reality blog
DIGGING DEEPER DEVOTIONAL NOV. 18, 2024
BACK TO TRAINING
It has been a wonderful week, and a very full week.
The last two weeks have been my first attempt at living the new rhythm of life I prayed into during sabbatical. It has also been two weeks of catching back up with my congregation. I have been doing a lot of visitation. Also, I have begun the next tour of our DLT (Doing life together) groups to begin the journey of discovering God’s word for our congregation in 2025.
HERE IS ANOTHER WORD I GOT FROM THE GROUP I WAS WITH LAST NIGHT, THE DLT BOOK CLUB
Get rid of the old, that which does not look good on your spirit anymore and don’t be afraid to put on the new thing. Clean out the closet of your life to make room for what is coming.
Today I returned to leadership training. This is an opportunity for the leadership (deacons, staff, DLT group leaders, and new and aspiring leaders) to come together to sharpen the saw.
Today’s discussion was around leadership style. We are using the Assessme.org program to help our leaders learn their giftings and leadership styles. We had an incredible conversation about what it means to work as a team and about how God is the one who chooses the team of people….the family of people….the platoon of people that is each church.
It was a great morning followed by the moving of furniture to my son’s house. Today we moved a couple of side tables and a dresser. My son just left with several items including my grandson’s bed frame. It is almost complete!
HOW DOES YOUR CHURCH OR CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION DO LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT?
DIGGING DEEPER DEVOTIONAL NOV. 16, 2024
DRY
One of the reasons that the leaves here in New England were so brilliant this year was because we have been cool and dry. We are currently in a level 3 drought here in Winchendon MA which means we are in critical drought. We are also in a severe fire threat. With 518 fires in the state having burned 1500 acres so far, outdoor burning of yard waste has been banned through January 15th here in MA.
That means here in the forest garden my growing pile of brush is not going anywhere at the moment. It’s Ok. I am still putting plastic on the windows inside just now. I don’t really have time for a fire in the fire pit.
DIGGING DEEPER DEVOTIONAL NOVEMEBER 15, 2024
DIGGING DEEPER DEVOTIONAL NOV. 14, 2024
URGENCY
The morning broke cold today. The chicken’s water had turned to ice and the world was colored with frost.
When I started sabbatical the autumn was in full swing. The nights were cool but not cold and the days were warm. I felt like I had some time to batten down the hatches for winter.
A month later and I realize my time to batten is running out. There is an urgency now to the work of getting ready for the long dark to come.
I feel the same urgency in the spirit. I have come back to my regular church life feeling like things have changed. We must finish with our preparations quickly and be ready for a season of powerful, prophetic, good news ministry. I feel like our greater community is in need of prophetic good news.
I was going to wait until the turn of the year to begin meeting with our DLT (Doing life Together) groups to listen to what God had showed them through our sabbatical month of prayer. I know now there isn’t time for that.
I have begun meeting with the groups this week. Here is one of the words that I have gathered.
God says, “I am on the move. Will you trust me for my move?… my way? I have a great plan for my family. Cling to hope. It will not look the way you think it should but I am doing a great work. Cling to hope. I am on the move!”
DIGGING DEEPER DEVOTIONAL NOV. 12, 2024
Notes From the Vicarage 