Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Monday Reflections

Barry Maxwell has written a great post on pastoral ministry, especially from the perspective of analyzing on Monday what you just did on Sunday. He entitled it “Another Monday Reflection” and it is essentially a meditation on Rom 15:15-16.

While you are at it check out his honest Monday lament, “Another Manic Monday.” (Once you take this link you will have to scroll down to find this entry). It is a good example of being honest about the weightiness of the task. This sort of honest wrestling leads to the confidence in God discussed in “Another Monday Reflection”.

Thanks for sharing both your doubts (of self) and discoveries (of God), Barry.

3 comments:

B.J. Maxwell said...

As always, Ray, you are a profound encouragement. There are many of us who consider you a pastor to us pastors. God be praised for your ministry to strengthen Christ's church. Fools all we are and God is wise.

Anonymous said...

i would just like to point out that "manic monday" is a bangles song, and by virtue of that fact alone, i went and read the other post. i think he was mostly right, even for people who are not pastors. who ever imagined that 80s girl music could be so right? hurrah.
mondays are rather trying days, sometimes. but so are some other days too, you know.
and it is incredibly and remarkably helpful when real people that you respect, etc.etc., share hard things that they would rather keep under rocks. i like elisabeth eliot for that sort of thing, and i thought of her in the back of my head, because she, too, shares hard, and then the bigness of God in spite of the rest. mmm.

oh, and p.s.: dr. van neste, i totally hope that you guys have a baby girl this time, and i am praying as such for you. just so you know.

Ray Van Neste said...

Thanks Barry.

Julie, your prayers must have been heard- we are having a girl!