Give examples of how the practice of ministry has affected your experience and understanding of
A) God
At the core of my understanding of God is a God of love in covenantal relationship with God’s children. Romans 8:38-39 says it well; “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The practice of ministry has only proven to strengthen that belief. I was called early Saturday morning to sit with a family who had just learned of the death of their daughter/granddaughter in a vehicle accident. Even in the midst of shock and disbelief they needed a visible reminder of God’s presence. There were no words to fix or even begin to explain the horror of their grief but my mere presence helped to point them to God’s never-failing love and presence in the midst of the worst day of their lives. When I returned home from that emotionally and spiritually exhausting visit, I immediately walked the prayer labyrinth in my backyard. As I walked and foolishly prayed for the “right words to say”. God reminded me (with a fat raindrop to the top of my head) that I was not alone, the family was not alone; God was present with us in the tears, grief and the subsequent anger and doubt after a loss of a young life filled with so much potential. The practice of ministry has also
A) God
At the core of my understanding of God is a God of love in covenantal relationship with God’s children. Romans 8:38-39 says it well; “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The practice of ministry has only proven to strengthen that belief. I was called early Saturday morning to sit with a family who had just learned of the death of their daughter/granddaughter in a vehicle accident. Even in the midst of shock and disbelief they needed a visible reminder of God’s presence. There were no words to fix or even begin to explain the horror of their grief but my mere presence helped to point them to God’s never-failing love and presence in the midst of the worst day of their lives. When I returned home from that emotionally and spiritually exhausting visit, I immediately walked the prayer labyrinth in my backyard. As I walked and foolishly prayed for the “right words to say”. God reminded me (with a fat raindrop to the top of my head) that I was not alone, the family was not alone; God was present with us in the tears, grief and the subsequent anger and doubt after a loss of a young life filled with so much potential. The practice of ministry has also