The past few weeks have been busy. Coming back from vacation, attending weddings and trying to play catch-up /get a head at work have kept me moving and ready for another vacation/extended weekend.
Ever feel like that?
In my life as a full time Pastor I could not understand why everyone looked forward to the weekends and hated Monday. Four and a half years into the “real world” and I think I get it. For many of us weekends are a chance for a different pace than Monday through Friday. Often I work on the weekends, but it is different.
On the weekends I am more intentional with my family. I am more intentional with a slower pace. I do many things that being me life. Even on a busy weekend, I seem to find more joy.
But my weekends fly by and before I know it here comes the dreaded Monday routine.
So what do I/we do? Is there away to find the same joy Monday through Friday?
I am trying to figure out and implement rhythms or routines that allow me to thrive. For me, daily I need time to read, journal, and be with God. This happens best for me in the mornings. The hard part is getting out of bed.
Weekly, I feel best if I can hit the gym. I have not done this consistently for years, but I know I need it. Late nights seem like they might work best as I have done this several times over the last few months.
Also, I am learning that I need to schedule spiritual conversations with people. Once a week I should be meeting with someone to talk about faith and life. These conversation bring me great joy and encourage me to keep at it. These conversations give me something to look forward to during the weekday stress.
I believe these rhythms will help me make it from one weekend to the next with a little more joy.
A few Months ago the lead Pastor (Josh) at StillMeadow Church, the Church our family has been attending, asked if I would preach. I didn’t have to think about it much, as I love talking about Jesus.
But this was a little bit different for me. Over the last few years I have lead several weddings, which I really enjoy, but preaching from an assigned scripture, on a stage, it’s been five plus years. And over these years I believe I have changed significantly.
The last time I was on a stage talking it is what I was paid to do full time. At some points, I was working on one of two messages a week. I was able to be well prepared and comfortable. But this time was different. I have been working construction full time for 4+ years. My schedule is dominated by work and showing up for kids sports practices and games. So, preparing was so different.
The highlight of preaching this past weekend was the response of my oldest son Jacob. For some reason Jacob was drawn my preaching. He requested not to go to kids ministry. He wanted to hear his dad. After I spoke he come up and said dad that was awesome. We went out for dinner, and while their the host said how is your day, he responded, awesome my dad preached at our Church. On Memorial Day I was asked to pray and Jake said “dad pray like you preached.” Not sure what is going on in my sons heart but I loved it.
Several of my friends and family have requested to listen to the message. For some reason the normal Youtube feed did not work so I recorded it late Sunday night for my Grandparents. Since many have requested it I have decided to share it here. Much different then Sunday morning live, as I was pretty exhausted, but hopefully you can still capture the point that was on my heart.
So, I have to vent for a minute. As the conversation of raising the minimum wage continues business men and women have been responding. It has been happening for years. Individuals who own and run this country are smart. They know that if they are going to continue to make a profit things have to change.
So they change has come and continues to come. Instead of hiring more workers at $10.00 business pay thousands of dollars for a few computers and let workers go. Tonight me and four other customers checked ourselves out at Home Depot. No “normal” cashiers were present. One employees stood at her computer and made sure we knew what we were doing.
Fast food and other companies are following behind. Sheetz, Wawa and others have lead the way by getting us to place our order via computer. Smart phones can now order at many restaurants. Some times I order my own drink at Starbucks via my phone.
Are you aware that computer operated Tractor Trailer Trucks are already replacing truck drivers? Truck Drivers make more than minimum wage! Raising minimum wage sounds like a great idea, but the reality is business men and women will push back. They will find a way to make a profit and when they can no longer do that, they will walk away. Potential Employees lose by raising minimum wage.
If we want to increase jobs and wages give Employers a reason to hire new people and pay them well. Employers will pay for good employees.
Last week I went from Jury Duty on Monday and Tuesday to restoration of a fire-damaged McDonalds on Wednesday. Pretty much since then it has been non-stop lets get this thing opened. In a week I have met some new people who I look forward to getting know more. In a week I have learned a lot about running a fast paced job for GCM.
But today, I was reminded how God is working. Sitting at a front counter waiting for some material I needed for my project, I apologized to the man next to me for taking so long. He said no worries, I’ve got time, I’m just sitting here contemplating my existence. My response “wow that is deep.” He said, “yeah I am sorry man.” I said “no problem, just got to be careful what you say out loud, I’m a Pastor and love those kind of conversations.” He responded with “yeah I know where I am spending Eternity.”
After a bit of silence I said, “glad you got eternity figured out, for me the hardest part is walking the unknown day to day journey.” To which he replied, “yeah that seems to be the hardest part.” This lead me to talking about why “sharing faith and life” with a community of faith believers is so important. I shared my thoughts on church and he was interested. He said, “I don’t like ‘traditional Churches’.”
