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The notion of productivity used to make me think of the book, "The Giving Tree". The idea is that, in being truly productive, you end up giving all that you have, and usually all that you are. While this has been the association I have often held and followed through the years, it is certa...

The quote from Mother Theresa, “When I helped the poor, I was called a saint. But when I asked why they were poor, I was called a communist� was a startling reminder to me that we are called by God to proclaim as well as to do, to be prophetic as well as pastoral. Often, as I reflect upon past o...

This reflection forced me to admit that rest is not exactly an activity that I am either attentive enough to, or very good at; and maybe that’s the problem. Perhaps the difficulty I am having is that I think of rest as something I do, and I need to make a shift in my thinking about rest to be some...

I was also struck in this reflection by the reminder that our resources come from God alone, and we are but the tools for revealing them. As I reflected upon this truth, I began to think about other things that are hidden and that God calls us, as shepherd leaders, to locate and "dig out" ...

There is a lot of pressure to perform to the expectations of worldly "success," to build numbers, whether in attendance or in giving, to achieve status and to climb the ladder. All of this has continually left me feeling empty and wondering if this is really what the ministry is all about....