It
had always been my intention to recommence a blog once I had taken up a
position as minister. I got quite into blogging when I was in training and
found it helped me to unpack things that may be challenging or troubling me.
Those of you who read that blog know that I have no problem with sharing what
is on my heart. So here I am a minister, eleven days in, starting my blog. Am I
going to be more circumspect in what I write? Nah! Although I may use bigger
words J
As a
student I said I had the best life in the world, I loved what I did! Now as a
minister I can’t say much has changed I LOVE WHAT I DO! Over the past ten days
I have had so much joy in serving the Lord with all my heart, body and soul, I
amaze myself constantly that I am actually a minister and serving God in this
way; ‘Are you really sure about this Lord?” And I am really blessed by some of
the encounters I have had during my short time in the minister’s chair. Like
this evening when I had cause to visit someone on a mental health ward; because
of the nature of my business in the world I wore a clerical collar (which I
think looked really cool with my bike leathers) and this really did have an
impact. As soon as I arrived on the ward I was approached by a couple of
patients calling me “father” and asking me to spend time and pray with them. I
did pray for a number of folk, but one young man really broke my heart; I wont
divulge his name but he was agitated, young enough to be my son, told me his
father died when he was little and that his mum couldn’t cope with his illness.
Some time after I had prayed for him in a group he sheepishly approached me
asking if I could “set him free?” From what I asked, “from all this” he replied
with a sweeping gesture seemingly to indicate the hospital, his illness, his
troubled mind. I prayed with him and hope to see him when I visit again,
actually I don’t! I hope and pray that Christ will respond to his heart-felt
prayer and set him free.
This
has taught me two lessons at the beginning of my ministry (1) that spiritual
provision for those in mental health facilities is extremely important (2) that
wearing a “dog collar” gets you noticed….and that’s a really good thing!
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