Ministering Together- husband and wife
A typical morning conversation between my husband and I revolves around our to-do list. For my husband, it's around tasks. For me, it's around people. People to call, skype, email, write, visit, get a present for.... For John it's strategies to plan, documents to review, and projects to finish. If we're not careful, our morning walk and coffee time has been hijacked by the things we have to do and we haven't really connected at the heart level. I've sapped all my strength and energy and I've laid on John a larger burden than he was carrying before!
How do we do ministry as a husband-wife team? God lays people on my heart all day long. I wake up with certain individuals on my mind, I carry them through my day, and I go to bed with another set of individuals on my heart.
Mark 1 contains a story I love- an interchange between Jesus and his headstrong busy disciple, Simon Peter. After a busy day of healing all who come to Him, Jesus rises early the next day to "go to a desolate place to pray." When Peter discovers their Rabbi is gone, he exclaims to Him, "Everyone is looking for You!" Which really means, what are you doing sneaking off like that when there's so much to do! You are needed! Get back here!
Your team needs you.
Your local friends need you.
There is the task you have been commissioned to accomplish.
Everyone's looking for you!
No doubt Jesus felt the burden. That is why He went into prayer with His Father. The work that remains to be done will only be done through prayer. Deconstructing old patterns of thinking , the ways I process through the burdens, the way I look at my full email inbox, and a skype account full of open chats needing answers, the way I look at my phone when it rings, it does feel like at times that everyone's looking for us. I know that I'm not alone. When you work with people, there will be people!
Where do I go with all of that. When I awaken with certain heart burdens, do I go to the Lord first in prayer? Do I blurt it out to my husband as a to-do item?
Hide away.
To run into the presence of the One who knows and loves me. He's big enough for it all.
We have this unspoken rule in our home that is not always obeyed. No ministry topics at the table. Neither in bed.
John and I are trying to make new habits in our marriage to help us minister better as a team. Taking a daily walk to pray and talk has been so healing for us. A 15 minutes chat when we come back over coffee to write down the things we heard the Lord tell us to do during our walk. We often don't connect again until the evenings when the kids are winding down their day. How did the Lord speak to you today? What things were you able to do and what things did you leave undone? We commit those things to the Lord in the evenings, asking Him for His perspective.
Amy Charmicael once wrote on what it means to "cast our burdens on the Lord." Hurl them, she writes. See if He isn't big enough.
It may seem like everyone's looking for you, but it's really Him that we need and want.
How do we do ministry as a husband-wife team? God lays people on my heart all day long. I wake up with certain individuals on my mind, I carry them through my day, and I go to bed with another set of individuals on my heart.
Mark 1 contains a story I love- an interchange between Jesus and his headstrong busy disciple, Simon Peter. After a busy day of healing all who come to Him, Jesus rises early the next day to "go to a desolate place to pray." When Peter discovers their Rabbi is gone, he exclaims to Him, "Everyone is looking for You!" Which really means, what are you doing sneaking off like that when there's so much to do! You are needed! Get back here!
Your team needs you.
Your local friends need you.
There is the task you have been commissioned to accomplish.
Everyone's looking for you!
No doubt Jesus felt the burden. That is why He went into prayer with His Father. The work that remains to be done will only be done through prayer. Deconstructing old patterns of thinking , the ways I process through the burdens, the way I look at my full email inbox, and a skype account full of open chats needing answers, the way I look at my phone when it rings, it does feel like at times that everyone's looking for us. I know that I'm not alone. When you work with people, there will be people!
Where do I go with all of that. When I awaken with certain heart burdens, do I go to the Lord first in prayer? Do I blurt it out to my husband as a to-do item?
Hide away.
To run into the presence of the One who knows and loves me. He's big enough for it all.
We have this unspoken rule in our home that is not always obeyed. No ministry topics at the table. Neither in bed.
John and I are trying to make new habits in our marriage to help us minister better as a team. Taking a daily walk to pray and talk has been so healing for us. A 15 minutes chat when we come back over coffee to write down the things we heard the Lord tell us to do during our walk. We often don't connect again until the evenings when the kids are winding down their day. How did the Lord speak to you today? What things were you able to do and what things did you leave undone? We commit those things to the Lord in the evenings, asking Him for His perspective.
Amy Charmicael once wrote on what it means to "cast our burdens on the Lord." Hurl them, she writes. See if He isn't big enough.
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