitely been wrecked by something. It took a minute for him to collect himself before he said, “It’s sweet. I sit and look and think about how good God’s creation really is; and Mike, love is in it. In my mind, God is bigger than ever!” That’s so kewl!

My friend is a highly intelligent individual whose devotion to his family and God is serious business. This isn’t a casual God follower. The man is lit up with wonder and awe about God’s massiveness. As he’s poking around with mystery, I think he’s pretty much done with business as usual. In my estimation, my friend is growing again. I’m not sure how that thought lands on you, but it’s something we all need to examine.

There is more to God than what we’ve always known.

J. P. Newell is probably right concerning the constant unfolding of God’s revelation on earth. Real time contemplation and observation of God’s handiwork is what it means to be fully alive. Don’t confuse that with trinkets of self-serving interests only. It’s deeper than that.

Spiritual expansion is truly a glorious thing in a person’s life, but it can also be scary as hell! That’s why most people won’t do it. Hanging on to the predictable past (what we’ve always done, what we’ve always known, and what we’ve always believed) is just easier and safer.

Regarding Jimmy, it takes a lot of guts to believe that God genuinely loves what he has created. If we can get quiet (easier said than done), there is a lot to see and appreciate that declares God’s continuing creative goodness. Touching and experiencing that at a deeper level brings such abundance to the mind and heart. It also helps nurture internal joy. Remember, joy isn’t a byproduct of your circumstances. Joy is a state of mind… a condition of your heart that is conscious of God’s benevolent heart. Circumstance can’t touch that.

Get quiet and give the Spirit a chance to reveal the Holy Trinity’s masterpiece. His beauty abounds.

Live every day inside this magnificent truth: GOD LOVES US ALL!

Mike

Mystical moments may be described as a kind of emancipation. If it isn’t an experience of newfound freedom, I don’t think it is an authentic God experience. God is always bigger than you imagined or expected or even hoped for. When you see people going to church and becoming smaller instead of larger, you have every reason to question whether the practices or sermons or sacraments or liturgies are opening them to an authentic God experience.

On a practical level, such experiences will feel like a new freedom to love, and you wonder where it comes from. Why do I have this new desire, this new capacity to love new people, to love the old people better, maybe to enter into some kind of new love for the world? I will find that even my thoughts are more immediately loving, patient, and compassionate.

Clearly, you are participating in a Love that’s being given to you. You are not creating this. You are not generating this. It is being generated through you and in you and for you. You are participating in something larger than yourself, and you are just allowing it and trusting it for the pure gift that it is.

From Following the Mystics through the Narrow Gate…

Seeing God in All Things (CD, DVD, MP3)

Richard Rohr, O.F.M

I am not proud of my spiritual markers of development when I was a younger man. Too often the fruit of my labors and thought and projected ego was completely devoid of any notion or influence of love. People were to be impressed, herded, and overtly objectified by my mission to serve God. It pains me at some level still, but somehow I missed that relating to all three persons of the Trinity should have been producing an ever-growing capacity for love and preference for those who were also created from the same place I was. The memo was clear enough. I just didn’t get it.

Although I am no final authority for anyone, I must say for my own benefit that we who define and declare ourselves “followers of God” must evaluate whether we are ever expanding in our capacity to exude love towards our brothers and sisters who share time and space on this glorious globe. Are we ever growing in practical expressions of love, or do we hinder our development by continuing to simmer in a justified isolation that only moves toward what looks, acts, or thinks like me? Yes, that includes our religious preferences, practices, and ideas.

It seems that the majority of us have been trained from birth to be exclusively tribal and loving towards those who identify with our biases and bents. We’ve made some strides, but there are days where I wonder if we’ve become more rigid about who gets our nods of approval. Our God’s love is for ALL of His creation. That includes you, me, and everyone else. It’s probably time we minor in what is minor and major in what is major. I’m convinced that expanding our capacity to LOVE is major.

Live every day inside this magnificent truth: GOD LOVES US ALL!

Mike