Practice what you preach

It has been such a blessing to have Pastor Tom as the Interim Pastor. I was able to take a few days off after he started to spend time with my family and rest (although going on vacation with Sharon usually warants a 2nd vacation to actually get some rest!). I (mistakenly) thought that with Tom's arrival things would slow down. Wrong!

It's not just ministry that has been overwhelming. Tax day was painful, kids have a million different things going on, sick kids, a really stiff neck (maybe snow tubing was not such a good idea after all), Sharon getting laid-off, trying to refinance the house, plus everyday life have all accumulated to a sense of being overwhelmed.

Having just finished a series of finding our sufficiency in Christ, I have been reminded that I must practice what I preach.

I have been blessed and encouraged by a passage found in Deuteronomy 30 delivered by Moses just before the Israelites were to enter into the promised land (without him).

15"See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity;
16in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it.
17"But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, 18I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it.
19"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, 20by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

I would ask that you please pray this passage of scripture for me, particularly the aspect of worshiping and serving other gods. Ministry demands, the chaos of life, physical pain have at one time or another become more important than my relationship with the Lord, thus contributing to, as my wife says, "a cranky, tired toot". My desire is to walk with Him, love the Lord and choose to obey Him. Please pray that I will be the godly husband and father I must be while balancing the demands of ministry.

I know, long and a little rambling, this post is just a reflection of my current brain status - scattered!

Thanks for praying

Pastor Jeremy