Avoiding Burnout in Abortion Clinic Ministry

WEBVTT100:00:00.600 --> 00:00:05.799I Am Yours, I am yours, I am yours. Send Me,200:00:06.160 --> 00:00:10.750Lord, I am yours. Welcometo the Gospel Center pro life podcast and300:00:10.789 --> 00:00:14.910this episode we're going to talk abouthow to Avoid Ministry burnout in ministry at400:00:14.910 --> 00:00:18.230an abortion clinic. We're going tolook at this from a biblical and practical500:00:18.309 --> 00:00:29.059perspective. So stay tuned. Lord, I felt show passis touch your heart.600:00:34.619 --> 00:00:38.250Welcome to the Gospel Center prayer lifepodcast. Appreciate you guys listening.700:00:38.969 --> 00:00:44.289As always, we appreciate you guyscommenting in the reviews, especially on Apple800:00:44.369 --> 00:00:48.450Podcast, and give us a goodreview and sharing this podcast with other people.900:00:48.530 --> 00:00:51.119That's a real blessing to us.So the other people are blessed to1000:00:51.159 --> 00:00:55.399listen to the content that we putout on a weekly basis. In case1100:00:55.439 --> 00:01:00.640you don't know, we put outa podcast every Thursday morning and it goes1200:01:00.679 --> 00:01:03.960out about five o'clock in the morning. So for your early risers you can1300:01:03.000 --> 00:01:06.950get to it pretty early, andfor those of you who get up a1400:01:06.950 --> 00:01:10.950little later, you can access itanytime after five am. But of course1500:01:11.030 --> 00:01:15.549Vicky gets up at like crackadawn,the crack of dawn for the back of1600:01:15.629 --> 00:01:21.140Don Yeah, and so she's she'sable to get to listening very, very1700:01:21.140 --> 00:01:26.099quickly. Anyway, please share thepodcast and stick with us as we jump1800:01:26.180 --> 00:01:32.420into the topic of Avoiding Ministry burnout. Yeah, it's an important topic.1900:01:32.659 --> 00:01:36.569It is, because if you burnout, you fizzle out and you're2000:01:36.569 --> 00:01:42.609not effective anymore. We did apodcast some months ago about fighting discouragement.2100:01:42.010 --> 00:01:48.079Maybe doing that I do this willbe maybe sort of along the same lines.2200:01:48.439 --> 00:01:51.280It's got some similar aspects, butit truly is a different topic.2300:01:51.280 --> 00:01:55.000Yeah, it is a different topicand it's a different dynamic that goes on.2400:01:55.560 --> 00:02:00.040Yeah, it's this is more particularto people who are involved in everyday2500:02:00.120 --> 00:02:05.909ministry and just feeling some of thepressure of it. And the reality is2600:02:06.750 --> 00:02:09.949ministry burnout. Listen, I've beenthere. Yeah, I've been on the2700:02:09.990 --> 00:02:15.229edge of that, I guess,and by God's grace, was pulled back2800:02:15.229 --> 00:02:17.900from that edge just burning out.But it can creep up on us.2900:02:17.939 --> 00:02:21.699Yeah, it can creep up onyou don't even realize it. So we're3000:02:21.699 --> 00:02:24.219going to talk about some of thesigns, yeah, of ministry burn out,3100:02:25.500 --> 00:02:30.650some of the types of ministry burnout. We're going to talk about what3200:02:30.289 --> 00:02:35.289what to do about it right andwe're going to talk about a little bit3300:02:35.289 --> 00:02:38.169of what the Bible has to say. They're actually people in the scripture who,3400:02:38.330 --> 00:02:43.090from all appearances, look like theywere on the verge of ministry burnout3500:02:43.129 --> 00:02:46.199or they had already gone into thecrispy stage where we're going to we're going3600:02:46.240 --> 00:02:49.319to talk about we talk about that. Yeah, yeah, I agree.3700:02:49.639 --> 00:02:53.919So we have you've dug Vicki fora couple of articles about this, right,3800:02:53.960 --> 00:02:57.560or you just dug for one articleand I found another article that.3900:02:57.599 --> 00:03:00.509I think both of these articles arepretty helpful and we can link them,4000:03:00.550 --> 00:03:04.389yeah, to this podcast, soy'all can look at these because they're good4100:03:04.389 --> 00:03:07.349articles. Yeah, will link themin the description on the podcast so that4200:03:07.430 --> 00:03:10.949you guys can check them out.You haven't written an article about this particular4300:03:10.990 --> 00:03:15.740subject, because why reinvent the wheel? Right? There's already a lot of4400:03:15.780 --> 00:03:19.139good articles out there now. Ofcourse there's some articles that are out there.4500:03:19.580 --> 00:03:23.580You know about burnout, just ingeneral work burnout. There's a difference.4600:03:23.139 --> 00:03:27.370I mean I know because I usedto work in the kind of labor4700:03:27.449 --> 00:03:31.969intensive field of doing hardwood floors andthere's a burnout that's in that area of4800:03:32.169 --> 00:03:36.210work. In our work is ministry. So I don't want to talk in4900:03:36.409 --> 00:03:38.610categories that the Bible doesn't give us. Our work is ministry, but there5000:03:38.689 --> 00:03:44.840is a difference in that kind ofphysical labor and then this emotional Labor that5100:03:44.960 --> 00:03:47.400we do on the sidewalk and whatyou do in ministry. And these articles5200:03:47.439 --> 00:03:53.159are going to be typically coming fromthe perspective of a pasture and not really5300:03:53.240 --> 00:04:00.069particularly sidewalk missionary right, or ministry. That has to do with the issue5400:04:00.069 --> 00:04:01.349of abortion, but we can.So we're going to bring some of that5500:04:01.789 --> 00:04:05.389exactly. We're going to bring someof that flavor into talking about these articles.5600:04:05.430 --> 00:04:09.750Yeah, so we'll share those articleswith you guys again in the description5700:04:09.870 --> 00:04:14.379of this. But let's jump intosome of the types of burnout. What5800:04:14.460 --> 00:04:17.060should we define? Should we defineburnout? So you know you're a smart5900:04:17.100 --> 00:04:19.339person. Yeah, let's de findwhat that is. Some of you guys6000:04:19.420 --> 00:04:24.930probably already know because maybe you're inthe midst of burnout. Yeah, I'm6100:04:24.970 --> 00:04:27.689there. Yeah, but yeah,let's let's define in it for him.6200:04:27.769 --> 00:04:30.370Yeah, well, some one ofthe articles is written by Josh spurlock,6300:04:30.529 --> 00:04:32.649just so that y'all know, andwe will link it, and the other6400:04:32.769 --> 00:04:36.769one by Kevin Hollern, I thinkis how you say his name, and6500:04:38.410 --> 00:04:42.839I like the definition that Josh,Josh spurlock gave. He said burnout is6600:04:42.920 --> 00:04:49.560a state of mental and physical exhaustioncaused by excessive and prolonged stress. Okay,6700:04:49.639 --> 00:04:55.709and he says there are three stages, okay, burn out. I6800:04:55.790 --> 00:05:00.589think that's very important because, likeour discouragement podcast, yeah, that's maybe6900:05:00.589 --> 00:05:05.149a symptom of a stage of burnout, but it doesn't