Continuing Series in the Life of a Pastoral Care Pastor

April 7, 2010 – Wednesday; It was another great sunrise this morning. Watching the airplanes leaving contrails high in the sky tells me we are still at peace. Not long ago 9/11 happened and for many days we did not see any planes in the sky and it was an eerie feeling. I will be taking the early part of the day off and playing some golf with our youth pastor. Our tee time was for 8:30 and we had a great time…the weather was just beginning to get hot as we finished…I out drove him on several holes…or was he letting me feel like I was hitting the ball better…hummmm. Anyway his strategy worked I felt like I was striking the ball really good. Arrived at church for my first appointment around 11:30 and we went to lunch. This man is struggling with some family issues so I have been meeting with him for several weeks. Today we talked about tithing…he sent me his budget later in the day “proving” to me that it just wouldn’t work. I have heard this so many times from so many people that my response now is “how do you know it won’t if you have not trusted God and just done it”, which was my response to him and it caused him to send me a copy of his budget “showing” me it would not work. I think I will let him mull it over some before responding back because I have learned that when truth is presented and you understand it then you have a responsibility to then act on that truth. Later had two other appointments that dealt with benevolence issues and was able to help one single mom with gas and food. We have some generous people in our CFC family and they give gas and food cards which helps me minister to those in real need and it also always gives me the chance to share the gospel. Some receive it and act on it immediately and some try to tell me they are already believers and just need some help. Received a phone call from a member of our church who wanted some prayer and advice to give a single lady who is going to have an abortion…he and his wife were trying to help her make the correct decision. She agreed to wait one more day so we prayed and I passed this on to our prayer network to intercede on her babies behalf…hopefully I will find out today that she has made the correct decision…I learned she is a member of our church body and has made a terrible mistake. If you are reading this pray for her. Later had a chance to minister to a man who is having some marital problems. His wife came to see me a couple of weeks ago and she insisted he come to see me…after 5 minutes of talking with him the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said he thinks he is a believer but he has never crossed the line and given his life to God. They have been married 15 years and he is the son of a minister and grew up in the church…as I spoke the gospel to him he realized for the first time he did not have that personal relationship with Jesus…so we took care of that which in turned changed to whole conversation. I pray that when he got home that night he would be able to share with his wife what has happened to him and she will begin to see a real change. So, he came in a non-believer and thought he “was right and his wife was wrong” and left with a much deeper humble attitude and in love with our Lord…another one stolen from the devil. Then taught my Wednesday evening bible class with a spiritual “high”.