Top 3 Highlights and Challenges of 2010

Janny and I were able to get away for a couple hours yesterday and reflect on 2010.  It was a sweet process and reminded us what a huge year this has been in our lives.  We reflected separately initially, yet we came up with the same top 3 events/experiences.  Here they are:

Highlights

1. Pregnancy/Welcoming Baby Ruby to Our Family

From seeing Janny’s belly grow with Ruby’s development; to taking Ruby’s on her first international adventure (Jan was 7 months along while we studied/traveled in Israel and Palestine); to the shared anticipation of her arrival (2 weeks late!) with our new community down in Golden Hill; to God’s profound provision in allowing us to experience the richness of natural labor/childbirth; to waking up to her smiling face every morning; our lives have forever been swept into the mystery of a parents’ unconditional love.

2. Going to Israel/Palestine

As a guy who is captivated by the ways in which context and story are central to the Biblical narrative, our time was an incredibly academic and historically insightful experience.  More than anything, we were captivated by the way God’s Story is still being told today through the lives of his people, specifically the Palestinian Christians in the West Bank.  It opened our eyes to the brutal tensions on both sides of the tragic Separation Wall and instilled in me a deep conviction to tell the story of those who are often forgotten by those of us in the West.

3. Moving to Golden Hill as Missionaries

Landing in a place where our desire to embody and develop the Church has become an everyday reality/practice, while being surrounded by other like minded and gifted leaders has been a dream come true.  There is something profound about being in a place and living a life that brings a peace and conviction that isn’t best described in words.  I haven’t experienced that in years.  (Check out of our Family/Ministry Blog)

Here is the crazy part of our reflection time.  Our greatest highlights were exactly the same as our greatest challenges.  There is a message in that, but I will have to wait and unpack that later…

Challenges

1. Getting pregnant

It was terrifying to even try to get pregnant again after losing our first child at 5 months into our pregnancy.  We had given our heart to that child and didn’t end up even getting to meet him/her.  While we were still grieving, we had become parents and although we had been burned the first go round, through tears and small slices of hope we tried again.  Also, Ruby didn’t make for an easy pregnancy as she clearly came in her own time! (Check out some of our labor inducing strategies).

2. Going to Israel/Palestine

In a culture that promotes an “I’ll do that adventure someday” mentality, going to live/study in Israel/Palestine for 5 weeks was a bold move.  Not only was it a financial commitment, Janny was 7 months pregnant and we knew we would be coming home to a quick transition from Santa Cruz to San Diego for our new role with NieuCommunities.  We don’t regret that experience for one second.

3. Moving to Golden Hill as Missionaries

“You’re going to do what?!” was a common question once we made the decision to go on board with NieuCommunities as missionaries.  Setting aside financial security, committing to trust the financial provision/support of people who believed in this new mission and leaving the area we had lived nearly three decades was a terrifying but thrilling endeavor.

Honorable Mentions: Completing and getting my first book published and knocking out another year of my Master’s work @ Fuller Theological Seminary.  Oh, and of course the Giants winning the World Series!!

It is for all of these reasons that 2010 was the best year of my life.  And after 2009, I needed it. (Read: Last year’s depression and losing Baby H)

Published by Jon Huckins

Jon is a speaker, writer and peacemaking trainer who has a Master’s Degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in Theology and Christian Ethics. He is currently working on a PhD in Theology and Political Ethics at Vrije University Amsterdam. He lives in San Diego with his wife, Jan, three daughters (Ruby, Rosie & Lou) and one son (Hank) where they co-lead an intentional Christian community seeking to live as a reconciling presence in their neighborhood. The whole family loves to swim and surf any chance they get.

5 replies on “Top 3 Highlights and Challenges of 2010”

  1. It’s been fun getting to know you in 2010. I’m looking forward to hanging more in 2011. So glad to have you guys down here and that you said yes to God… trusting that He really wanted you in Golden Hill.

  2. We are so proud of you both. We have watched your growth as people and your growth into spiritual maturity. We are honored to be your parents
    Love, Bob and Char

  3. Loved how you communicated about your last year. Praying and watching it all unfold has been a joy…….

Comments are closed.