1. Hey Pat! When are you coming to Dallas next? John and I would love to catch up with you. My typing skills have waned since moving from Austin, however.... I've loved reading your articles in various magazines, etc... Mitzi
   
   Comment by Mitzi Arellano - 7/22/2008 12:46:45 PM



2. Great Article! We (Myself included) have to get to the point where we the time we spend with the Father is our first and foremost priority. And out of that our ministry becomes our fruit. It is easy to focus on ministry and get caught up in doing. That will only lead to burnout. We also have to learn to focus on those things that God has called us to do. We should not create new ministries and activates just because they seem like a good idea. When we make our plans we can ask the question "Is this what God has called us to do?" If not then why are we doing it? Thanks again for the great article. - Jon Stallings
   
   Comment by Jon Stallings - 7/22/2008 2:46:44 PM



3. Many of us are re-discovering the ancient but relevant pattern of the kind of life Jesus modeled and so many through history have written about... Solitude, Community, Ministry. I have found that Nouwen's writing are the most helpful and shaping of both my heart and mind. Even though solitude can be disturbing, that is often God's very agenda to re-form our souls. We first must be disturbed by His presence then released for ministry (Is. 6). Grace and Peace.
   
   Comment by Troy Dean - 7/22/2008 3:43:17 PM



4. I am a new transplant into a small town of 4500. During the interview process, the elders insisted and have in my contract, that I take 4 hours per week for personal sabbath - being alone with God. Wayne Cordeiro from Hawaii, stated at a Willow Creek Conference to this effect, the more stress and demands pile up, the greater the need to refill the tank. I maybe from a small church of 250 but the demands are no less of us than the big churches. The four hours a week sabbath is a breath of fresh air every week that feeds me and fills my tank. For a small town church, these elders are obvious quite realistic about my "spiritual fuel tank". Yes, I could do more "work" but what I gain is no less important than Jesus spending time alone with His father on the mountain and far greater than what I could have accomplished in the office. Greg McBride Tulip Street Christian Church Mitchell, IN
   
   Comment by Greg McBride - 7/24/2008 7:28:26 AM