include the whole entire7000:05:05.589 --> 00:05:12.339picture of okay. So Josh spurlocksays the first stage is stressed, feeling7100:05:12.379 --> 00:05:17.339stressed. The next stage is overwhelmedand the third stage is crispy, okay,7200:05:17.420 --> 00:05:23.170where you're totally burnt right and youare ready to quit, and that's7300:05:23.290 --> 00:05:26.769dangerous. If you've gotten to thatstage, that's that's when people end up7400:05:26.810 --> 00:05:31.170leaving ministry because they are fried.Yeah, they've had it. So the7500:05:31.329 --> 00:05:36.279process can be stopped at any point, Josh spurlock says, but once you're7600:05:36.399 --> 00:05:42.040in the crispy stage, people knowsomething's wrong and that is when sometimes you7700:05:42.199 --> 00:05:45.680just really need to leave for aperiod of time or do something a little7800:05:45.680 --> 00:05:48.079bit more dramatic to get yourself backon track. Yeah, yeah, and7900:05:48.240 --> 00:05:53.870I'll say this. I've seen peoplethrough observation over the years who are in8000:05:53.910 --> 00:05:58.269the crispy stage and maybe they don'tknow it themselves, but you can tell.8100:05:58.310 --> 00:06:00.990It's like, man, you needto you need to back away right.8200:06:00.189 --> 00:06:04.339And Not only do some folks thatI've seen burnout from ministry and just8300:06:04.420 --> 00:06:09.540they back away from ministry, butthey get disillusioned with God, they start8400:06:09.579 --> 00:06:12.899to get angry with the Lord.Yeah, and so that's a dangerous place8500:06:12.980 --> 00:06:14.980to be in. Yeah, yeah, you need to be careful. We8600:06:15.180 --> 00:06:17.610need to you know, self awarenessis an important part of the Christian life.8700:06:17.610 --> 00:06:21.089Yeah, are we aware of,you know, the stuff that's going8800:06:21.209 --> 00:06:26.329on in our own minds and ourown hearts? This is an intense ministry,8900:06:26.529 --> 00:06:30.649being out on the sidewalk at anabortion clinic. It's intense in some9000:06:30.850 --> 00:06:33.920good ways. Like, where elsecan you see a mom who was about9100:06:34.000 --> 00:06:39.639to kill her child change completely fromwant to kill her child to saving her9200:06:39.720 --> 00:06:43.600child and then even, in someof these situations, giving her heart to9300:06:43.720 --> 00:06:47.750Jesus, surrendering her life? Andwe've seen some dramatic transformations. Yeah,9400:06:48.269 --> 00:06:54.470that is awesome. It's like extremelyawesome. Yeah, but even you know,9500:06:54.550 --> 00:06:58.389kind of on the other side ofthis to be able to be on9600:06:58.470 --> 00:07:00.819the sidewalk there to see that asawesome, but to be on the sidewalk9700:07:01.019 --> 00:07:05.939and to pour into a mom,into a family, and they still you9800:07:06.019 --> 00:07:10.500know, everything you've got, youpour your heart into this ministry, you9900:07:10.579 --> 00:07:13.339pour your heart into this mother,you give her every reason to choose life,10000:07:13.339 --> 00:07:15.850and yet she still walks in thatdoor and kills her innocent child.10100:07:16.610 --> 00:07:23.610That's extreme ministry right there too.That's it's that's something hard to deal with10200:07:23.970 --> 00:07:28.329in your minds justing. And soyou're dealing with the spiritual warfare. Yeah,10300:07:28.449 --> 00:07:33.079you're dealing with a huge time commitmentand with many people who are sidewalk10400:07:33.120 --> 00:07:38.319counselors. You're also dealing with tryingto follow these women, and no one10500:07:38.399 --> 00:07:40.519can do all that. Yeah,no one can do all that. And10600:07:40.600 --> 00:07:44.120by follow you mean follow up withafter they've chosen life and there, after10700:07:44.199 --> 00:07:47.069they've made that decision for life,to get them plugged into the resources that10800:07:47.110 --> 00:07:50.870they need. Yeah, this isand that's why, when we talk about10900:07:50.949 --> 00:07:56.550the body of Christ working together andthe different components working together, we've got11000:07:56.629 --> 00:08:00.819to do the best we can toemploy the whole body of Christ to help11100:08:01.100 --> 00:08:05.699in these different situations and to helpin these different aspects of prolife ministry.11200:08:05.779 --> 00:08:09.019Yeah, and I do it allexactly, and I know we're going to11300:08:09.100 --> 00:08:13.290get into other scriptural support, butI just the image keeps coming back to11400:08:13.329 --> 00:08:18.569me of the story of Moses whenthey're entering the promised land and they're fighting11500:08:18.810 --> 00:08:22.089there the enemies and when he wouldhold what it was most it's right.11600:08:22.129 --> 00:08:24.610Yeah, I get mostes and Abrahim mixed up all the time. Yeah,11700:08:24.610 --> 00:08:28.079anyway. So, so as longas he held his arms up,11800:08:28.879 --> 00:08:33.080you know, toward heaven, theywould win the battle. And if if11900:08:33.200 --> 00:08:35.639his strength started to drop in hisarms would drop, they would lose.12000:08:35.639 --> 00:08:39.559They would start to lose and hecouldn't do it. He could not hold12100:08:39.679 --> 00:08:45.190his arms up long enough and theywere losing. But he had all of12200:08:45.350 --> 00:08:50.629these other people in the of theLord's people, come and hold his arms,12300:08:50.990 --> 00:08:54.710but in particular actually was Aaron andand a man by the name of12400:08:54.909 --> 00:08:58.779her that came alongside Moses and heldhis arms up, yeah, so that12500:08:58.860 --> 00:09:01.860they could win the battle. Yeah, and that, of course, is12600:09:01.860 --> 00:09:05.659analogous to of course it's a realstory that really happened. But the Lord12700:09:05.740 --> 00:09:09.289uses these Old Testament stories a lotof times, and New Testament stories to12800:09:09.409 --> 00:09:15.090teach US present realities. Yeah,that just as Moses could not do that12900:09:15.129 --> 00:09:18.490alone, couldn't stand in the gapand do what he needed to do on13000:09:18.649 --> 00:09:24.480behalf of Israel alone, we can'tstand on that sidewalk alone, right,13100:09:24.639 --> 00:09:28.279and we need, and that's oneof the principles, that we need others13200:09:28.440 --> 00:09:30.840with us. We need others inthis battle. We need to know,13300:09:31.240 --> 00:09:35.799because one of the ways that youget in that crispy stage is isolation.13400:09:35.879 --> 00:09:39.269Yeah, you feel like you're theonly one and you know, the story13500:09:39.309 --> 00:09:43.950of Elijah comes to mind there,and we'll probably touch on that a little13600:09:43.950 --> 00:09:48.230bit more. But Elijah is inone of these scenarios in which it's a13700:09:48.350 --> 00:09:52.620pretty intense battle. Yeah, andhe sees a pretty extreme victory actually on13800:09:52.779 --> 00:09:58.139Mount Carmel with the Prophets of bail. Yeah, and God answers by fire13900:09:58.740 --> 00:10:01.059and of course their false God doesn'tanswer because it's not a god at all.14000:10:01.139 --> 00:10:05.899Right, Elijah has US awesome victoryin the children Israel come and they14100:10:05.899 --> 00:10:09.769slay the prophets of bail but nottoo long after that Elijah's running for his14200:10:09.889 --> 00:10:15.850life from Jezebel and he's loathing hisvery life. So that's that's one of14300:10:15.889 --> 00:10:20.370the dynamics that take that can takeplace because this is such an emotional ministry.14400:10:20.409 --> 00:10:24.200It's such a spiritual bad don't Imean, if you want to feel14500:10:24.200 --> 00:10:28.559spiritual warfare, go to your localabortion center. Yeah, the spiritual and14600:10:28.639 --> 00:10:33.000the emotional together tie into the physical. I like I said, I used14700:10:33.000 --> 00:10:35.070to do hardwood floors and worked formy dad who had a hardwood floor company,14800:10:35.350 --> 00:10:39.629and it's hard work. I'm we'repushing, actually being pulled by like14900:10:39.830 --> 00:10:45.429two hundred pound machine all day long. Wow, walking thousands of steps.15000:10:45.470 --> 00:10:48.110I don't know how many steps aday I would work. Yeah, or15100:10:48.190 --> 00:10:52.940would walk the equipment. Every pieceof equipment is heavy. It's like they15200:10:52.019 --> 00:10:54.620put lead in these things, Idon't know, but they're heavy, and15300:10:54.740 --> 00:10:58.700necessarily because they get into the woodand sand it. And I won't get15400:10:58.740 --> 00:11:03.019into all those details, but justto say it's a physical job and I15500:11:03.059 --> 00:11:05.730would come home from that physical joband I would be worn out. I'd15600:11:05.730 --> 00:11:11.409be worn out physically, but notnecessarily emotionally and spiritually. Right, I15700:11:11.490 --> 00:11:15.809could still do certain things and Ijust wouldn't spent completely. Yeah, I15800:11:15.970 --> 00:11:22.480come home from doing ministry on thesidewalk and I am spent emotionally, mentally,15900:11:22.320 --> 00:11:28.559physically, spiritually, all of that. I'm just done for sometimes where16000:11:28.559 --> 00:11:31.200I have to go and lay downon the couch take a little bit of16100:11:31.200 --> 00:11:35.429a nap just to recoup. Andit's the mental, the emotional, in16200:11:35.509 --> 00:11:37.710the in the spiritual tie into thephysical. So I say all that to16300:11:37.789 --> 00:11:43.190say that even, and I'll saythis this is not just days where it16400:11:43.350 --> 00:11:46.110seemed like there were no baby save, but even days where it's awesome,16500:11:46.139 --> 00:11:50.460up a life was saved and wegot to be a part of that life16600:11:50.500 --> 00:11:54.580being saved. Even that, though, was emotionally draining, right. So16700:11:54.779 --> 00:12:00.379yeah, all of this to saythat, guys, this is a necessary16800:12:00.419 --> 00:12:03.330ministry. And then we want toencourage you, guys, to be involved16900:12:03.370 --> 00:12:05.529in this ministry. And so noneof this is to discourage you in to17000:12:05.610 --> 00:12:09.210say run from this Ministry as fastas you can. Know, run toward17100:12:09.289 --> 00:12:13.049what God has called you to andthere's grace available, for sure. Yeah,17200:12:13.169 --> 00:12:18.360but just be aware and be awarethat burnout can creep up. There's17300:12:18.399 --> 00:12:22.559going to always be stress and there'sgoing to always be kind of those first17400:12:22.559 --> 00:12:26.480two categories that you that you namedout there where it's stressed and overwhelmed.17500:12:26.519 --> 00:12:31.230I mean I feel in some measurestressed and overwhelmed every day, right,17600:12:31.549 --> 00:12:35.789but I don't feel crispy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, if you don't17700:12:35.789 --> 00:12:39.629deal with this stress and overwhelmed.But you know what you said that we're17800:12:39.669 --> 00:12:43.269not saying all this to discourage youand push you away from ministry. In17900:12:43.429 --> 00:12:48.299fact we're saying the very opposite,that pastors or anyone involved in an extremely18000:12:48.340 --> 00:12:54.340draining ministry are are in danger ofburnout and they need those other people to18100:12:54.379 --> 00:12:58.610come alongside. Not even just peoplethat are going to be out on the18200:12:58.690 --> 00:13:03.250sidewalk, but recently we had asidewalk counselor who needs help. She's taken18300:13:03.289 --> 00:13:07.049on so much and so she putout a plea publicly. Here's if you18400:13:07.210 --> 00:13:09.850have a skill, we can useyou, because she's hoping to pass off,18500:13:09.970 --> 00:13:15.799delegate some of her responsibilities to others. And I read the responses and18600:13:16.519 --> 00:13:18.759most, if not all, Ithink I saw one out of all the18700:13:18.879 --> 00:13:22.480responses, said Oh wow, I'llpray for you. Yeah, well,18800:13:22.559 --> 00:13:26.960and my and and I put ina little bit Snarky, I must admit,18900:13:26.039 --> 00:13:30.470but I put in I pray thatsome of these people that are praying19000:13:30.549 --> 00:13:33.870will actually step up and do,yeah, something, and so it's the19100:13:33.950 --> 00:13:39.230encouragement to we are all needed ifwe love the Lord. We are needed19200:13:39.629 --> 00:13:45.019to end this holocaust of abortion andthere are many roles. Sidewalk counselors are19300:13:45.100 --> 00:13:48.299needed as well. Yeah, butthere's lots of places where someone could put19400:13:48.340 --> 00:13:52.700again and help, yes, peopleto prevent hopefully they're burning out because they19500:13:52.700 --> 00:13:56.730are willing to be out on thatsidewalk. Yeah, and that's a dynamic19600:13:56.690 --> 00:14:00.450that I think we should mention.If you're out there on the sidewalk.19700:14:01.129 --> 00:14:03.090One of the things that we havedone here in Charlotte, and it's all19800:14:03.129 --> 00:14:09.200been by God's Grays, is raisingup mentors in the churches and, as19900:14:09.279 --> 00:14:11.720you guys know, if you're followingany of the things that are going on20000:14:11.919 --> 00:14:16.039here in Charlotte, we've merged togetherwith love life, who's a ministry that's20100:14:16.039 --> 00:14:18.279gotten local churches to come out andpray at the abortion center's all right,20200:14:18.799 --> 00:14:24.789and every week there are churches forthat forty weeks of the love life prayer20300:14:24.830 --> 00:14:28.429campaign, there's churches that are outpraying, but they're asking those churches to20400:14:28.549 --> 00:14:33.870take a step beyond just praying.Okay, we want you to identify in20500:14:33.070 --> 00:14:37.230your churches pastors. Are there peoplethat can be mentors? Are there people20600:14:37.309 --> 00:14:41.299that can be sidewalk counselors? Andthat mentor piece is really important because for20700:14:41.340 --> 