Meaning and Authenticity

I love so much seeing God at work in someone's life. Really, it just thrills me. It's Friday night and I'm dead tired, yet there remains somewhere within me a sense of energy, excitement at what I have witnessed in my counseling and spiritual direction practice these last couple of weeks. Of course I can't write about the specifics of what happened. Generally, it's people recognizing the lies they've been telling themselves about who they are--recognizing how those lies have covered up what is good and true and beautiful within them....It's people growing up, no longer stuck emotionally at the level of a 15 year old, but facing the mistakes they've made, facing the reality of how they have conformed to the expectations of others, facing an unknown but full-of-fabulous-possibilities future....It's people coming alive, seeing the beauty on the faces of those around them, seeing the truth that no one else has the power to make them unhappy, seeing G...

A word from The Art of Pastoring this cold Sunday morning : Your role as a pastor and your congregation's life as a church will both come to an end. Only the Word is without end. Therefore be aware of the temporary and never give it too much importance. If people gave less attention to the multitude of things temporary, and more attention to the One thing permament, there would be room in their hearts for the writing of the Word and there would be no more need to teach for all would know. (Author's observations: Whatever you are worried about right now, whatever is distracting you from the Word ~ it is temporary. Relax. And be free to love.)

Many many thanks for your prayers... Let me give my heart some space here...More from "The Art of Pastoring--Contemporary Reflections" by William C. Martin: Thought 15--Qualities The qualities of a pastor are impossible to describe. We can only see them in action. No noise or clamor, but a careful manner of moving through the daily parish activities; clear eyes steadily seeing to the heart; kindness and humility in the presence of others, needing to defend nothing, prove nothing -- therefore able to respond with the sureness of the flowing river. Hiding nothing, therefore able to speak truthfully with ease. Can you do this? Can you wait patiently until all the voices that clamor for action settle down? Can you resist the temptation to do what the parish seems so desperately to want you to do until the Spirit of God reveals naturally and gently the next step, and events unfold as they should without pushing or shoving? The pastor does not seek success. She does not see people ...

Part of the stress I feel is coming from not being the "perfect" pastor. William Martin's The Art of Pastoring: Contemplative Reflections helps me remember that it's authenticity I seek, not perfection. Mistakes are part of being human. Thought 10--Abilities "A minister of the Word has certain abilities: the ability to gently return a noisy mind to a quiet place of communion with God; the ability to release tension from the body and to remain supple and relaxed; the ability to cleanse the soul of accumulated negativity so the pure light of God is undimmed; the ability to lead the people in the parish without needing them to behave as you see fit; the ability to let even the most important events unfold without worrying or tampering with the process; the ability to detach from your own plans for the church and see the grace of God unfold in a gentle way. And if you are truly among the wisest of pastors you create a safe place for your people's creativity; you ...

I've allowed myself to feel some stress regarding the church I serve. Today I picked up a book that my sister gave me when I was in seminary, The Art of Pastoring: Contemplative Reflections. The author, a pastor himself, took the 81 chapters of the Tao Te Ching and "translates the essence of each thought into a message for the Western pastor." Thought 73--Future "Anxiousness about the future destroys the life of a congregation. Out of this anxiousness the pastor and people try to control events. This is a tremendous waste of energy, and drains the people of spiritual power. Events are always changing and nothing can be grasped. If a pastor can free herself and her people from the fear of death, there is nothing they cannot achieve." "(Do congregations die? Of course they do. They have birthdays and go through stages of growth. They search for meaning and struggle against fear. They eventually die. Realizing this can be a wonderfully freeing insight for a f...