In Case You're Wondering

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Sometimes people wonder what pastors do.  They ask questions like "what do you do all day?" and get frustrated if you're not always in the office.  My own pastor even received prank calls almost every day for a year with an anonymous person leaving him a voicemail asking, "Where are yoooouuuuu???"  Strange.

Pastors have an extremely hard job. They are daily faced with people in need asking them for help, as well as constantly facing criticism.  "The music is too loud!"  "The preaching is too soft!"  "The chairs are too hard!" and other nonsense.  Very few pastors receive encouragement and most receive complaints more than anything. People can be critical and just plain mean.  However, despite those obstacles, this job is also very fulfilling.  There is nothing better than knowing you are right where God wants you to be, doing what He wants you to do.  It is an amazing privilege serving people and caring for their needs: emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

My husband and I have both served as pastors on staff at our church in different capacities for over 11 years. SO - in case you were wondering, here is what the last 48 hours have held for me personally, not to mention my husband who is also a pastor (actually paid for it) and deals with way more than I do:

Saturday
8:00am- take church member to get her car fixed
10:00am- have a Skype call with a former youth group member who is in Israel
10:30am- leave to go pick up car that was fixed, along with previous church member
11:00am- talk with church member about life and God
12:00pm- head to store for groceries for a get together later
1:00pm- lunch and clean house
3:00pm- leave for dinner at a dear friend's house
4:00pm-9:00pm - have dinner with dear friends- food for our soul.
11:00pm- remember that I have to teach Sunday School in the morning and pour over curriculum in bed.

Sunday
8:00am- get boys ready for church, keep them from destroying their church clothes until we leave
9:00am- run to the store to pick up a gift for church member
9:30am- arrive at church and set up for Sunday School
10:00-11:30am- teach Sunday School and lead worship for Sunday School
11:30-12:30pm- fellowship with people from church
1:00pm- lunch and try to nap, but fail to nap due to loud 4 year old
2:00pm - spend the rest of the day in a coma trying to recover from the busy morning.  Way too much socializing for me! :)
4:00pm-8:00pm- spend time helping a person from church who is in an emergency situation
11:00pm- crash into bed

Monday
2:00am- receive a phone call in the middle of the night from a church member who needs a place to stay
2:30am- welcome church member into home, making her a bed on the couch
2:30-3:30am- lay in bed wide awake
7:00am- wake up to head to court with church member who is on the couch
8:00am-12:00pm- sit in court with church member.  She is devastated from the ruling.  Console and counsel.
1:00pm- have lunch with church member, pray, provide her with resources...

Finally things slowed down and we were able to enjoy a nice afternoon with great friends. We went to the beach and had dinner- just what we needed after a rough 2 days.

As exhausting as some of these things can be, they are also so rewarding. God supernaturally gives you the strength you need, the wisdom you need, and the resources you need to minister to people who are hurting.  You find that you're able to touch lives out of your own life experiences and pain.  God is faithful to use your own weaknesses for His glory.  We are privileged to serve God in this capacity and feel honored that He uses us in this way.  He can use you, too - you don't have to be a pastor or a minister with a title. We are all ministers of Christ if we have Him in our hearts.  Ask Him how he wants to use you today - it is a great adventure and so worth every moment!