00:14:46.539a long time here in Charlotte,with the cities for life and our counselors20800:14:46.620 --> 00:14:48.940here, they would do the sidewalkcounseling and do the follow up up,20900:14:50.500 --> 00:14:52.929do the mentoring and all of thatand it just that will burn you out.21000:14:54.049 --> 00:14:58.090So those of you who are listening, it takes work to pitch it21100:14:58.250 --> 00:15:01.289to pastures, to pitch it toindividuals. Hey, maybe you can't be21200:15:01.330 --> 00:15:05.289on the sidewalk, but can yoube a mentor? It takes a little21300:15:05.330 --> 00:15:09.159work. But sometimes to delegate thingswe have to do a little bit of21400:15:09.240 --> 00:15:13.200upfront work to save ourselves a lotof the back end work. Yeah,21500:15:13.679 --> 00:15:16.360so you've got to do a littlebit of asking, a little bit of21600:15:16.440 --> 00:15:20.799sharing. Hey, here's what theneed is, maybe even a little bit21700:15:20.799 --> 00:15:24.830of roll defining, defining that roleof what a mentor is for people.21800:15:24.549 --> 00:15:28.309And then once they kind of getthat vision and get that get that burden21900:15:28.549 --> 00:15:33.190to be that, then it thatdelegated authority that now instead of you mentoring,22000:15:33.269 --> 00:15:37.340you sidewalk counseling and mentoring the MOMSthat choose life. You can now22100:15:37.460 --> 00:15:41.580hand them off to a mentor rightand one of the things that we're doing22200:15:41.700 --> 00:15:43.740here, just a little plug infor what God's doing, is we're doing22300:15:45.299 --> 00:15:48.539boot camps, training boot camps forpeople that want to become sidewalk missionaries.22400:15:48.940 --> 00:15:52.250We talked some weeks ago about sidewalkcounselors. Actually, sad what missionaries,22500:15:52.450 --> 00:15:56.289of people who want to be trainedunder love life as sidewalk missionaries, and22600:15:56.409 --> 00:16:00.529we're training them to do sidewalk counseling, but we're also training them in mentor22700:16:00.690 --> 00:16:03.169handoffs and helping churches to raise upmentors and all of that, and that's22800:16:03.250 --> 00:16:07.080the sort of stuff that we're involvedand that's why we merge together with love22900:16:07.159 --> 00:16:11.360life, is because we want churchesto to take this burden the issue of23000:16:11.399 --> 00:16:15.039abortion, mentoring these MOMS, butalso the sidewalk ministry and all these components23100:16:15.320 --> 00:16:18.429that are involved in reaching these womenand discipling them, and we want to23200:16:19.350 --> 00:16:22.350that those, those ministries go handin hand and we want to influence the23300:16:22.429 --> 00:16:26.429local churches in the United States ofAmerica that this is a necessary ministry that23400:16:26.509 --> 00:16:29.710we all need to be involved in. So we're seeing a lot of traction23500:16:29.750 --> 00:16:33.259in that area. Praise God.Yeah, yeah, okay. So the23600:16:33.419 --> 00:16:37.019signs of Burnout, said our nextour next major area that we should go23700:16:37.059 --> 00:16:41.019to. Okay, so we talkedabout the types of burnout, which are23800:16:41.100 --> 00:16:45.700just just touch on those stressed,overwhelmed and crispy and crispy. Okay,23900:16:45.700 --> 00:16:48.210yeah, and then the signs.What are the signs? How do you24000:16:48.289 --> 00:16:55.169know if you're maybe moving toward crispy? How do you know if you're in24100:16:55.289 --> 00:16:59.009that stressed category or overwhelmed category?So touch you on some of those.24200:16:59.049 --> 00:17:02.879Those spur luck does identify the signsand I really like how he does this24300:17:03.120 --> 00:17:07.440because it reminds us that there arewarning signs. Yeah, and if we24400:17:07.559 --> 00:17:11.880pay attention to those warning signs,hopefully you don't end up crispy. Right.24500:17:12.039 --> 00:17:17.109So I like I like that hehas them in stages. So Stage24600:17:17.269 --> 00:17:22.990one, irritableness, anxiety and worry, high blood pressure, grinding your teeth24700:17:22.029 --> 00:17:26.390in your sleep, insomnia. Sofar I've got every one of these.24800:17:26.670 --> 00:17:30.819Wow, but I probably always hadevery real day some kind of a high24900:17:30.859 --> 00:17:37.019stressed person, increased illness, lossof appetite or stress eating, unusual heart25000:17:37.019 --> 00:17:41.900rhythms, skipped beach rapid pounding,struggle to concentrate and forgetfulness and headaches.25100:17:42.220 --> 00:17:45.089Okay, so a lot of peoplehave experienced those things. A lot of25200:17:45.170 --> 00:17:48.410US feel stressed. Sure if thisis a stressful world. Yeah, and25300:17:48.730 --> 00:17:52.890certainly the Bible will guide us,and we're going to talk about that later.25400:17:52.930 --> 00:17:56.769There's certainly biblical principles to help toreduce and relieve that stress from a25500:17:56.849 --> 00:18:04.000biblical perspective. But that stage one, and and so that stage was feeling25600:18:04.200 --> 00:18:11.000stress. Yeah, so stage twooverwhelmed, and it's characterized by decreasing performance,25700:18:11.079 --> 00:18:17.349increase negativity, withdrawal and attempts tomedicate the symptoms. Okay, so25800:18:17.589 --> 00:18:26.269there's been late procrastinating, dreading returningto work, marital conflict, decrease sex25900:18:26.390 --> 00:18:33.900desire, persistent tiredness, missing projectdeadlines, social withdrawal from friends and her26000:18:33.980 --> 00:18:37.819family, cynicism. That's when theycreeps in and you can start to hear26100:18:37.900 --> 00:18:41.609it. Yeah, you know,we can maybe start to check each other26200:18:41.809 --> 00:18:45.769knowing that, knowing cynicism is asign that you've reached stage two of being26300:18:45.849 --> 00:18:49.450overwhelmed, because so often when someonestarts, they're just on fire, ready26400:18:49.529 --> 00:18:53.009to change the world. They're excitedabout how God is going to use them26500:18:53.529 --> 00:18:56.799and they start to come to apoint where they're like kind of name calling,26600:18:56.839 --> 00:19:02.079yeah, and and looking at thepeople that they're dealing with. And26700:19:02.400 --> 00:19:07.240and it not with good eyes,right, with, yeah, critical and26800:19:07.279 --> 00:19:12.950judgmental and even condemning eyes, andthat says cynicism creeps in, resentfulness,26900:19:14.910 --> 00:19:22.789increased caffeine consumption, increased alcohol consumptionand apathy, just not caring anymore.27000:19:22.789 --> 00:19:27.819Yeah. So those are all signsof Stage two, overwhelmed. Yeah,27100:19:30.059 --> 00:19:34.740and of course those are indications thatI won't just say overwhelmed in the sense27200:19:34.859 --> 00:19:41.730that mentally or with ministry, butthose are signs that your relationship with the27300:19:41.849 --> 00:19:45.809Lord, yeah, is not whatit needs to be in