Life Changes

"Change is good. You go first." So reads a favorite t-shirt of mine.

A friend with a couple of years on me has taken on change in a big way. He's accepted a role at a church. I wanted to send him words of encouragement and yet not sound like I was giving a soul-less pep talk. So after much thought (most of which was done in my site of much inspiration -- the shower), I came up with this:

You're a pastor now.

I know that you've had this role before. And I know that you've counseled many a younger and older man/woman on what it means. But I'll bet it's been a while since you heard those words and felt them in the fiber of your being . . .

You're a pastor now.

I'm not. I never will be. But I have learned a thing or two. And as I thought about how to mark this day -- this first day of you becoming what you are next to be -- I decided to share a few things I have discovered after this many years of watching and listening.

First, or as soon as possible, decide if you are going to lead through change, maintenance or birth a new thing. Once upon a time, I probably thought one of those was more right than the other. Now I don't. What is right, is that the leader knows which one he/she really cares about and pursues it passionately.

Secondly, remember the beauty of balance . . . competence means so much more when there's equal amounts of caring, professional doesn't mean you can't also get personal, serious seems so much better when sparks of silliness are allowed to seep in.

And last of all, hold fast to the grace that you know you've been shown. You'll be a much better minister for it.

We don't often speak in such serious tones, so you should know that I was smiling the entire time I wrote this! But I didn't want this day to end without letting you know that I do realize the significance of this next life change for you. Bless you, my brother, today and always.