April 2011
Harnessing Our Humanity
Have you ever led a small group in which the following type of scenario took place?
You're excited because you invited a new person to your small group–perhaps a young co-worker or a student you met on campus–and this person is not a believer. He or she lives with their boyfriend or girlfriend and is very much immersed in the secular world, but you've had some promising conversations ...
Multi-Tasking God
This week I received an email that began, "I know you must be crazy with Holy Week...." The writer, of course, was referring to the phenomenon of church leaders fried by the frenzied business of leading a church during Easter. But the phrase stayed near to me, even as I succumbed to the relentless demands I impose on myself that insist I must do it right–especially this week. ...
Chasing after Glory
Eleven months ago I stepped out of full-time ministry to give birth to my first child. After working for nine years as a pastor and one year as a hospital chaplain, I knew the transition from ministry to motherhood would be stretching; but I had no idea how stretching.
In place of writing sermons, I now change diapers. In exchange for developing and implementing new programs, ...
"What You Are Doing Is Not Good"
"What you are doing is not good."
Has anyone ever said that to you?
For a performance-based, people-pleaser like me, those words were painful to hear–even though they were told in love–because they were true.
Now I know how Moses must have felt when Jethro, his father-in-law, said these same words upon evaluating his leadership. Here's how ...
How to Let Your Yes Be Yes, and Your No, No
When I was a young, single Christian woman, I was completely engulfed in ministry, living 1 Corinthians 7:34a to the fullest–"In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit." I split my time between evangelism outreach, gospel choir, tutoring, nonprofit chaplaincy, and other volunteer work. ...