and all of27400:19:45.930 --> 00:19:49.569these you can't give what you don'thave, right. And if you've listened27500:19:49.609 --> 00:19:52.960to this podcast for any amount oftime, I mean the name of the27600:19:52.000 --> 00:19:56.240Podcast is a Gospel Center, PrayerLife Podcast, you know that for us27700:19:56.279 --> 00:19:59.200the Gospel is at the center ofwhat we do. Right, the Lord27800:19:59.200 --> 00:20:02.880is at the center of what wedo, and if we're not connected with27900:20:02.960 --> 00:20:06.519him, then we can't, aswe talk about often bring him into the28000:20:06.519 --> 00:20:08.910equation. If he's not in theequation in our lives. Yeah, if28100:20:08.950 --> 00:20:12.549he's not at the center of ourlives, then we can't bring him into28200:20:12.549 --> 00:20:18.109the center or encourage these women andthese men that we encounter the abortion centers28300:20:18.150 --> 00:20:19.950to bring him into the center oftheir lives. Very true. So you28400:20:21.029 --> 00:20:25.180can't give what you don't have.So your relationship with the Lord is vital.28500:20:25.220 --> 00:20:30.500It is vital. There is asense in which we can't do this28600:20:30.779 --> 00:20:34.140ministry. There's a sense in whichwe are overwhelmed and I think I may28700:20:34.180 --> 00:20:37.730have told you a couple of weeksago that, you know, I feel28800:20:37.730 --> 00:20:41.769like with this endeavor, with raisingup missionaries all across the country, yeah,28900:20:41.970 --> 00:20:45.529that we've bitten off more than wecan choose. Right. Yeah,29000:20:45.930 --> 00:20:48.250and you know what? Always feellike that though, ministry. I always29100:20:48.410 --> 00:20:53.599ministries, almost always biting off morethan we can chew. But God gives29200:20:53.640 --> 00:20:57.319us strengthen our jaw muscles to chewit. Okay, I like that.29300:20:57.440 --> 00:21:00.480But he also read we are weak, he is strong. That was my29400:21:00.599 --> 00:21:04.109verse today, that was the storythat I read today, where we rejoice29500:21:04.190 --> 00:21:07.549in our weakness because then his strengthis revealed. Yeah, and I think29600:21:07.589 --> 00:21:11.109we are always sweek. If we'rehonest, it's not US doing this ministry.29700:21:11.230 --> 00:21:15.710Is Standing there in obedience for God'sministry. Yeah, where the vessels29800:21:15.789 --> 00:21:19.660that he's using? Yeah, absolutely. I think I've shared before on this29900:21:19.819 --> 00:21:22.019podcast. If I haven't, I'llshare it again. If I have,30000:21:22.099 --> 00:21:27.660I'll still share it again. Whenbefore, just a few months actually,30100:21:27.740 --> 00:21:32.259a few weeks before, I camein full time with cities for life,30200:21:32.660 --> 00:21:36.329back in two thousand and fifteen again, as I mentioned earlier, I worked30300:21:36.369 --> 00:21:40.210for my dad doing hardwood floors andagain it's pretty intense, yeah, labor.30400:21:40.849 --> 00:21:44.970But then the Lord called me intothis Ministry and into, you know,30500:21:45.089 --> 00:21:48.599are quotes full time ministry, becauseI do believe that every area of30600:21:49.079 --> 00:21:52.839a Christians life, no matter whatwork you do, it is full time30700:21:52.880 --> 00:21:56.519ministry. Should be anyway. Itshould be so. But there is a30800:21:56.119 --> 00:22:00.160vocational ministry, whatever you want tocall it. When the word called me30900:22:00.240 --> 00:22:03.430to this, I remember texting rightbefore, yeah, right before I was31000:22:03.509 --> 00:22:07.950about to make that transition, Iwas actually on my hands and heees doing31100:22:07.990 --> 00:22:11.390a set of steps, which isreally hard work because you're using kind of31200:22:11.829 --> 00:22:15.859rudimentary tools. You're using US scraperand you're getting this paint off and the31300:22:17.180 --> 00:22:19.299old varnish and stuff off to makethese steps look good. I was doing31400:22:19.380 --> 00:22:22.460that. I was by myself actually, because the other guys are gone to31500:22:22.460 --> 00:22:26.140another job anyway, and I wasjust thinking about this whole thing. I'm31600:22:26.140 --> 00:22:30.769going to take over this ministry.I've never run a nonprofit before, I've31700:22:30.809 --> 00:22:34.569never been the director of a ministrylike this. I've never overseen thirty,31800:22:34.690 --> 00:22:38.009forty volunteers. I don't know ifI can do this. I'M gonna have31900:22:38.049 --> 00:22:41.490to do fundraising, I'm going tohave to reach out to pastures, I'm32000:22:41.569 --> 00:22:45.480going to have to raise up morevolunteers, all of this stuff that I've32100:22:45.559 --> 00:22:48.759never really done before, and I'm, you know, crying out to the32200:22:48.880 --> 00:22:52.720Lord, like God him, canI do this and I equipped to do32300:22:52.880 --> 00:22:55.799this, and I remember a voice, you know, in my heart,32400:22:55.880 --> 00:22:56.759in my mind, however you wantto say. It was in like a32500:22:56.799 --> 00:23:00.910physical voice, and I knew itwas the enemy's voice, though, saying32600:23:02.430 --> 00:23:04.750you can't do this, you're notequipped to do this, you're going to32700:23:04.869 --> 00:23:08.190fail, there's no way you cando this, and I was just like32800:23:08.509 --> 00:23:12.059feeling really in that moment, overwhelmedby that. Oh you know what,32900:23:14.019 --> 00:23:18.380this voice is right, I can't. But some of them rose up in33000:23:18.500 --> 00:23:22.460me in that moment, and Ibelieve it was the Holy Spirit. Yeah,33100:23:22.740 --> 00:23:23.859where I said, you know what, devil, this is like.33200:23:25.299 --> 00:23:26.609Even said this out loud. Iwas by myself, so it wasn't too33300:23:26.650 --> 00:23:30.170weird and I talked to myself anyway. But at this point I was talking33400:23:30.210 --> 00:23:33.049to the enemy. I was saying, you know what, devil, you're33500:23:33.089 --> 00:23:36.609right. This is a point inwhich I will agree with you. I33600:23:36.650 --> 00:23:40.089can't do this ministry. I can'tdo all the things that are necessary,33700:23:40.130 --> 00:23:42.160all the stuff completely outside of myrealm of ability. You're right, I33800:23:42.279 --> 00:23:45.640can't, and this is one pointwhere, devil, I will agree with33900:23:45.759 --> 00:23:49.200you. However, I agree alsowith the word of God that the grace34000:23:49.319 --> 00:23:52.880of God is sufficient. In myweakness, he is strong. So I34100:23:52.960 --> 00:23:56.990can't do this, but I'm notrelying on me to do it, I'm34200:23:57.069 --> 00:24:00.670relying on the Lord. So,Haha, devil, take that. Yeah,34300:24:00.869 --> 00:24:03.589and you know, by God's grace, I feel like stepping into this34400:24:03.710 --> 00:24:07.829role. There were things that Iwas doing that I'd never done before but34500:24:08.430 --> 00:24:11.339began to do well, and ofcourse, I applied