Jim Martin's Encouragement Note #115
Embracing joy . . . An encouraging surprise . . . Praying with and for our children . . . A prayer for ministers . . . Etcetera (resources for reading and listening)
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The List of Five
Embracing Joy
I love this picture! Children playing and laughing. For some of us this may be a reminder of simpler times.
Contrast this with the weight so many of us carry. We may know overwhelming burdens, the anxiety of problems that won’t go away, and the pressures of life.
Yet, in spite of these realities, there is a rich joy available to us.
The Psalms remind us of the joy that you and I can experience in God:
In the Psalms, joy is not just a tonic for the embattled soul. Joy is also and perhaps most fundamentally, a response to the experience of God’s rescue. When God offers the psalmist refuge in the storm, the response is joy (Ps. 5:11). When God gives victory in the face of defeat, the psalmist shouts for joy (Ps. 20:5). When God forgives sin, joy wells up in the heart (Ps. 51:8). When God consoles the anxious heart, joy slowly but surely takes its place (Ps. 94:19) — W. David O. Taylor, Open and Unafraid: The Psalms as a Guide to Life, p. 99
This is a profound, unshakeable joy. This is not a joy that is blind to our challenges. Rather, this joy transforms how we navigate our lives.
This is an invitation to embrace a deep, abiding joy.
An Encouraging Surprise
As I opened the large brown envelope and saw the letters enclosed, a flood of memories washed over me. Inside were letters I had written to my friend, Dan Anders. Dan (1936-1999) was a remarkable minister who encouraged me greatly as young minister in my 30s and 40s.
After his death, the family kindly sent me these letters I had written to him years ago and that he had kept in a file. Also included were copies of several letters he had written me.
As I read these letters again, I thought about some of the ministry challenges that we discussed. Some of these letters were written when I served a congregation in Florence, Ala. Others were written when I served congregations in Kansas City, Mo. and Waco, Tx. I could almost hear his voice and wisdom again.
One of my friend’s favorite passages was I Cor. 15:58:
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Dan’s words were a source of strength and encouragement. Decades later, his words continue to bless me.
Our words matter.
They can wound or heal.
They can destroy confidence or build it up.
They can humiliate or empower.
They can rob someone of joy or they can be a part of blessing another.
Maybe it’s just me, but I need this reminder. My words - and yours - really do matter. So how will I choose to use my words today?
Praying with and for Our Children
One of the most significant experiences that we can ever have with our children is to pray with them. This simple act can be such an important part of child’s spiritual formation.
Yet, some parents may not take this seriously. In praying with your children, you have a rich opportunity to go before the throne of the Father with your children.
Consider this: It is bedtime and in the quiet moments just before sleep, children will often share their joys, fears, and innermost thoughts. Perhaps the talk is about what happened on the playground. Or, it may be about the anxiety related to a particular class. This is sacred ground.
Our family discovered this treasure nightly with our two daughters. Sometimes, they would hold something inside until that moment. Consequently, our prayers with them would often have important details.
W. David O. Taylor, (Open and Unafraid: The Psalms as a Guide to Life, pp. 63-64) speaks of the importance of paying careful attention to their lives:
Like prayer, finally poetry is a way to love people by paying careful attention to their lives. When I pray nightly with our daughter, we pray specific things. We pray slowly and deliberately about health, travel, friends, troubles, rabbits, nightmares, grandparents. Instead of rushing through our prayers, we pay attention to the things Jesus would want for them. And the poetry of the psalms is like that: a way to help us pay attention to the things that matter to God — and to my neighbor and the world as well.
As we parents take the time to listen at bedtime, our prayers with our children are transformed from a routine to a sacred moment of love and attention.
Maybe one of the most important things we will ever do is to simply pray with our children. Yes, others can pray with your child but there is something very special about you (as a parent) praying with your son or your daughter.
Being a parent can be joyful, challenging, and at times — painful. Most parents I know really want to be a good mom or dad. Yet, don’t ignore one of the greatest resources for rearing a child in the Lord. There is great power in simply praying with your child - regularly - even daily.
Simply begin and trust that God will bless this time.
A Prayer for Ministers (Especially for Ministers and Other Church Leaders)
Ministers know that ministry demands can be constant and challenges can be ever present.
The following prayer was in a recent communication piece from Regent College (Vancouver, B.C.). This prayer was written by a graduate student, Fong Xue Ting. While it is primarily written with graduate students in mind, this piece certainly speaks to some of the demands of ministry.
God, You know our coming and going;
the pressing needs of our hearts,
and the worries and burdens that fill our minds
as we ready ourselves for a new season.
Help us as we settle into this present rhythm—
some of us coming from across the world,
from different nations, tribes, and tongues,
bearing our own histories and ways of learning.
Grant us dexterity of mind as we digest new content,
renewed passion as You reveal your path for us,
like-minded peers so that we can run together,
and above all, Yourself—that our souls may be satiated.
May what we learn turn us outward instead of in;
aid in unraveling the wrestling of our hearts,
heal old hurts, and embolden us
for the glory of Your name.
The following words were particularly meaningful as they relate to the life and the calling of a minister:
Turn us outward instead of inward: Ministers need to always be learning and growing. Yet, is my learning turning me outward? Am I focused on serving others, even as my knowledge increases?
Aid in unraveling the wrestling of our hearts: At times, ministers can experience deep internal conflict. In these seasons, you and I need God’s help to find clarity and purpose. What internal wrestlings have you experienced in recent months or even years?
Heal old hurts: Any minister is going to experience wounds. These wounds can be deep and painful. Yet, we are not defined by our wounds but by the wholeness that we experience in Jesus Christ. Can you identify an old hurt that God may be calling you to address in Jesus Christ?
Embolden us for the glory of your name: We live to glorify God. Yet, this will take courage and the strength of our conviction. As you serve God, where do you need a greater boldness?
Etcetera
I have been reading Open and Unafraid: The Psalms As a Guide to Life by W. David O. Taylor. (Forward by Eugene Peterson). One of the best chapters is “Honesty.”
See Cary Nieuwhof’s interview with Malcolm Gladwell. The focus of the interview is Gladwell’s writing process and habits. I found this interview very interesting.
“Who is Reading What and Why” This poll regarding reading in America is interesting. Particularly interesting to me was the breakdown into various genres.
I formerly served as Vice President of Harding School of Theology, Memphis, Tennessee. Prior to this, I served as a minister in various congregations for 36 years.
I am a husband, father, and grandfather. One of my favorite things to do is to come alongside another person and encourage her or him.
Every other Monday morning, I publish this “Encouragement Note.” You can subscribe at jimmartin.substack.com. You can also find me on Facebook - @jim.martin or Instagram - @jimmartin.jm. My e-mail address is: jmartin9669@gmail.com. Feel free to write. I would love to hear what is encouraging. — Jim Martin
