Are We There Yet? Part 1: Cancel Your Plans and Drift Away with Me

From where I stand, overall, the Synod seems to be in a good place. Our structure is sound and seems to be in good working order. We have a structure in place for the Synod to function as it should, to do committee work, build leaders and working with our partners and creating networks needed to do the work of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. All of this a part of our journey on the way to where we are going, and that’s good!

We have often referred to this journey as if we are going on a hiking trip, or on a car ride to a destination. I even referenced the backpack I carry with me everywhere as a symbol of my spiritual journey on the way to where I’m going. I now realize my backpack is no longer needed for my personal journey.

So, for this portion of the journey, I need you to take off your hiking boots, get out of the car, ditch your backpack and every supply you think you might need for this journey. Basically, forego your travel plans, cancel your flights and hotel reservations, and come away with me. Don’t worry, it’s the same trip we’re just using a different mechanism to get to our destination. Are you ready?

Can I be transparent? Wait, isn’t this one of our guiding values? I was invited to participate in SEEK, a 30 day fast with the Alfred Street Baptist Church under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley, that I might “Live, Look and Love like Jesus (don’t worry, I’m still Presbyterian, but enjoy spending time with our Baptist family, too).” I have fasted and prayed before, but never with thousands of people from around the world. And that was the most exciting part for an introvert like me. We were able to connect spiritually just not in a physical place. During this fast God reminded me, that I never trusted the plan He had for my life. Although I put my head down in reverence, yet with arrogance to God, I acknowledged that this was true, as if this was something to be proud of because it’s not. This became bothersome to me because I now know that for all these years, it grieved the Holy Spirit. And we all know this passage of scripture, “For I know the plan I have for you declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm, plans to give you a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). But for some reason, call it fear, call it trust issues, call it the struggles or woes of a planner who must plan everything, I had chosen not to trust God with my life completely. That’s just something I wasn’t ready to do. But during this fast, as it continues for me, I knew if I didn’t learn how to trust God completely, I would never bear witness to the outcome of His plan, and what a shame that would be. So, I decided to cancel all my plans and surrender my entire life for His will and so far, so good.

So, for this part of our spiritual journey for 2026. I need you to cancel your plans and come away with me. After reading this, I need you to close your eyes and use your spiritual imagination to jump into the sea and into the deep waters with me, into a sea filled with your spiritual destiny. I don’t need you to swim because that takes too much energy, but I need you to relax and float on the water. Now I need you to use your spiritual imagination and turn the water into wind and allow yourself to drift away in the wind. Can you see yourself being carried away by the wind? Can you see yourself being carried away by the Holy Spirit? Are you there yet? Sounds crazy right? People can’t drift in the wind, or can they? If this is your thought process, that’s ok, but please note, if you’re trying to make sense out of this from a logical standpoint, you won’t, because spiritual movements are not necessarily logical, but spiritual and miraculous in nature, especially if you want to see an Isaiah 43 type of miracle. So, for this portion of our spiritual journey, I need you to stop thinking and even turn off your spiritual imagination once you become spiritually aligned with the knowledge of Christ and allow yourself to be carried away in the Spirit. If Jesus can walk on water, then why can’t you drift in the wind (John 3:8)? I hope you’re excited, I look forward to our journey together. Stand by for further instructions.

Dear God, please help my unbelief and help me to see what I cannot fathom or discipline myself to believe. Amen.

Synod Moderator, Jacquelyn Rembert