Monday’s Ministry Encouragement: Written to encourage you, my friend in ministry, to be refreshed and renewed as we live for Christ and look toward the Bema.
“What do you do for fun?”
This question was posed to me by Sam Brock while riding in his 1946 Jeep Willys on a tour of Ironwood Camp, Newberry Springs, CA.
Pastor friend, may I ask you the same question . . . what do you do for fun?
Whether you are enjoying days of sunshine or stormy weather in ministry, you need to have a release, a time for fun! You need it, your wife needs it, your family needs it, your church family needs it!
- Ministry is intense. The pressure at times seem so strong, so heavy, so compelling.
- Ministry is busy. There’s always something to do.
- Ministry is demanding. There’s always something calling for your attention.
- Ministry is never complete. There’s always unfinished tasks.
You say, “I know all that. I’m right in the middle of it.” But . . . have you forgotten to have fun? Is it possible that you have grown cold and crusty in ministry while continuing the “pastoral smile”? Could it be that you have taken ministry and yourself too seriously?
- A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. (Proverbs 15:13)
- A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)
- There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God. (Ecclesiastes 2:24)
- A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. (Ecclesiastes 3:4)
Sometimes, the most spiritual thing you can do is laugh, enjoy life, have fun!
The fruit of the Spirit is joy (Galatians 5:22), and in His presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11).
So on this Monday, after giving your best to the Lord yesterday and perhaps feeling a bit depleted, have some fun.
- Take your wife on a date for coffee or ice cream and play a game in the shop.
- Go for a bike ride
- Invite some friends over and play a game that gets you laughing . . . not Catan!!
- Take a ride through country.
- Walk through a small town with your wife and take in some shops or walk through Lowe’s.
- “Get out of Dodge!” (Change of scenery)
- Fill-in-the-blank
So, to answer the question, “What do I do for fun?”—-Date and travel with my wife, hike and run!
Pastor friend, have fun today! Enjoy the journey!!!
fromapastorsheart.com 
Enjoy Camp Ironwood. I have family there.
Yes, I saw Mark. We graduated the same year at BJ.