What She Said

All day I have been trying to figure out how to get the overflow of my heart into some articulate order, through the keys of my laptop and onto the screen of my blog, but nothing came. Just thoughts. Just thanksgiving. Just a constant re-play of this past weekend.

After I got home yesterday, after speaking 4 times at my home church in Tampa, I remained plastered to the couch watching old movies for 5 hours before rolling myself from hot bath to bed. All I could think of all day was HOW DO THEY DO IT? How do Pastors, especially Pastors like mine who hold 4 services every single week, survive?

All day, I thought about writing about it. Processing my praise and admiration from my head to my mouth, to the written expression of my blog. It didn’t happen. I just dragged through the day like a zombie.

Then, tonight, I wandered to my computer and started a stroll through a few of my favorite blogs.

IMAGINE my surprise when I found THIS on my sweet sister Lysa Terkeurst’s Blog: Oh my gosh. She said it for me! Thank you God 🙂 Thank you Lysa 🙂

Lysa also spoke at 4 services at her church this weekend and because Lysa is Lysa and a NY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR…She said it WAY better than I could have. Check this out and by all means, listen to her message, she is amazing.

Letters to Pastors

I have to keep it short and sweet today sisters.  I have a serious case of snow globe brain.  Like when you see a three year old shake the dickens out of a snow globe and before the snow can settle they shake it again.  Yes.  That would be my brain today.

I spoke at 4 services at my church this weekend.  It was one of the biggest honors of my life.  The staff, volunteers, and members of Elevation blessed me so much I can’t even talk about it without getting choked up.

And my biggest take away?  I don’t know how pastors do it.

Honest to goodness, I don’t.

Sitting on the front row as each finished worship song signaled it was getting closer and closer to the time for me to step on stage, my heart became more and more desperate for Jesus to come back.  Right now.  Rapture?  Hello?  God?  Please?

But no rapture came.

And soon there I was in front of my home church sweating like a toad on a hot tin roof.  If toads sweat.  I have no idea.  And I’m way too tired to Google it.  Anyhow.

There is something so different about speaking at your home church.

I felt a weight of responsibility. I felt it in my heart.  I felt it in my soul.  I felt it in my brain.

And I thought to myself, how does my Pastor do this every week?  How does he craft a new sermon, get comfortable with that completely new material, carry that weight of responsibility, feel the anxiety of walking up on that stage, deliver a timed message in tune with the Holy Spirit, and then do it 2 to 3 more times during that weekend?  And. Then. Do. It. All. Again. Next. Weekend.

Y’all.  Seriously.  We need to stop right this second, pull out a piece of our good stationary, and write our pastors a thank you note.  And if you happen to know what his favorite restaurant is, send him a gift card to take his wife out for dinner.  She carries the weight too.  In a big way.

Perfect. What SHE SAID! Lysa my friend, I am so with you. I am NOT a NY Times Bestselling Author, but I sure love you.

Link to Lysa’s message, click here.

If you’d like to see a link to MY message :), click here!

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4 Comments

  1. And to think, I hear you or someone like Lysa speak and I think, “Wow, they’re GOOD!” and I envy your ability to get up there and share like you do. Thanks for being honest about how hard it is, and thank you for doing it anyway!

  2. Thank you Lisa. The bottom line is for each of us to do what God CALLS us to do and do our very best , right? Some are WAY better than others (i.e. LYSA)
    But when it’s all been said and it’s all been done….God is the GOOD one 🙂
    We are simply servants.
    Step into what God is calling you to do and BE BRAVE. The Glory needs to be His anyway and His Glory comes from our surrender alone, not our success.
    Love and Blessings girl,
    Pat

  3. I shared my story for 3 services at my church and was exhausted!! No doubt 4 services preparing, praying and leading up for takes a toll on you. What our leaders got me prepared for was the pre-story spiritual attack and I was prayed up and ready. I had lots of friends and leaders praying for me before and when I was speaking each service. But I was not prepared for the post story attack! How the enemy wants to make a liar out of us and destroy our integrity. He attacked my character and relationships in ways I was not prepared. But I was quick to see what was happening and fight back! If this was happening to me then I cannot imagine the attacks that our ministry staff take on a daily basis. This made me see how important it is to pray for them in different ways. In bigger ways. As aware as I was of spiritual warfare, I got to experience it in a whole new way. And I am thankful for that:)
    Thank you for going in the front lines of a battle ground. Pat you are first in many ways. Thanks! And I am praying for you in HUGE ways couragious lady!

  4. Danni Sue you are so right about not only thanking them but keeping them in prayer. It really changes your perspective to actually experience the challenges doesn’t it?
    You blessed my heart with your sweet words.
    Blessings back at you girl,
    p

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