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Much has been written to the individual about how we should simplify holidays, but it gets a bit more complicated for those of us in ministry. We are, after all, responsible for other people whom we fear may be alone or neglected during the holidays. We also feel compelled to help others connect to God during the holidays rather than default to the culture’s interpretation ...

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My brother’s car sped off down the street. The police officer jumped into his vehicle in pursuit. What started off as a suicide intervention had quickly turned into a high speed car chase. As I sat in shock in the first squad car chasing my brother, our speeds increasing to 80 miles an hour, all I could do was pray. Miraculously, the chase ended without any physical ...

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Fatigued from a sleepless night of worry, I sat frozen, staring at a list of unanswered emails. I had been coming alongside a woman in my ministry, and her email subject lines had increased in intensity over the week from “Can you help?” to “I’m hurting!” Suddenly, her one word text—CRISIS—dinged on my phone, and I burst into tears. ...

Image: Flickr/wvs

At a recent conference, two speakers caught my attention and caused me to examine my heart and ministry. The first was a well-known pastor. I'd never heard her speak before, so I was eager to hear what she had to say. My excitement faded quickly, though, when she started.

She was focused on putting on a performance rather than teaching well. She told a story about looking ...

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It’s 100 million degrees in Chicago, and I’m sweating through my shirt. I’ve not showered, I’m sporting a baseball hat and sunglasses to mask this fact, desperately hoping no one notices me. I scurry from my car into the building like an incognito A-Lister—only I’m dashing across the church parking lot to my office.

It’s my day off, ...

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It’s pretty easy for women in ministry to fall into adultery—much easier than you probably think.

It shocks us to hear that women leaders struggle with sexual sin, but it’s more common than we know. The problem is that no one talks about it because there’s so much shame surrounding the topic. That silence means those who struggle will continue ...

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We live in a performance-based culture that measures success by how much you can cram into your life. The more you do, the more you're doing, so to speak. This mentality has, by and large, infiltrated the church, and you don't have to look beyond the church's leadership to see that. Many pastors and church leaders are overworked and burned out, and their families ...

Image: sirmildredpierce/flickr

Editor's Note: The New Yorker recently reported a rising trend: adult women coloring to rest, relax, and rejuvenate. Could coloring help us connect with God in some way? This author shares what she's gained—both in her ministry and personally—by spending time with markers and blank paper.

My friend Naomi once offered me her home as a quiet space for ...

Image: danielito311/flickr

It’s an odd thing to break into tears while chairing an elder’s meeting.

Before our gathering, I’d done my homework and had all the facts we needed to make decisions. But when we came to an agenda item about staffing, I became overwhelmed by my feelings—care for the staff person involved, worries that I had failed, fear about financial ramifications. ...

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Leading while feeling stagnant and sluggish are sure ways to self-destruct in ministry. Attempting to lead others while we’re frustrated, uneasy, and tired will shipwreck our leadership abilities. The problem isn’t just big issues in life, but also the everyday pressures that add up and consume us. This kind of pressure can slowly chisel away at us, weakening ...