myself and some areas34600:24:11.380 --> 00:24:15.460and read some books and got someencouragement from the people. The point of34700:24:15.579 --> 00:24:18.259that is that the grace of Godis sufficient, that yes, we might34800:24:18.339 --> 00:24:23.809be stressed and overwhelmed in some areas, but the Lord in His grace is34900:24:23.930 --> 00:24:29.329sufficient through us as we yield tohim. The problem is when we let35000:24:29.450 --> 00:24:33.730the stress and we let the overwhelmedfeelings take over and we yield to those35100:24:33.769 --> 00:24:37.930things and we say, you know, I am stressed, I am overwhelmed.35200:24:37.210 --> 00:24:41.319The issue is really trying to dothis stuff in the flesh, trying35300:24:41.359 --> 00:24:44.440to do it by the strength inthe arm of the flesh. We will35400:24:44.559 --> 00:24:47.440fail if we do that. Sowe have to be in relationship with God.35500:24:48.160 --> 00:24:52.279Always tell people here's the three keysto staying in ministry for me,35600:24:52.950 --> 00:24:57.390and that is stay in prayer,stay in the word and stay in church.35700:24:57.950 --> 00:25:03.910Right because that other dynamic that youspoke about earlier with Moses and Aaron35800:25:03.950 --> 00:25:07.299and her coming by his side,is that we need other people and that35900:25:07.420 --> 00:25:11.819doesn't necessarily always mean that we needother people on the sidewalk with us.36000:25:11.819 --> 00:25:15.339I mean, certainly we want thatand certainly that we should have that.36100:25:15.420 --> 00:25:18.579There should be other people instead ofUS just being out there by ourselves.36200:25:18.579 --> 00:25:22.009Yeah, there should be other peopleout there with us. Yeah, but36300:25:22.130 --> 00:25:25.890not just in that context. Weneed other people that are encouraging US along.36400:25:26.009 --> 00:25:29.329You know, we are blessed herelocally, me and my wife and36500:25:29.410 --> 00:25:33.289our family at our church, tobe encouraged on a regular basis of our36600:25:33.410 --> 00:25:37.079pastors and by the ministry leaders thereand even given opportunities to share what God36700:25:37.200 --> 00:25:42.119is doing and just it's awesome.I don't think that I could have made36800:25:42.119 --> 00:25:45.759it without the encouragement that comes fromour local church. Yeah, and so36900:25:45.880 --> 00:25:49.549that's an encouragement to you guys andit's one of the reasons why we major.37000:25:51.230 --> 00:25:53.390It's a matter of fact. Youcan't volunteer with cities for life or37100:25:53.509 --> 00:25:56.670even now love life, unless you'rea part of local church. You can't37200:25:56.670 --> 00:26:02.309become one of our missionaries and reachingout of the abortion centers in your city37300:26:02.390 --> 00:26:06.500unless you're part of a local church, because that's a very important component of37400:26:06.619 --> 00:26:10.220getting the accountability and encouragement that youneed so that you don't burn out.37500:26:10.539 --> 00:26:14.660Exactly exactly so then, because wedon't want you to reach stage three,37600:26:14.700 --> 00:26:17.299Chris Right, we don't want youto be Christy. So you want to37700:26:17.339 --> 00:26:21.250hear what that characterized by? Yeah, it's bad. So it's characterized by37800:26:21.289 --> 00:26:26.210depression, and that's why our discouragementpodcast was really it was a symptom,37900:26:26.890 --> 00:26:32.250and maybe a symptom, if you'refeeling really discouraged, you may be heading38000:26:32.289 --> 00:26:36.799towards the crispy stage. Yeah,sad knit chronic symptoms. So there are38100:26:36.880 --> 00:26:40.319chronic things going on. All ofus feel depressed and discouraged at times.38200:26:40.559 --> 00:26:44.119So I don't mean to say thatif you're discouraged that you're necessarily, you38300:26:44.240 --> 00:26:48.190know, about to crispy. Fredright, you're not necessarily, because be38400:26:48.309 --> 00:26:52.869fried yet. But if it's becomingchronic, you are chronically depressed, sadness38500:26:52.869 --> 00:26:56.589or depression, you're feeling at allthe time, stomach or bowel problems all38600:26:56.710 --> 00:27:03.099the time, mental fatigue, chronically, physical fatigue, headaches, and these38700:27:03.140 --> 00:27:07.539are all chronic. And a senseof hopelessness. Yeah, hopeless discouragement.38800:27:07.579 --> 00:27:11.059You just feel like this is nevergoing to end. That's a sign you're38900:27:11.099 --> 00:27:15.210on the road to crispy. Yeah, the desire to check out or run39000:27:15.289 --> 00:27:21.809away from friends, work and perhapseven family. Yeah, and then occasional39100:27:22.009 --> 00:27:25.089thoughts about ending your life. Youand there are are a lot of pastors39200:27:25.130 --> 00:27:30.720I know do actually either's think ofsuicide or even attempts suicide or actually do39300:27:32.160 --> 00:27:36.240commit suicide, which is so tragic. These are people who loved God,39400:27:36.519 --> 00:27:40.880poured out their life for God,and then and and with wanting to kill39500:27:40.960 --> 00:27:45.029themselves. Yeah, so terrible stateto be in and of course that's an39600:27:45.109 --> 00:27:51.109extreme that's an extreme manifestation. Right. The other things, depression especially,39700:27:51.150 --> 00:27:55.470yeah, and kind of a senseof hopelessness, a sense of disillusionment.39800:27:56.109 --> 00:28:00.740Those are things that really show,Hey, I'm in the burned out stage,39900:28:00.940 --> 00:28:04.420I'm in the crispy stage. Yeah, and you know, I'll just40000:28:04.700 --> 00:28:10.099from a pastor's perspective, because Iwas a pastor for some years. Would40100:28:10.099 --> 00:28:12.650encourage you to reach out if you'rein that stage. Reach out to your40200:28:12.690 --> 00:28:18.369pasture, reach out to close friends, reach out to people who you're accountable40300:28:18.490 --> 00:28:22.410to, godly people, God godlypeople, people that can give you godly40400:28:22.490 --> 00:28:26.250counsel. Right, and of courseacknowledging that you're at that stage is an40500:28:26.250 --> 00:28:33.440important part. And this gravitation towardsisolation is a really, really important warning40600:28:33.480 --> 00:28:37.079sign, like if you don't wantto be around others, yeah, whereas40700:28:37.160 --> 00:28:40.359before you like to fellowship with yourbrothers and sisters in Christ and now you40800:28:40.440 --> 00:28:45.269don't. Yeah, that is ano one one. Emergency isolation is like40900:28:45.430 --> 00:28:49.670a key warning sign. That's whythis whole covid thing, I won't go41000:28:49.829 --> 00:28:55.819on that track, this whole covidthing in the isolation and quarantining and all41100:28:55.900 --> 00:29:00.099that stuff is such a difficult thingfor many people to deal with, because41200:29:00.140 --> 00:29:04.779isolation is a sign of this andit's a sign. If you've got