Made a mistake…
When I (as a pastor) Get Anxiety
Today is my day off. Fridays for our staff is a Sabbath day of rest. We aren’t supposed to work.
When I got out of bed this morning, I began to feel the pressure of anxiety creep into my consciousness. It wasn’t linked to specific thoughts or pressures of life. It was just a dull roar in the depths of my spirit. Why? I began to ask myself, “What did I leave unaccomplished this week?” Maybe I was getting stressed because I forgot something. Maybe I did something wrong or maybe I didn’t finish something successfully. What was left to accomplish before Sunday? Maybe I needed to ‘get something done’ before our services on Sunday. Is someone mad at me and I need to resolve it? I begin to focus on the mystery and try to figure it out. Thinking that if I could just resolve the issue, then everything would be at peace. All these thoughts came before my feet hit the floor. I had only been awake about 30 seconds. So this is what I did…
Our Walk in the Truth
3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
In an effort to find out where folks are in their ‘walk in the truth’, I created a survey. I would love for any PSM folks that read my blog to take this 4-5minute survey. click link below:
My Thoughts on “Big Joe”
For the last 25 years, I have had another family. The Ross Family. The 90s was our strongest decade. On any given weekend, we spent Friday and Saturday night together. Through youth groups, school events, double dates. Seven different houses from 290 West to 79 east. 3 neighborhoods, a ranch, a farm, a high-rise condo, and an apartment in the 183 ghetto where we were concerned for our life. We took trips from Las Vegas to Santa Fe to the Caribbean.
I spent a lot of time with Big Joe, Glenda, Joe, Kimberly Jo, Kelly Jo, and Jeffrey Jo and all the pets with Joe derivatives. I feel like I should be an honorary “Joe”.
The one place that I remember the most, no matter the house or the neighborhood, was Saturday morning around the breakfast table. Joe and Glenda cooking homemade pancakes, sausage, bacon, biscuits and gravy, fruit, coffee, and orange juice. Let me just say when it came to eating…The Ross family didn’t mess around.
There was so much life in that house. Laughing, running, talking, teasing, hitting each other, praying together. Each member of the family have such strong personalities and unique character. Entrepreneurial spirit, the life of the party, beauty (honestly, the Ross’ are some of the best looking people I know), hard working, creative.
Each characteristic was represented at the breakfast table with it’s own agenda and potency that left alone would overpower. However, when the atmosphere got too hectic, there was one who could say one sentence and bring peace and balance to the mix. Big Joe would have enough of Jeff or Kelly or whoever and in his own simple way would bring a balance to the force. He was like a conductor at a symphony. He was so good at keeping the rhythm, that the family worked well together. Complimented one another.
Made Meaningful
Erica and I have decided to launch a new ministry based on our experience with Kennady. We want to remind people that culture and society are messed up. Therefore, we shouldn’t rely on culture and society’s definition or acceptance of our value and meaning. When we ‘lean on’ secular definitions of significance, then we are left at the discretion of emotion and the majority vote.
We stand on the Word of God alone to define everything.
Psalm 139:14 “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.”
Check out our new website www.mademeaningful.com and please “like” us on Facebook.
Robin Steele 