Blog
The offer of a one-to-one mentor is one of the most enticing reasons people consider joining a cohort for the leadership development ministry I lead at our local church. I sense a deep desire with emerging leaders for a companion and guide on their spiritual journey. The problem?
Apparently, rehab centers aren’t known for making good coffee. “What can I bring you the next time I come?” I’d asked Dad at the conclusion of a visit. “Bring me a good cup of coffee,” he said. So the next day, I skipped Sunday school and headed to the rehab center. Dad had been admitted weeks before to try to regain strength to go home, but instead he’d grown steadily weaker.
Music blared through the sound system. My husband, oldest daughter, youngest son, and I all huddled in prayer. The announcer reminded us (and the thousands of other runners) that we only had five more minutes to find our assigned corrals. We gave each other one last hug then divided to find our places.
When you hear “routine,” does the word make you cringe or feel empowered? Do you feel constrained by a routine, or do you feel a sense of freedom? Does the concept feel like a weighty reminder of everything you’re not doing perfectly, or are you someone who’s constantly looking for inspiration on how to refine your routine? The concept of routine often feels like candy corn; people either love it or they hate it!
Soon my family will move from north London to the suburbs in southwest London, a geographical change of only twenty-five miles that for me feels much bigger in scope. I’m sad to leave our beloved home of over two decades, and I’m struggling to drum up excitement for the new.
The last thing I wanted to do at twenty-three years old was start over. My life had been all planned out—I met the boy I wanted to marry when I was sixteen, we got married in college while I was finishing my degree in education, and then I got the teaching position I wanted. We bought a house, we were involved in a small group at church, and I could picture what our future kids would look like when they came into our lives in the scheduled three to five years from then.
Country music was the soundtrack of my teenage years, and no country star at the time was as big as Garth Brooks. His song “Unanswered Prayers” climbed the Billboard country chart all the way to number one in 1991. I can still sing every word.
My husband and I slipped away to a cabin in Virginia for a couple of nights, without the kids and with no agenda except to ignore the news, read books, relax, and write songs together, and guess what! I’m never coming home!
When I first surrendered my life to Jesus, a friend told me to never pray for patience—or God would give me more opportunities to practice patience! I heeded her warning, but quickly learned that patience is as necessary as breathing.