friends41300:29:04.819 --> 00:29:08.019that are isolating themselves, it's asign you can pick up on and go41400:29:08.059 --> 00:29:11.009out and reach out to them,you know, but if they're already isolating41500:29:11.009 --> 00:29:15.930themselves anyway, I won't Rabbit trillon that. Yeah, but isolation is41600:29:15.970 --> 00:29:21.210a sign of some very, verydeep thing. So if that's you,41700:29:21.450 --> 00:29:25.559if you're dealing with that, reachout to your pastor reach out to people41800:29:25.599 --> 00:29:29.920around you, people that are involvedin the ministry that you're involved in.41900:29:30.359 --> 00:29:33.640Hey, reach out to me,reach out to Vicky. Let us know.42000:29:33.759 --> 00:29:36.799We want to encourage you best wecan. Obviously, if we're a42100:29:36.880 --> 00:29:40.150good bit of distance away, I'dbe hard for us to do any kind42200:29:40.190 --> 00:29:41.910of in depth, but we'd certainlylove to talk with you and encourage you.42300:29:42.430 --> 00:29:47.630But that connection to your local churchis the most important connection that I42400:29:47.710 --> 00:29:51.910think a person can have, beyondobviously direct family members and that sort of42500:29:51.990 --> 00:29:56.779thing. Yeah, yeah, thethe statistics are pretty staggering. Okay,42600:29:56.900 --> 00:30:02.259fifteen hundred pastors. These are aboutpastors specifically, so don't des Ring.42700:30:02.299 --> 00:30:06.819They tell us as sidewalk counselors.Necessarily, but I think you can probably42800:30:06.859 --> 00:30:11.769see a similar, I don't know, similar trend your example. We do42900:30:11.970 --> 00:30:17.849lose a lot of sidewalk counselors.Yeah, regular basis and and oftentimes the43000:30:18.210 --> 00:30:19.970the reason is burn out. Thereburnt out, they've had it. So43100:30:21.170 --> 00:30:26.279fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry eachmonth due to moral failure, spiritual burn43200:30:26.359 --> 00:30:32.160out or contention in their churches.Fifty percent are so discouraged that they would43300:30:32.160 --> 00:30:33.880leave the ministry if they could.Not all of them can. Sometimes they43400:30:34.000 --> 00:30:37.710just have no other financial, yeah, way to survive, so they don't.43500:30:38.309 --> 00:30:42.309Seventy percent said the only time theyspend studying the word is when they're43600:30:42.309 --> 00:30:47.390preparing their sermons. Yeah, so, now that depends on how long they43700:30:47.430 --> 00:30:51.099take to prepare their sermons. Butbut they're not in the word outside of43800:30:51.180 --> 00:30:55.140right. It's almost like this.Yeah, they're viewing God's word as their43900:30:55.180 --> 00:30:57.099job, right, which is a, you know, horrible place to be44000:30:57.220 --> 00:31:02.220in as a yeah, that's trulyawesome saying it. They're thirty five percent44100:31:02.339 --> 00:31:06.970more likely to be terminated pastors ifthey work less than fifty hours weekly.44200:31:07.250 --> 00:31:11.529So isn't that interesting? It's thevery system is is asking for them to44300:31:11.690 --> 00:31:17.650put in outrageous amounts of yeah,him, and I think that not that44400:31:17.690 --> 00:31:22.119any kind of leadership is asking sidewalkcounselors to do that, but I think44500:31:22.160 --> 00:31:26.079that stress is put on US ourselves. Yeah, because there's never enough time.44600:31:26.160 --> 00:31:30.440You can never put in enough time. Yeah, I'll share with you44700:31:30.519 --> 00:31:33.069a dynamic that actually helped me,and this is this is maybe a word44800:31:33.109 --> 00:31:37.390of wisdom for you guys and aprinciple that will help those who are you44900:31:37.470 --> 00:31:41.029may be on the verge of burnoutor just feeling maybe like you're seeing some45000:31:41.109 --> 00:31:44.470of these signs or symptoms in yourlife or you want to guard yourself against45100:31:44.470 --> 00:31:49.259it. Is Get yourself an accountability, encourage your person. Yeah, somebody45200:31:49.299 --> 00:31:52.980I think you know as a youngman. Actually, I'm not terribly young,45300:31:53.140 --> 00:32:00.140forty years old, but younger guysfind yourself an older man of God.45400:32:00.380 --> 00:32:02.609Somebody's been walking with God for along time, whether they've been a45500:32:02.690 --> 00:32:07.890pastor or a pastor or just youknow, somebody's a serious believer, right.45600:32:07.970 --> 00:32:10.170You don't want some you know,just nominal Christian, because that's not45700:32:10.210 --> 00:32:13.289going to be very helpful. Butit's my is walking with God, an45800:32:13.329 --> 00:32:16.200older man and ask him. Willyou have lunch with me? We have45900:32:16.319 --> 00:32:21.079breaks. Will you have call foryou with me once a month and ask46000:32:21.240 --> 00:32:23.799me some questions. How am Idoing with my walk with God? How46100:32:23.839 --> 00:32:27.799am I doing with my relationship tomy wife? Ask Me, you know,46200:32:27.839 --> 00:32:30.309I asked I actually have my accountabilityguy who is a pastor, yeah,46300:32:30.509 --> 00:32:34.630and he's a little older than me, and he asked me these questions.46400:32:34.670 --> 00:32:36.750We got through, we talking.I just kind of spill the stuff46500:32:36.789 --> 00:32:39.190out to him. Somebody that youcon vent to, somebody you can talk46600:32:39.309 --> 00:32:43.309to, somebody you can bounce thingsoff of, and I do that once46700:32:43.430 --> 00:32:46.539a month and that is been veryhelpful for me. So that's something I46800:32:46.779 --> 00:32:51.180want to encourage you guys with.Have somebody that can they can hold you46900:32:51.220 --> 00:32:53.819accountable and encourage you in those areas. Yeah, that can be very helpful47000:32:54.180 --> 00:32:59.730to keep you from getting to thatlevel of problems. It's actually one of47100:32:59.809 --> 00:33:02.569the when we get to the solutions, that it's actually one of the suggestions47200:33:02.809 --> 00:33:06.289is an accountability partner. I don'tknow if they call it that. I47300:33:06.410 --> 00:33:09.049like that word, though. There'san encourage your really hurage, you're really47400:33:09.130 --> 00:33:15.319yeah, well, so with that. Yeah, this my encourager guy shared47500:33:15.400 --> 00:33:22.920with me this dynamic that happens inagain, are quotes fulltime ministry. Is47600:33:22.039 --> 00:33:27.789What happens, especially with men,is we're made to work, to do47700:33:27.910 --> 00:33:31.710physical labor. We're made to andthis is how I was again with hardwood47800:33:31.710 --> 00:33:36.470floors, and I make the comparisonthere because these are two very different series47900:33:36.509 --> 00:33:38.109of work. Yeah, is it. When I did a hardwood floor,48000:33:38.430 --> 00:33:43.380I could step back and with allmy physical labor and stuff and sweat and48100:33:43.460 --> 00:33:45.059tears and sometimes blood that