Rich Villodas on His New Book 'Waiting on Jesus'

Rich Villodas: Very painfully, which I think is in the tradition of the people of God in the scriptures where waiting is often fraught with challenge and complexity, reminding us ultimately of our dependence upon God, the one who comes. On one level waiting, exposes our deficiencies and another it cultivates dependence. I think that's the unique human experience and what it means to be in relationship with God.

CW: Why is waiting on God seen as a spiritual formation?

RV: I think the question is as it relates to waiting, is what is the work of formation in us? Some of the language I use is that what God does in us as we wait is more important than what we're waiting for. I think that's the journey of waiting. We're waiting is about, it's a formation opportunity for us. God's trying to form something in us. God's not just out here trying to give out Christmas gifts left and right to say, here you go. Yeah. He's trying to form something in us. I think that's the tension that we have with waiting, now this is not to minimize, some significant things people are waiting for like healing in their body, reconciliation, and relationships. On one level, that thing that we're waiting for is profoundly significant and important. I think the question then is also in addition to that, what are the ways that God is trying to form something in us? Because the larger story of scripture, Romans eight, is that we were predestined to be conformed to the image of his son. I think waiting uniquely positions us to do that.

CW: It seems like this was the book that you needed for yourself?

RV: I often think that we write books that we need, for ourselves. My writing emerges out of my own struggle. Some people write because they're curious about a topic. Others write because they have struggled with a topic that they need to find words to journey through life. I think in many respects, the books that I write, I write as a pastor, number one. So, I'm writing at, for a particular community of people that I get to shepherd in Queens, New York City. At the same time, the way that I shepherd others is going to be connected to my life with God to my own unique challenges and struggles where I invite the community into my journey. I'm offering something more than just my journey. I'm offering something from God. To talk about things like rejoicing and peacemaking and waiting and beholding, you know, beholding is to fix our attention on something.

CW: When did you know that God was calling you to write this book?

RV: Well, believe it or not, two phases. So, most of my books, merged out of what I'm sensing as pastoral urgency for my community. This project started ten years ago, 2015. I wanted our congregation to connect to Jesus, not to be marked by consumerism and commercialism or to simply, be at peace with the kind of Christian culturalism that if we say keep Christ in Christmas, we're good.

Ten years ago, I wrote a series of curated, prayers and devotionals to just help my people stay connected to God. That was ten years ago, every year I would maybe offer it again or put it in a little booklet, and this has happened with other books, like my first book to Deeply formed Life was the Leader's Guide. First, I wanted my leaders to understand our five values. And it turned out, you know what? I think this is more than just leaders. This could be a book to help people around the world understand spiritual formation in the same way. It started ten years ag, and then two years ago, I was approached by my publisher who said, hey, would you have in mind something along these lines? I already had a bunch of content, so I just wrote in light of some of these themes on waiting on Jesus.

CW: What's your writing rhythm like?

RV: It’s interesting because it's changed. My initial rhythm was to write at night. In fact, I wrote my first and my second book at night. When I'm in a writing season, as I'm in again, right now, I typically write about three to four days a week.

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Photo Credit: Penguin Random House / Rich Villodas

MAINA MWAURA is a freelance writer and journalist who has interviewed over 800 influential leaders, including two US Presidents, three Vice-Presidents, and a variety of others. Maina, is also the author of the Influential Mentor, How the life and legacy of Howard Hendricks Equipped and Inspired a Generation of Leaders. Maina and his family reside in the Kennesaw, Georgia area.