Anamnesis

It means "A LIVED MEMORY" or in a more common phrase, "faith in action". However, this is easier said than done. What does it mean to physically practice a belief?

This is bigger than avoiding the naughty list. The adventure of practicing a belief is more about action than avoidance. For example: Going to New York is not the same thing as avoiding Guatemala. Almost anyone can avoid something with little effort, but pursuing something is entirely different. To "LIVE A MEMORY" is to submit your mind, emotions, resources, and whole self to a truth. 

Christians practice Anamnesis in the sacrament of communion, also called the Lord's Supper. In this sacrament Christ followers share bread and wine, as the gospel is received for spiritual nourishment and growth in grace. It is a physical action of a spiritual truth. It is usually accompanied with the phrase "Do this in remembrance of me."

That's the LIVED MEMORY! When a Christ follower receives communion, they look forward with hope as they remember what Christ has done. It is theology in motion. But this note is not about communion, it's about WORK.
 

Your work can be an ANAMNESIS!

Everything from vocation to vacation is driven by a narrative. Embracing that narrative can make the difference between fear and joy, between monotony and worship. 

• In the words of John Piper - "The soul is measured by its flights, some low and others high, the heart is known by its delights, and pleasures never lie."

Your work is not stuck in a holding pattern between heaven and earth. It's on a continuum between experience and ambition. The story of God's Kingdom is being written daily through our LIVING MEMORIESas we cut asphalt, change diapers, file expense reports, lose elections, and cure diseases.    

Anamnesishappens when we submit our present circumstances (time, talent, and treasure) to a greater narrative. The greater the story, the greater our work will serve as aliving memory. Looking forward with assurance from the past, lived in the present. Anamnesis converts our daily endeavors from minutia into spiritual offerings of joy.

BONUS:this applies in life's valleys and vistas