Pastor, Pastor Thyself: A Call to Soul-Tending in a Burnout Culture

2025/04/25 Gayle 1

I read this stat the other day “The best and most conservative estimate is that 30% of those who go into ministry are not in ministry 5 years after they begin, and an even greater percentage will not end their vocational career in pastoral ministry.” Let that sink in…. I’ll wait. I can’t quite stop thinking about it. I also feel it. This is a hard job! And while I would like to think this is just some sensationalist stat tossed around to scare seminary students. It’s a sobering truth. A truth many of us in ministry know not just from data, but from watching our friends and colleagues quietly slip away from pulpits and parish life. Some leave with a bang; many more leave The rest of the story

Easter Saturday: Planting in the Uncertainty

2025/04/19 Gayle 0

Today is Easter Saturday it’s a day nestled between the sorrow of Good Friday and the joy of Easter Sunday. It’s a day traditionally marked by silence, waiting, and uncertainty, and a day that is often forgotten. For the disciples, it was a time of despair. The one they followed, who healed the sick and challenged the status quo, was gone -killed by the empire. Their hopes seemed buried with Him. Many of them were hiding and scared…were they next? Today, many of us find ourselves in a similar state of uncertainty. We see brown bodies being deported without due process. We hear the rumbling of the president and his crowd about deporting US citizens, or political dissenters the same and we wonder, are we The rest of the story

Resistance as an Act of Faith

2025/04/09 Gayle 1

Resistance has long been intertwined with faith, serving as a profound expression of spiritual conviction in the face of injustice. Throughout history, individuals motivated by their beliefs have stood against oppressive systems, embodying the principle that true faith demands action. I love history and I have often wondered what I might do in troubled times. Would I hide, or would I be in the mix? Biblical Foundations of Faithful Resistance The Bible is rich with stories of resistance. The Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, defied Pharaoh’s genocidal order out of reverence for God (Exodus 1:15-21). Daniel continued to pray, even when it was outlawed (Daniel 6:10). In the book of Acts, the apostles boldly declared, “We must obey God rather than human beings” (Acts 5:29). The rest of the story

Remembering Auschwitz: A Call for Vigilance in the Current Political Climate

2025/01/27 Gayle 0

I have said before that I am a fan of history! Especially US history around the Civil War and World War 2. I often have important but perhaps obscure dates noted in my calendar, as well as dates we history-buffs just remember. Today is one of those days! Each year, we pause on January 27th to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This solemn anniversary marks the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration and extermination camp, in 1945. It is a day to honor the memory of six million Jews and millions of other victims—including Romani people, disabled individuals, LGBTQ+ individuals, and political dissidents—who perished under the Nazi regime. I have very distinct memories of studying the holocaust in High School. Later of visiting the The rest of the story

Hiking with 2 dalmatians

Why I Keep a Sabbath

2025/01/23 Gayle 0

In a world that thrives on hustle culture and constant connectivity, the idea of Sabbath seems downright countercultural. Yet, as a pastor, a spiritual leader, and a human being created in the image of God, I’ve found that keeping a Sabbath is not just a suggestion or an option; it’s a lifeline. It’s a way of re-centering my soul, recharging my body, and reconnecting with the One who sustains me. Here’s why I keep a Sabbath—and why I believe everyone can benefit from this ancient, sacred rhythm of rest. Sabbath Is a Divine Gift, Not a Burden When God rested on the seventh day after creating the world, it wasn’t because He was tired. God doesn’t get tired! It was because rest is woven into The rest of the story

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