Deep Unto Deep

View fullsize

Some people say they're big picture people while others are just detail people. That's all fine and well but unless you have something deep driving you, you're only going to skim the surface of life. And I think that's why we have a lot of the problems that we see today, because we're just touching the surface of what it means to be human and we take our direction from the mob.

Deep calls unto deep isn't a suggestion- it's a statement. We miss this a lot when we skim social media, silently comparing our bodies, our art and our satisfaction to the other people skimming us on another screen. We barely stop long enough to breathe, like we're afraid stopping the madness means we'll drown, like rushing through life will get us there, that elusive somewhere promised to us by everyone else chasing a best-guess.

It's reflected in our culture and in our art. There's a lot of talk about living but not enough about the deep unto deep. Not enough about the drive, the purpose, the meaning. Not enough about our mortality. Not enough about the mystery. Living deep is hard because it means going below the surface, beneath the waves, where all we can hear is our own heartbeat and every other noise is drowned out. Where we face the primal questions.

Our acute failure to live from the deep can result in only one thing: shallow living. Hard questions get easy answers. Wrestling with the profound mysteries of life are reduced to 140-character manifestos, ambiguity and anger. We lose when we refuse to go on the journey- when we refuse to seek the answers. As a society we become a sea of imitation, moving from answer to answer.

So my encouragement is this: go deep. Don't settle for the easy answers. Go on the journey yourself. Discover the intention and truth behind your design and your breath. Then your vision and your acts of creation will speak of the deepest truest love. Your art will reflect both reason and revelation. Your life will no longer be imitation but inspiration to others to ask, seek and knock on their own. 

Deep unto deep is the desperate final plunge into the abyss in search of truth. It's the longing of your soul calling out to God's heart and, when you can't seem to swim any deeper, finding your lungs filled with air rather than water. 

“Deep calls to deep at the sound of your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me”

— Psalm 42:7

Embrace the Leak

We bought a house this past summer and absolutely love having our own space. We repurposed antique drawers and used them as shelves. We found restored end tables to sit aside our couches and added character and personality to every corner of our home (except for the playroom which looks like Toy R Us and the McDonald's ball pit made an explosive love child). 

It's been mostly amazing. I say mostly because, since moving in, we've broken one window, put a hole in a wall, had a water leak from the bathroom go through all three levels, scratched and dented door frames, lost one dryer, and today, our roof started leaking. So…yes, just mostly amazing, but amazing nonetheless.

Not to fear though, because there's a lesson to be learned in all of this (I had to come up with something otherwise I'd be soaking my keyboard with anguished tears of betrayal). At some point, we need to make something our own, whether it's a home, a passion or a career. The only problem is that once we leave the protection and insulation of condo living, our dreams and efforts face broken windows and leaky rooftops. Problems arise and you may wonder what, exactly, you were thinking going out on your own. It would have been easier to stay back and watch everyone else give it a shot, right? Sure. Easier but not better.

There is a time for condo living, for watching, for weighing your options and learning how the world turns, but at some point you will need to jump. Yes, there's risk involved and you'll need to have faith. You'll need to believe and work and be fearless. But it's worth it, I promise you. When you own something and put your sweat and blood into it, you are building a legacy and contributing your uniqueness to the world. We need you to be one of the few who take that leap. 

I don't regret choosing to be a homeowner because of a leaky roof. I don't regret being a photographer because of a saturated market. I don't regret choosing the family life with a beautiful wife and two children who I adore even though the stained couches and late nights require divinely imparted perseverance.  I don't regret these things because it's in our nature to take something and make it ours. It's our responsibility to give our utmost to make this world a better place, a more beautiful place, and we can't do that by waiting for the moment when everything gets easier so we can leave the comfort of our cave. 

So, with all that said, I encourage you to embrace the leaky roof and discover what you really have to offer. By the way, all of these crazy things that come along with a life well lived are good, temporary, and always have solutions. Expect setbacks but persevere and don't fear, you're never alone!