One thing I like to do when I have time off is to count my blessings mentally.

We live in a world where it is easy to see your shortcomings and failures. Through the power of social media, I get to see people who take expensive vacations to exotic places I will never be able to afford. I see individuals who have big boy toys I can never afford. They have free time that I simply do not get to enjoy. Spend a day talking to friends and looking online, and you forget all the blessings you have received in your life and only see how well other people have it.

For me, I like to take a few minutes (usually while fishing) to think through all the ways God has blessed my life.

I have a beautiful wife who loves me. We have been together for 22 and a half years. I have four active, healthy boys. I am blessed to still have my mother with me and able to enjoy time with her. I have been able to travel across much of the US and even live in Alaska. I have fished in great places and caught big fish. I could literally go on and on and on.

I am not writing these things to make you feel bad or some sort of jealousy. I am hoping to inspire you. This summer as you can think of all the fun times other people are having, or you can see the blessings in your own life. Take an inventory of your life, your family, your past, your present, your accomplishments, your possessions, the people in your life, the joys God has given you and the thousand little blessings that are so easy to overlook.

There are two ways to be happy. One is getting more and doing more. The other is to appreciate what you have and what you have done. One of the those will give you heartache, and one of those will actually give you joy.

For me, it was the most dreaded words a teacher could say. The assignment would be given, and then they would say, “We are going to do this work in groups.” If you are not familiar with that type of instruction, then please let me explain. That meant that the class was going to be broken down into groups of 3-5 students to do an assigned project together. For me that meant one thing, to get a good grade I would be doing almost all the work. Usually, one student in each group would take the lead and work hard while the others sat back and enjoyed their labor. According to my children, this type of thing still goes on today, and it still drives many students crazy.

When I became an adult, I learned that there was a name for this type of behavior. It is formally called the Pareto principle. You might know it as the 80/20 rule. Basically, the idea is that in any group 80 percent of the work will be done by 20 percent of the people. Through the years I have seen this principle applied to almost everything. It can happen on sports teams, in the business community, on group homework assignments and even in Churches.

In most Churches, 20 percent of the people do 80 percent of the ministry.

I read that and have two separate emotions. First, there is this general acceptance that this principle applies everywhere and I would expect it in the Church. Second is the sadness that this applies everywhere even in the Church. I mean, what would happen if the church stopped acting like the world and everyone started doing their part?

For each one of us, there are two important questions we must ask ourselves.

1. How much do I expect from the Church? Do you want the Church to have vibrant children’s ministries, impactful youth ministries, deep small groups ministry, enjoyable senior adult’s ministries, and on and on. Most people I know think the Church should be doing more. There should be more mission work, more humanitarian work, and more gospel work. How many ministries do I expect from my Church?

2. How much time and energy am I willing to commit to making those things happen? This question is about whether we are part of the 20 percent who do the work or the 80 percent letting everyone else carry the burden.

Yes, the Church could and should be doing more to transform the world into the kingdom of God. Who will do the work?

You see when the teacher gave one of those group projects I knew I would do most of the work and yet we would all get the same grade. It happened almost every time because I was the only one who cared about our score. I really wanted to do well. Slowly the other students came to know they could count on me to show up with a completed assignment and they would just put their name on it.

I really want to be a part of a group of people who are not the same was as those kids in my class.

Most ministers I know, if they are brutally honest, will tell you that they are frequently haunted by the question, “Why don’t you just quit?”

Serving the Lord as a preacher comes with a unique set of struggles. There are the personal struggles. Trying to live a life worthy of our calling is difficult. I know people look up to me and there is continual pressure not to fall. There are the spiritual struggles with sin that try to trip me up on my walk with the Lord. Temptation is around every corner and waiting to pounce. That temptation might be in the form of sexual sin or anger or pride or even the idolatry of ministry success. There are the professional struggles that come with the ministry. I know that every word I say and write will come under analysis. People will check my Biblical accuracy, my historical knowledge, my personal devotion, and my attitude while hoping to be challenged and entertained. On top of everything else are added the family struggles and financial struggles that all of us face.

Each week comes with its own set of questions and criticisms that can drain the joy out of life and leave me feeling alone. Many of us who are called to preach dream about the possibility of leaving the ministry for something less stressful.

So why do I continue to do it?

1. I am deeply committed to Jesus. I am not saying this to sound arrogant. I chose ministry because I am 100% convinced that Jesus came, lived, died and was resurrected. He is God in the flesh and will be the final judge of all people. I will answer for my life to him and him alone. To choose to do any less than serve him is the biggest mistake anyone can make.

2. I believe God has gifted me. I don’t know why he did it, but I believe God gave me a gift. I see things differently than other people. I think differently. That gift allows me to put together ideas in a way that makes sense to people. If God entrusted me with a gift, how can I not use it for his glory?

3. I understand that ministry is about service. Jesus told his closest followers that he did not come to be served but to serve. Jesus could have taken his place on a throne and sit back while humanity struggled. Instead, he gave of himself, even to the point of death on a cross. To follow him is to choose a life of sacrificial service.

