Wise Words from a Pastor

As girltalk blog regulars know, I live on the other side of the great Potomac River from the rest of my family. Thankfully, all I have to do is drive across the American Legion Bridge to see them, which I do, with Jack in tow, at least once a week. (Can you sing, “Over the river and through the woods to MomMom’s house we go”?)

My husband Steve and I are blessed to be a part of Sovereign Grace Church of Fairfax (Virginia) where our senior pastor is a man named Mark Mullery. Mark and his wife Lesley are dear friends of ours, and Mark is an exceptional teacher of God’s Word who often speaks at Sovereign Grace Ministries conferences and teaches hermeneutics to the Pastors’ College students. Each year, at our church’s annual banquet to honor the small group leaders, Mark treats us to a brief, personal meditation on God’s Word.  It’s always memorable.

This year’s meditation was entitled “Come In” from Hebrews 10:19-22 and Mark has graciously given us permission to make it available to you. I highly recommend saving this for your quiet time. Mark’s words are worth pondering in an unhurried manner. I’ve provided the first paragraph to whet your appetite. Mark writes:

Here’s where I was the other night: felt discouraged, weary, slightly overwhelmed.  My joy-meter was reading in negative numbers. The cause?  No great suffering or trials here, just the everyday experience of looking ahead to the next couple of weeks with a lot to do and not enough time to do it all.  A couple of projects at home, no time to do them.  A teaching assignment to prepare for, but the slots I’d set aside got used up by unexpected meetings.  Teenagers who desire and require lots of conversation, but always after I’m in bed and wanting to be asleep.  Can you relate to this?  I think Pilgrim’s Progress calls this ‘The Slough of Despond.’  God calls it unacceptable.

If you can relate to Mark’s experience, then read on, and allow this wise pastor to pastor you through the “Slough of Despond” to joy and faith in Christ.