The guy next to me then said “so you must not like mega/large churches.” I said, “I simply don’t think there is one model for everyone anymore. We need different types of churches for different stages/seasons of life people are in.” He said, “yeah I’m a pastor too, and I’m out here working like you. I’ve been doing bi-vocational ministry for 10 years. The church I’m a part of has around 100 people and everyone ministers to each other.” We chatted and the “Contemplating my Existence” guy listened in and said “thanks for conversation”.
Seriously, two Pastors, who are living out their faith and life a bit different in the same store with a man who is Contemplating his Existence. God is working wherever our lives are stationed. He is drawing men and women unto Himself.
Lord help my eyes and ears be open to what you are doing. Help me to be like Christ to those I come in contact with. May the way I live, think, and act be used as seeds of hope and faith in the lives of those I come in contact with in the places I live, work, learn, and play!
I just got done spending my first week away from my family. Last Sunday night I left York Pennsylvania to head to hillside New Jersey. GCM, the company that I work for, has a Wendy’s project that we are working on.
I’ve had the privilege to be learning from one of our superintendents. I’m learning what it means to be a superintendent on a job site and what it looks like to project manage with a group of subcontractors.
As we began to demo the Wendys, that we are working on, I quickly learned the importance of doing a job right. Over the course of many years this Wendy’s has had many different changes. The contractors who went before us did not do their job completely. They took shortcuts and I’m sure their bids for low cost. The problem is the store was a mess. Our electricians could not believe how this store has been wired over the course of many years. It literally looked like a tangled mess.
I’m very proud of the sub contractors who GCM has working for them. As we tore apart this Wendy’s not one of them was happy with the quality of work that went before them. Each of them is determined to fix the issues of concern that have gone before them. Each of them wants to do the job right.
The unfortunate part for each of our subcontractors means that this will cost them it will cost them time effort and money to fix the mistakes and do the job right.
Doing the job right. Not taking shortcuts. This is teaching me a lot about life and the fact that there is a cost for doing it right there’s a cost to live right.
If you’re going to do something do it right and others will be thankful.
One of the biggest wrestles I continue to have as I step away from paid “full time” ministry is feeling that I what I am doing is not enough. I mean I went from focusing on the things of God most of my day to spending most of my day thinking about construction.
Even in my time as a Hospice Chaplain (which in more ways then one was a perfect fit for me, my family, and who I believe God is calling me to be) was filled with appointments and conversations about God. In many ways being a Chaplain was safe. My confidence and trust was still in what I was doing for God. It was obvious that God was using me as a chaplain.
In many ways I still want to put a number or measure the impact my faith is having. I want to be able to say today “I” did this for God. Here is the interesting thing. God is working in my workplace. No I don’t have daily stories to tell. I can’t say this person prayed or trusted in Christ. BUT GOD IS WORKING!
As I hear the stories of others and have a chance to speak the truth in love, I see God in my workplace. God is moving. Yes it looks a lot different then what I am used to, but I can still see God at work in the lives of others. And yes, God is using me.
Who am I to say where I have the biggest impact? I serve a God who tells us He is willing to leave the 99 to search for the 1. I don’t know what God is doing. I don’t know what the future holds. But I know that God is in my workplace and I am so thankful that He is allowing me to see that He is there with me. I am not alone in my Workplace. God is there. God cares about my coworkers. God cares about my customers. God cares about me! He is proud of me and my willingness to leave the 99 to spend time searching for the 1….2….3….or however many people He wants to use me to impact.
God I thank you for Your presence in my workplace. God help me to continue to believe that Your Light can shine in the midst of the darkness. Help me to believe that this community that I am now apart of can change. God help me to be faithful despite how I feel!
It is official. For the first time since graduating college in 2005 I will not be paid to be a Pastor. I will still be a Pastor, because it is who I am, I just won’t get paid to do it. I will still be giving Pastoral leadership to LifeStation Church, I just won’t get paid to do it. Ok I think you get the point.
Over the past 10 years God has showed me so much about myself. Finally I feel like I can embrace the fact that I am a Pastor. So why am I leaving my paid position as a Pastor? Over the past 10 years I have unknowingly bought into the idea that the best way God can use someone who has a desire to impact people for Jesus is for them to be in full time ministry in some capacity. But God has been burdening my heart with the idea that no matter where our lives are stationed, followers of Jesus can and should have an impact. Wherever followers of Jesus are light should shine in the darkness. I think I believe that….but maybe I don’t believe that one is important as the 99.
