Wisdom

My dad is a wise man, and I truly feel like God blessed me when he allowed me to have my dad for a father. he has such a kind heart and a gentle spirit, and he's brilliant. and i'm not just saying this because he's my dad. a lot of people would tell you the same thing.

anyway, i went to a conference today [more about that later], and I called my dad to debrief on the way home. we had a good conversation, and he reminded me to never stop learning, even from my interactions with people. then when I got home, I had this forwards in my inbox from him:

'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.' When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better. Concentrate on this sentence: 'The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.'

God is shaping me for the next phase in ministry. I think that's what I've been feeling lately, that transition. Today I realized I've fallen into the programming trap, which is normal- it happens to everyone in ministry at some point. but it's a trap I don't want to stay in. we always blame content, when really context is to blame. I think I'm going to take a day soon for a silent retreat to get my focus back. It's crazy how easily you can get swept away in the fast pace of ministry, and I'm going to try to regain my focus and look at the root of why I'm doing this, and see where it all leads me.