4. I never know what God will do through me. I have spent year after year hitting my head against the wall of ministry thinking I am wasting my time. Then it happens. One person gets it. They make Jesus their Savior. They change their life. They are transformed in a way that is both dramatic and surprising. I stand in awe of the fact that God allowed me to speak into the life of that person in some way.

Honestly, even if you did not choose to be a preacher, I know all of us face the temptation to quit. The temptation to give up on this Christianity thing and go an easier path. Let’s face it; it sure looks like those outside of Christ are having more fun with less stress.

But each one of us must come back to the elemental truths we believe about Jesus. Do you really believe in the story of the Bible? Do you really believe one day we will stand before an eternal judge? Do you think that it is possible that God might have gifted you? Do you actually believe that God might use you to further his kingdom on earth? If you believe those things, the question is not “Why don’t I quit” but rather “How could I do anything else?”

“Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young,” commonly known by the title “Wear Sunscreen,” is an essay written as a hypothetical commencement speech by columnist Mary Schmich, originally published in June 1997 in the Chicago Tribune. The material is often erroneously described as a commencement speech given by author Kurt Vonnegut at MIT. Later on, this written piece became the basis for a successful spoken word song released in 1999 by Baz Luhrmann, “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen),” also known as “The Sunscreen Song.” That is where I first heard it and became interested in its content. I hope you have heard it, but if not you can look it up on YouTube.

The article gives various pieces of advice on how to live a happier life and avoid the common frustrations of adulthood. There is one part of it that has stuck with me since the moment I first heard it; I mean besides the advice to wear sunscreen. Ms. Schmich writes these words that Baz sings –

Don’t worry about the future
or worry
But know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum
The real troubles in your life are apt to be things
That never crossed your worried mind
The kind that blindsides you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday

These words have come to my mind again as I thought about my speech to a group of high school seniors. Then they were underlined and highlighted by a few recent events like the death of a man in a crash and a young man being diagnosed with cancer. I even watched my son break his thumb while making a routine out in baseball. His summer plans completely changed in a moment, and we never saw it coming. None of us are entirely sure what is going to happen next and how to be prepared for it.

There are two simple thoughts I cling to each day.

1. My faith has prepared me for life’s darkest moments. Faith is about trusting God at all times, but it is especially comforting when things go wrong. I am confident that God is in charge. I know that he will bring good out of any situation. If nothing else, I have the hope of heaven that shines a light at the end of the tunnel.

2. Most of life is about how we react to situations. While I cannot control all the situations that come at me, I can control my reactions to them. I can have faith. I can see the good in things. I can offer hope and love. I can make God’s kingdom present in my life and through my life by choosing to react in Godly ways.

Today is just another Tuesday. I have no idea what will happen to the people I love this day or to me. Maybe nothing or maybe anything. Mentally I am trusting God today no matter what happens. He is present in my life, and I am willing to let him use me. I am not worried about what happens today.

Quite often this simple action helps things work better. I can’t say that I completely understand it, but when my phone, computer, and TV start doing abnormal things I just shut them off and start them back up, and it fixes the problem. This does not always work, but frequently it does. Most electronics need a reboot to help them reset so that they can function better.

While I am not an electronic device, I still have this supercomputer in my head. A little while back I decided it was time for a reboot. So 13 days ago I unplugged from work and electronics and went on vacation. I had originally planned to continue blogging but decided to take a break from this too. I spent the last two weeks fishing, relaxing, traveling, and enjoying time with my family. I completely unplugged from ministry and my regular routine.

If you don’t know me personally or know me very well let me give you a quick backstory of my life. The past 6-7 months have been particularly draining. There was the holiday season, the loss of my father, taking care of my mother, having another senior in the house for the second year in a row, the Easter season and the growth of our Church by at least 25 people. It has been a season of ups and downs emotionally and professionally. As a result, I finally reached the point of being angry or distracted all the time. It was time to shut down.

Today I am back. I feel refreshed and ready to make the next 6-month run.

With that said, let me share three thoughts.

1. Thank You. Thank you to everyone who covered all my ministry responsibilities the past two weeks. Thanks to Andy Storms for preaching. Thanks to Hannah and Rory for putting worship together. Thanks to my staff for getting everything done. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

2. I Missed You. While it is great to have a break sometimes, I still miss my Church family. I appreciate the people who read what I write and listen to what I preach. I miss the conversations and the joy of being together.

3. You Needed This Too. Your spiritual life should never depend on one teacher. You need to hear a multitude of voices. There is a fine line between gathering for the speaker and coming together to worship God. I never want to stand the way of your faith in Christ alone. A break gives you a chance to assess your faith and grow in a new way. This break was healthy for both of us.

As of today, I will be back to my normal speaking and writing schedule until the fall. Thanks for staying with me through this much-needed break and may God bless us all into the future.