Our Christian tradition has much to say about new life… new life in Christ, the resurrection life we celebrate in Easter; the coming of new life we wait for in Advent. As Isaiah reminds: “Behold, I am doing a new thing; do you not perceive it?”

I get excited about these new life concepts. In actual practice, well, not so much. Like many folks, the new can cause anxiety in me. So for any of you facing the new in any of the startling ways it can come, here is something that really helped me.

It’s an observation by one of my favorite writers, James Hollis, in his brilliant book, “Swamplands of the Soul.” He talks about whenever we are faced with some invitation to new life, we have two possible responses—anxiety or depression. I remember reading this and thinking, “Hey…what about option #3? This is it??”

His point is that depression results when we look at the thing we need to do or even want to do…and then back off. Anxiety is the inevitable reaction when instead of backing off, we go forward. I remember the profound relief reading this for the first time, because I had always thought my anxiety was a sign the direction was wrong. Au contraire! It’s more like a green light; a confirmation, if you will. As Hollis puts it:

“Anxiety is the price of a ticket on the journey of life; no ticket—no journey; no journey—no life. We may run from anxiety as much as possible but we thereby run from our only life.”

I think in times of generalized or economic anxiety it’s easy to let the distinctions blur: between anxiety that is in the air, and the ones that are our persistent, personal, and pointed invitations to step out.

On his way into Jerusalem, Jesus “set his face,” and went forward nonetheless. Think of ways you can prayerfully identify and honor the anxieties that are signs of a call forward, and take that first step. Think of Marble as a community where that step will be encouraged and celebrated.