Pause For Pastors

I remember my final Sunday as a lead pastor. Though I often forget things, I can’t forget that. Faces and voices, a sanctuary and a pulpit, many years and many moments.

Memories were breathing-all replaying at once. Life and death. Marriages and funerals. Prayers and songs and laughter and disagreements and meals and conversations and pain. And more prayer.

As I think back to those experiences, I’m asking myself, “What did I learn?” Not, “Did I succeed?” or “Did I fail?” Pause for Pastors is filled stories of lessons learned. Stories that just might help a pastor and his family smile when they hear this word, church. Stories that just might help a pastor and his family pursue help when they’re carrying too heavy of this weight, church. Stories of honesty-told by myself and many others-that just might offer a little bit of peace in the storms of pastoral life.

As we’ve emphasized in each book of this series, pause in your rush through life and notice yourself. Visit your own stories. The stories of hurt, of grief, of anger, of regret. The chapters of life and death and nothingness. The words of healing on those rare perfect days.
For now, for this now, choose to stop. Read the nouns and verbs. Slowly. During the storm, read and receive and rest.