Affirmations

"I can think of no other pursuit in the world that is more difficult or more rewarding than leading a church that is committed to creatively changing lives for the glory of God. These are words from a pastor named Ed Young that challenge my heart.

I always live somewhere between difficult and rewarding when I think about ministry.

Both of these descriptors are real, even though sometimes I pretend they are not. Today I sat through meetings where I heard stories of difficult times and rewarding times in kingdom ministry.

Tonight I watched as three people were ordained into the ministry. They had that invincible look in their eye...that look that seeks to convince observers that nothing is to diffcult for them. I had that look one time. Living life has tempered that optimism and made me aware that "apart from Him I can do nothing."

It was a night of affirmations.

It was a night of confirmations.

I thought that it was about those being ordained until I listened closely to the ritual. I contemplated the difficult and rewarding places that I have been in ministry and realized that this was a night of affirmations for me as well. It was also a night of confirmations.

Now that I am sitting at home reflecting on the evening, I recognize that His story continues to shape the story of my life and ministry. For this I am thankful.

C.S. Lewis said, “Christianity is the story of how the rightful King has landed, you might say in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in His great campaign of sabotage”

Tomorrow I will get up and continue to be shaped by His Story, I will continue to tell His Story and I will continue to experience difficult and rewarding places along the journey.

When was the last time you shared His Story?