My heart

Greetings Faithful Readers,

I have to admit something on the blog this morning...I am sad. I am currently the pastor on call here at Flamingo Road Church and received a very difficult phone call yesterday. I was asked to go to a local hospital and pray over a little four year old boy who was in Pediatric ICU. Doctors aren't sure if he is going to make it or not. I went yesterday and tried my best to bring hope to a devastated family sitting there. I fumbled through a prayer about God's love and healing. I meant every word of it...I just struggled with finding words that didn't sound trite, banal, or empty.

Sometimes being a Pastor is hard. Really hard. You have to genuinely care for people that hurt. You can't just stand there and stare at them disconnected...hoping that whatever they are going through never happens to you. That's too easy. That isn't what I'm called to do. A Pastor's heart beats in my chest and today I hurt for that family.

Sympathy is easy. Empathy is hard. Christ calls us to feel what others feel...no matter how painful...

Romans 12:15 "Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep."

There is so much I don't understand about God and why things happen...I wish I had all the answers and could communicate them with just the right words to people that hurt. I'm doing the best I can with the brain and heart that God gave me.

As I stood there by the bed yesterday and held this young mother's hand, I realized that the most important thing I can do with my life is to be there for people. Just be there for them.

Today I cry for this little child and his family...

I'm done with complacency and fake compassion.

BV