Over the past year God has been showing me that as I share my faith and life with one or two the impact can be just as significant as the message that I share with hundreds. I am learning that my presents in the world, as a Pastor, matters just as much as what I do. As a paid Pastor I had the tendency to get caught up in what I got paid to do. Often this distracted me from being with God and others. Being paid to be a Pastor put a burden on me that made me feel like I had to produce. I had to show my self worthy as a faithful servant. I had to produce results. I think this often lead to me missing the 1 for the 99. I looked at peoples gifts and abilities and what they could do for the church and often missed them.
I am learning that as I spend time being with 1 the impact still happens. As I love and care for the 1 that God puts in front of me, God some how works in my life and theirs. He encourages us and then multiplies this effort. The 1 often goes and spends time with another and the cycle repeats itself.
Yes I am no longer going to be a PAID Pastor, but I believe that God is setting me free to love and serve people like never before. I believe God wants me to see and experience the fact that no matter where my life is stationed, as I am aware of the people who God places in front of me, I will have an impact for Christ. I will encourage others to follow Jesus as I spend time with Him and reflect His light into the world.
WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING?
Starting January 1st, 2015 I will be an employee of General Construction Management based out of Mt. Joy. Several years ago my dad took over ownership of this company and he desires it to be a company that God uses for His glory! I am going to join his team and do my best to learn the business. In more ways then one I am stepping out of the boat and trusting God to give me the wisdom and understanding I will need for this new season of my life. I am trusting God to help me, a Pastor, to use my other gifts and abilities to increase my influence for Jesus.
I am thankful for LifeStation Church and the support of me on this journey. I am thankful that we are standing together to declare a different way to live life.
This year I believe God is asking me to draw closer to Him then ever before. As a “Paid” Pastor some times my drivers was marked by shame and failure. I wanted to have an impact. I wanted to produce. This year I am walking out of the darkness and into the light. This year I want to walk into the HOPE OF LIFE and the FREEDOM Jesus won for me!
NOTE: I do not believe that I was wrong to be a paid “Pastor”, actually I think full time “paid” pastors are important, but God is showing me that I need to believe that He can use me wherever my life his stationed.
Currently I am transitioning into a new job as a part time Hospice chaplain. I am being challenged in so many different ways. I am learning that so much of what we spend our time thinking about really doesn’t matter as we sit before deaths door.
Much of our theological and doctrinal discussions fade, although important, are no longer as significant. It seems that as people begin to transition from death to life the relationship that we have with God and others matters most. Are we at peace with our beliefs about God? Are we at peace with others? Have we lived life the way we desired to live?
As I sit and meet with patience and their families I am able to reflect. Over the past few years I have begun to view the Scriptures differently. I read to learn about God. I read to learn about people. I read to discover how I believe God is leading me to live. I confess that I don’t read the Scriptures to prove that I am right and you are wrong. I read the Scriptures because I want God to teach me how to live no matter what circumstances I am facing.
In this time of transition I am learning that God has put dreams and desires on my heart and has given me the freedom to pursue them. As I pursue Him and examine what the Scriptures teach, I am set free to live my life for His glory. In this transition I am learning that I have put some of the dreams on hold because of my desire to walk beside others. I want to see others realize the hopes and dreams that God has created them for and in many ways I am hoping that our dreams line up.
So instead of living into the dreams I have “waited patiently” trusting that if they are of God they will come to be. In some ways this has been good. In others ways I have been holding myself back.
I am thankful for what my latest transition is revealing. I am thankful for those who I get to walk with through transition. Now to spend more time in the Scripture and live my life for His glory, wherever that may lead me to be stationed.
As I began planning my week I realized something. The path I used to travel has changed. For four years I drove from my South York home to West York. Now most of my time is spent South of York City. I simply don’t travel the same path.
The impact of this is pretty significant. For several years I stopped at a gas station/Subway to see my good friend Siddiqui. Over the years I have really gotten to know him and some of his coworkers. It seems like I have been distant for the past several months. The reality I don’t travel that path. Now I will have to figure out how to be more intentional with those relationships.
This is so important for me to understand because the Path I travel is changing. I recently got offered a part time position as a Hospice Chaplain and will be working out of an office just East of York City. Already I have begun to think about the relationships that I have built here in South York. Already I am beginning to get excited about the new relationships that will form on the new path I will travel.
The path is changing and that means I will have to be more intentional with relationships that I have formed. The path is changing and I am excited to see what awaits me around the next bend.
God is good and I believe He is guiding me as I step out in faith to embrace who He has called me to be. God is good and I am thankful for all that awaits me!
How is the Path that you walking?
Has it changed? Is it time for a change?
Are you being intentional with the path you are on and the old paths you used to walk?
