Ministry of Interruptions

[Kimberly Kiefer]

We need a theology of interruptions and obstructions. Often we find ourselves trying to resolve them as quickly as possible and get on with our agenda, without regard for their potentially redemptive dimensions. Interruptions may be invitations. page 253 Day 38, Adaptability

A theology of interruptions and obstructions, wow, this really stood out and touched a deep place in me. This is obviously an area God is growing in me, since it keeps coming up in my life lately and my eyes are being opened that I need to reframe how I view interruptions!

First, my husband and I serve on a Critical Incident Stress Management Team and we lead debriefings for First Responders after traumatic events or calls for service. When the team is activated, two or three members of the team respond. Being on this team means we are all on call 24/7, so my regular routine being interrupted is part of being on the team. There have been occasions when my husband and I were getting ready to go to sleep and there was an activation for the team and no one else was available, so we got ready and left the house at midnight. On one hand it feels like an interruption, on the other, I feel very blessed these First Responders are requesting a debriefing and are reaching out for help. My passion as a Chaplain to First Responders is for their profession to not cause them harm spiritually, mentally, physically or psychology and I feel very blessed that God uses me to help them work through their trauma immediately after an event.

The second interruption that showed me God is growing me in the area of interruptions was when I had just settled in a room alone to read a book for my Doctor of Ministry program. I had finally found some time to get away and be alone, without interruptions, to read. I had read for about 30 minutes when I received a message through social media. This message came from a friend who lives several states away and I know him and his wife because we all ride motorcycles and we see each other at different rallies throughout the year. We really only talk when we see each other in person, yet we all stay generally in touch with each other using social media throughout the year. With that being said, this friend is not someone who I talk with on a regular basis. Our whole motorcycle family knows I am an ordained Chaplain, yet I do not serve in that role within our motorcycle family. My role changed, at least within this family, that night when I received a message a young family member had tried to die by suicide, yet was still alive, and my friend wanted me to pray. We messaged back and forth a few times, yet I kept telling myself, I need to read, I have set time aside to read and now I keep getting interrupted. Then it was like God spoke to me and said, stop worrying about reading, this is your ministry, you are serving me by messaging your friend. So, I promptly put the book down, and began messaging with specific questions, providing encouragement, scripture and praying. My personality is to be a planner and organizer, who likes to have all the details worked out, my schedule planned and God keeps growing this part of me to be adaptable and go with the flow in the Ministry of Interruptions.