This past month was "Pastor's Appreciation" month. It just might be my family's favorite four weeks out of the year, made fun by the fact that our church appreciates us well. This last Sunday, all six of us sat in the living room floor and read a huge stack of notes and letters that had been given to us by our congregation that morning. They had been handed to us in a huge bucket the church had titled our "love tank." And those letters really did fill our love tanks.
Some were short, some were long, all were encouraging, and all were precious.
My children have only ever known the life of being pastor's children, and I believe they handle it well. My husband and I have worked hard to help them understand that while they are our "first church," we also serve a body. And that service will require sacrifice and will require it often. They have become used to Dad needing to step out of the room to answer a phone call or leave for the office again after he's already come home for the evening because someone needs him. They understand that much of the weekend, when they are home from school, is his busiest "work" time. They have made peace with the truth that their parents "jobs" involve ministering to people's hearts, and people's hearts still have needs after regular business hours.
So, it was a joy for me to include them in the reading of the letters. To see them receive the encouragement, thanks, and respect that came through the lines of the many, many pages. It was a joy because I knew they were being able to see their dad's sacrifice, as well as the sacrifices we make as a family, are worth it.
Yes, they will always come first. And they know they have complete access to us, whenever they need us.
But, they also now they are appreciated for the way they share us.
And all because people took the time to put pen to paper and let their thoughts be known.
Such a simple act. Such profound results.
Whose love tank do you need to fill today?
My pastor husband made me ask myself a startling question in his sermon on Sunday. It caused me to pause. It caused me some discomfort. It caused me to keep asking it of myself until I had an answer.
Am I growing in maturity?
I am obviously growing older. My ability to bounce back from a night spent sleeping on the floor testifies of that.
But, am I maturing? And much more specifically, am I maturing in my spiritual life?
I like to think of myself as a mature Christian. I have for years now. But, that simple question caused me to dig deep and sincerely evaluate my own growth. It's not enough to be a "mature" Christian. I need to be a "maturing" one.
And over the last three days, the Lord has been gracious to help me answer the question. Yes, I am maturing. But, I could be maturing faster if I would allow Him more room to work. And that's going to cost me something.
It's going to cost a little more self-honesty.
It's going to cost some humility.
It's going to cost some time.
Because there are some trouble spots in my Christian walk. Some places that I keep having to "go around the bush" again and again. Some areas that I find myself repenting and starting over once more instead of being able to walk a new road, blaze a new trail in my spiritual thinking.
And it's these spots that need my honesty, some humility, and some time.
When I look back over my spiritual "maturing," I can see I've grown the most when I had an actual plan for growth. When I submitted my thoughts to the Lord, received His response in return, and we hashed out a new way of looking at something together.
It's this pattern I want to see reproduced in my life. This constant communication with the One who cares about my growth because of His great love for me.
That's why I'll be talking to Him about my trouble spots this week. And coming up with a plan for growth.
Because when I'm growing in maturity, I'm looking more and more like who I was born to be, and less and less like the flesh I won't settle for.
"Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man." - Luke 2:52 (ISV)
