Posts

The Rule of Life

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Do you have an intentional, thoughtful, and integrated plan to draw you closer to God? Me neither! Obviously I practice spiritual disciplines like prayer, study, and all the other classics. But do they accomplish exactly what I would expect of them?  Danielle and I have reviewed Peter Scazzero's writings for the past decade. We first learned about his Emotionally Healthy Spirituality at our Fellowship's National Convention. Peter and his wife Gerry were the main speakers that year. We were moved by their testimony of how ministry, in many ways, drew them further away from God and each other! We knew immediately that we never wanted to end up in the same spot the Scazzeros found themselves in! We repeatedly tried to implement EHS into our life and ministry rhythms. Some years, we saw tremendous success. Others? Not so much. In 2023, I reread The Emotionally Healthy Leader . I knew I would need better spiritual practices with all that was dealt with in ministry during...
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Review: Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer

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  It's not often that I find a book that I believe every Christian should read, apart from the Bible, that is.  Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer is DEFINITELY one of those books! I had never heard of John Mark Comer until I attended my retreat at Kerith Waters, sponsored by Focus on the Family. During our one-on-one sessions, the Director read a passage to Danielle and me that really resonated with me, so I picked up the book as soon as we returned home.  Comer guides the reader through a discipleship pathway focused on Jesus, emphasizing true spiritual transformation rather than simply gathering information. Our modern-day view of discipleship is more in line with education than apprenticeship. The church can feel more like a school, with classes, programs, studies, and a curriculum that guides us from one step to the next, building our knowledge without much change to the deeper, innermost parts of our spirit. Being an apprentice is different. It requires...
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Prayer, Drywall, and Creativity

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I spent most of the past week at Ellele Ministries Canada in Westport, Ontario. Ellel has played an important part in our wellness journey for the past several years as the Father has brought both Danielle and me spiritual and emotional healing through their amazing team.  As we have pursued God's healing in our bodies, souls, and spirits, we have participated in several different events and retreats at Ellel. Last week we had a Prayer Ministry Appointment (PMA) where we met with a couple of members of the team to pray together and listen to God on areas that he wants to on. Being on Sabbatical has allowed me to spend some great, quality time with the Father, but during that session, God revealed something new that he wanted me to be delivered from. Fear. Most of us deal with some form of fear. Whether it is anxiety, worry, or a phobia, fear can play a significant part in our lives. Lots of pastors struggle with people pleasing and the fear of letting their church down.  These...
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Review: The Art of Rest by Adam Mabry

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  "Let's just relax today." If you are anything like me, that simple statement may have caused you serious feelings of dread! "Relax?" HOW???? I have NO CLUE how to relax! Over the past few years, I have been on a journey of wellness - mentally, physically, and spiritually. A significant part of this journey has been to develop sabbath rhythms in my life and home. Daily, weekly, and yearly intentionality to deepen my connection to my Heavenly Father. It is no surprise to anyone that we live in an incredibly busy culture. At one point I counted that I had 7 different ways that people could reach out to me, awaiting an answer, and I don't even know if a message came in! Rest in a busy culture seems incredibly counter-cultural. As churches and Christian leaders who have spent the last couple of decades watching the rise of mega-churches and high-performance, CEO-like pastors, the message of rest sounds almost legalistic. How can we possibly rest when there are ...
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It's Gonna Pop!!

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Can I tell you a secret? I'm afraid of balloons! Really. I hate them. I hate the feel of them. I hate having them close to me. And I especially hate blowing them up. I'm afraid of the loud POP! when they are overblown. Every time I hear that exploding sound I feel like I've lost a week of my life. Ok. This may sound extreme, but I don't like balloons! During one of the teaching sessions at Kerith Waters, our Director took out a balloon and started to inflate it. He kept blowing it bigger, and Bigger, and BIGGER. All the while, walking closer and closer to me. The discomfort as I prepared for the balloon to POP grew and I was about to jump out of my seat. A balloon is made to take a certain amount of pressure. Then, as soon as that limit is hit, weak points begin to form in the latex. Just a tad more pressure and the weak point fails and the ballon POPS! The same is true of you and me. We can actually take a lot of pressure. Just think of some of your difficu...
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A Week Retreat at Kerith Waters

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The first step of my Sabbatical is a week long retreat with Danielle at Kerith Waters. If you are not familiar with this place, it is run by Focus on the Family Canada as a part of their Clergy Care ministry. Here is brief description from their website.  This seven-day ministry leaders renewal retreat offers you personalized care and group instruction to help you achieve a healthier rhythm in your personal and vocational life. Pausing from the busyness of ministry life has helped over 1000 guests examine and overcome the distractions that have hindered their personal lives and relationships. Those who have attended this retreat have returned to their homes and churches feeling refreshed and renewed through His Spirit. We have heard great things about the retreat, but don't fully know what to expect. I'm trusting that the Father will use this time away to speak and give some direction to how he wants to meet with me throughout the Sabbatical.  We arrived safe and s...
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The Sabbatical Begins

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I love my church! I know a lot of pastors say that and it can sound pretty cliché,  but I really do! We are a great of ordinary people on an extraordinary journey with Jesus! We are not perfect, but God's perfect love is growing in us more and more each day. I'm grateful to my church for the opportunity I know have to take a 4 month Sabbatical. I dont take this gift lightly. I also don't see this as simply a chance for me to grow in my faith. I'm expecting this to have a ripple effect throughout our church. I'm grateful for everyone's prayers and support during the prep time. I'm thankful to the rest of our staff who are filling in gaps for me. I'm excited about how God will use the next 4 months to grow us and transform us. I'm planning to keep a public journal here on my blog of the things that Gos is showing me. I hope this may encourage you to continue to pray for Danielle and I in this journey. I also hope this will help you along on...
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