I putinto that, I could step back and48200:33:45.099 --> 00:33:49.259say look, I produced that.There's that beautiful floor right. Here's that48300:33:49.339 --> 00:33:52.660beautiful floor, the result of yourweaver. There's that happy customer, yeah,48400:33:52.700 --> 00:33:55.329and all of that, and Ican step back and say, with48500:33:55.529 --> 00:34:00.089my physical work, I produced thatright, and I could have a physical48600:34:00.250 --> 00:34:04.210product to look at. Yeah,with ministry it's oftentimes not like that.48700:34:04.410 --> 00:34:07.449Yeah, and so what we dois is, because we can't point to48800:34:07.530 --> 00:34:12.719a physical thing that we produced,we sort of feel guilty that we've not48900:34:12.840 --> 00:34:15.880really produced much right. And sometimesit can be discouraging because, you know,49000:34:15.960 --> 00:34:20.480this area of ministry, maybe wesaw, you know, a hundred49100:34:20.480 --> 00:34:24.550and fifty moms go into the abortioncenter and only praise God with it's like49200:34:24.710 --> 00:34:29.429last week we had eight babies thatwere saved, but that was amongst so49300:34:29.550 --> 00:34:31.190many others that weren't saved, andthat can be like, okay, we49400:34:31.309 --> 00:34:36.150didn't really produce much anything right,and it can be discouraging and and all49500:34:36.190 --> 00:34:38.659of that, and we can lookat the negative and we get discouraged by49600:34:38.780 --> 00:34:45.260that. And so what we'll dois to compensate is will put more hours49700:34:45.340 --> 00:34:49.019in then we even normally would withthe job that involves physical that's what I49800:34:49.099 --> 00:34:51.900do personally. I'm just stayed longer, just thinking, well, maybe the49900:34:51.980 --> 00:34:53.530next one that leaves is going totell me she changed her mind, yeah,50000:34:53.570 --> 00:34:57.570and chose life. And and so, yeah, you're putting in more50100:34:57.610 --> 00:35:00.449and more hours, you're becoming moreand more kind of stress. Yes,50200:35:00.570 --> 00:35:04.010often times you don't see the results, Ye, or you don't take it.50300:35:04.210 --> 00:35:07.360You don't take a day to disconnectfrom ministry because you feel guilty.50400:35:07.400 --> 00:35:12.559So we're driven by guilt. Guiltis a terrible driver for any kind of50500:35:12.800 --> 00:35:15.079ministry or work or anything. Weshould not be driven by guilt, right,50600:35:15.679 --> 00:35:19.480but guilt will set in if wedon't feel like we've produced something.50700:35:19.840 --> 00:35:22.949will try to overcompensate with putting morehours in, maybe even given ourselves busy50800:35:22.989 --> 00:35:27.550work or something like that, andwe really have to guard against that and50900:35:27.710 --> 00:35:30.110that's one of the things that myaccountability guy asked me about. Are you51000:35:30.190 --> 00:35:35.150spending time with your family or youspend in time disconnected from ministry? Because51100:35:35.190 --> 00:35:37.820the if, if you don't,you're going to crash and burn. I51200:35:37.940 --> 00:35:43.980think one of the things that you'retalking about is unrealistic expectations and that is51300:35:44.380 --> 00:35:46.500one of the things that spurlock listas a major cause and for me,51400:35:47.380 --> 00:35:52.650that to me, is one ofthe major causes of burnout in our sort51500:35:52.690 --> 00:35:58.409of ministry. Unrealistic expectations. Yeah, so on the sidewalk, the unrealistic51600:35:58.449 --> 00:36:01.530expectation of brand new person that Iwas training today said. So, how51700:36:01.570 --> 00:36:06.760many saves, saved babies, doyou see every day? As though we51800:36:07.079 --> 00:36:10.480necessarily see us saved baby every day. Yeah, now, we often do,51900:36:12.599 --> 00:36:15.320but to put the expectation that,Oh, if we don't see one52000:36:15.440 --> 00:36:21.710point five saved babies every day,then somehow we failed. So the expectations52100:36:21.829 --> 00:36:27.510can sometimes not be realistic and canbe one of the causes of burnout.52200:36:27.590 --> 00:36:32.139Yeah, bad theology is another onethat spurlock mentions and he specifically talks about52300:36:32.940 --> 00:36:37.260when we have a workspace. Yeah, theology. Yeah, absolutely agree with52400:36:37.340 --> 00:36:42.820that. If we're trying to earnour way to salvation, yes, something52500:36:42.900 --> 00:36:45.500like that, and you can evenbe a subtlety in or back of our52600:36:45.579 --> 00:36:49.210minds. Yeah, that we're tryingto maybe cover up past sins, and52700:36:49.289 --> 00:36:52.650that's especially true people that have abortionin their past. Yeah, whether it52800:36:52.730 --> 00:36:55.690be a man that took his girlfriend, you know, in college or something52900:36:55.730 --> 00:36:59.210for an abortion, right for anabortion, or a woman who actually had53000:36:59.250 --> 00:37:01.199an abortion. Right, is itin the back of our minds, though53100:37:01.199 --> 00:37:06.280we know salvation is by grace throughfaith. Yeah, we could be out53200:37:06.280 --> 00:37:09.559there on the sidewalk work into chatter, I don't know, chat to redeem53300:37:09.599 --> 00:37:14.840our appoint exactly, and actually helists that is that's so prevalent that he53400:37:14.920 --> 00:37:17.030listed as a whole second category.Yeah, for burnout. He calls it53500:37:17.110 --> 00:37:23.110misplaced priorities, identity, identity,value and worth. So are worth is53600:37:23.150 --> 00:37:27.949in question, something that happened inthe past, and an abortion can do53700:37:28.070 --> 00:37:30.500that. Yeah, and and youare no longer worthy. And so maybe53800:37:30.579 --> 00:37:36.739you can learn God's favor by helpingothers not to have an abortion. Yeah,53900:37:36.820 --> 00:37:40.340and while it there are reasons whya post aboard of woman should be54000:37:40.380 --> 00:37:45.210out on the sidewalk helping others notto choose abortion, it's not because her54100:37:45.289 --> 00:37:49.010worth is tied up in whether she'sout there helping them or not. Yeah.54200:37:49.329 --> 00:37:52.449So another one is poor. Ithink this is a huge one.54300:37:52.530 --> 00:37:59.280Also, poor work and personal boundaries. And and by that, for example,54400:38:00.119 --> 00:38:05.599someone tells you I've got this momwho just called, then her sister54500:38:05.840 --> 00:38:08.400and her cousin, and all threeof them are in unplanned pregnancies and all54600:38:08.440 --> 00:38:14.030three of them need someone to talkto them today. And if someone came54700:38:14.150 --> 00:38:17.030to me, the old me wouldhave said okay, yeah, the new54800:38:17.150 --> 00:38:21.869me says no, I can't,you can't. I will see if I54900:38:21.909 --> 00:38:25.630can find three people that would maybebe willing to. But setting boundaries and55000:38:25.829 --> 00:38:34.579learning to say no is really,really important. