Last January, I celebrated 30 years of ordained ministry. This past year and a half have left me pulling on every ounce of experience of that history, learning new things, and needing to draw on my spiritual resources as never before. Like many other pastors across the country, this period (of Covid and racial reckoning) has left me depleted, exhausted and wondering how I would even continue in ministry. Even though I loved my then-current congregation (8 ½ years in), and the work I did there, I had come to realize that so much of the pivoting we all have had to do was at times more than I could handle.
I spent time in deep prayer and meditation, asking God to show me the way forward. I listened to friends and had some professional coaching. I dove into the scriptures. Fortunately, the lectionary during that time had me land on Psalm 23.
In Psalm 23, the writer reminds us that God sustains, provides, and cares for God's very own not once, not twice, but time and time again – when the people fled out from bondage in Egypt and wandered. When they returned from Exile and continued as a people, they were led by God. Psalm 23 reminds us that goodness can pursue us in the good times as well as in times of sorrow and pain - even in the valley of the shadow of death. AND Psalm 23 serves as a reminder that even when we live in the face of the most grave of situations that might surround us, we will be sustained. I needed to hear that.
Many of us had travel plans interrupted over this last year and a half. Last year, I was supposed to have gone to Portland, Oregon, for a conference on Transitional Ministry. The conference was to have been held at the Menucha Center. Interesting name. Although it was canceled and offered online by the fabulous leaders of Seattle Presbytery, I was fascinated to learn that the word "Menucha" comes from Psalm 23.
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