We had been waiting in limbo for a few months waiting to
hear what their decision would be…. Was our Pastor going to make the move to
another position at another church or was he going to continue where he was?
Where was God leading him and his family? That was the question. And as the
answer was revealed two weeks ago, I struggled as I was engulfed with a flood
of thoughts and emotions. Making heads or tails of what I was feeling at the
moment seemed impossible. But since, I’ve had some time to process, pray, and
piece together a few thoughts. So if I could say anything to our pastor, this
is what it would be…
- - Thank you. Thank you for speaking truth. So much “preaching” that goes on now-a-days is just pomp and circumstance, pleasant on the ears. I have to admit that sometimes, I didn’t like what you said. But the truth was proclaimed whether it was popular or not. Thank you for hitting the hard topics and not shying away from taboos in the pulpit. I cannot imagine the position this put you in physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually – I know it was very difficult, trying and challenging at times (probably, most times). Thank you!
- - Thank you for your life transparency. Whether it was a current challenge you were facing, a story from your past or even sharing your failures, you did so with humility and grace. Thank you for allowing your life to be a book read by so many others. (And thank your wife for letting you share many of those stories and struggles!) I am so grateful that I never felt like I was sitting under a “holier-than-thou” pastor. Your life was tangible, real, and relatable. Thank you!
- - And thank you for, by God’s grace and his power in you, making every effort to live what you preached. I saw it in the way your related to and cared for your wife. I saw it in the way you trained your children – the way they respected you. I saw it as I watched your babies in the nursery, and I saw it acted out in tangible ways as you cared for the flock that had been entrusted to you. Thank you!
- - Thank you for seeing, caring, and acting. Thank you for caring enough to carry the car seat. You saw me in moments of struggle, and you were not above that. Thank you for serving me (and many other women in our church) in this tangible way. I am extremely grateful!
- - Thank you for prioritizing your family – I loved seeing pictures of you out with your wife or kids!
- - Thank you for your grace and humility in the process of seeking God’s will for the next step. Thank you for involving the church leadership and elders. Thank you for informing our congregation, and thank you for seeking Christ faithfully for his best for you and your family and His church as a whole.
- - I’m sorry for not praying for you more consistently. I wish I could say that my intercession for your family and ministry was consistent. As a member of the body of Christ, my support for the other members is crucial. And I have failed in this way. Please forgive me for my lack of faithfulness in this crucial way.
- - I’m sorry if our church was without grace. I know moments of wounds happen in any pastor’s ministry. You have stuck with our church body through some difficult moments, moments that had a propensity to rub the wrong way. I understand that your leaving is not due to any particular situation, but directed by God. But I also know that one cannot lead a body without being wounded to some degree. For any part that our church body has played in causing you pain, I am deeply sorry.
- - We will miss you and your family!
- - I’m committed to continuing to pray for you and your family as you step out in obedience and faith. By God’s grace, I will faithfully lift you up before his throne.
A special note to my Pastor’s Wife:
- - Thank you for your constant support and encouragement of your husband! I know no pastor is what he is without the support of his wife and best friend. I see the relationship that you guys have, and I am so grateful for your example of a marriage that reflects Christ!
- - Thank you for sharing your moments of pain and weakness transparently. Thank you for not hiding when your family was grieving loss and dealing with difficult circumstances. Thank you for letting us care for you.
- - Thank you for living the life of “single mom” so many Sundays as your husband ministered to the church. I know so much extra burden is heaped on your shoulders as he has special responsibilities to others. Thank you for pushing through the loneliness and continuing to reach out to the ladies around you even when you may not have felt like it.
- - Thank you for not giving up even when the attacks seemed to come from every angle. Thank you for persevering and not losing heart in doing good.
- - Thank you for supporting and serving with the ladies’ leadership team this summer. You were an indispensable part of the impact God had at the church this summer!
- - I’m sorry life gets crazy and we didn’t get to connect like we may have liked. I’m sorry that playdates, dinners, or catch up lunches didn’t happen as often as they should have.
- - I’m sorry for not lifting you up before the throne of grace consistently as I should. It was easy to do when I knew you were struggling, but the faithfulness of the daily grind was not covered in prayer as it should have been. Please forgive me.
- - I’m sorry for the times I was so self-focused at church and didn’t reach out to you like you needed. So many times, I got so wrapped up in my own needs that I failed to see yours as well.
- - I will miss the routine fellowship with you and your family.
- - I will be praying for you as you begin this next adventure along-side your husband. I will be praying for deep relationships to form quickly. I will pray for adjustment of your kids to the new environment and routine. I will continue to pray for your weekends to run smoothly.
I pray that out of the riches of God’s glorious grace, he
would strengthen you both through and through. That your you would be filled to
the full with the riches of his grace. That Christ would bless you as you
continue to follow him faithfully. I pray that you would know the glorious
riches of the mystery of Christ in you, the hope of glory and that you would
know how wide and how long and how high and how deep is the love of Christ and
would experience his incomparably great power for those who believe.
Love you guys!
Blessed beyond measure to have my life touched by yours!
*Hannah
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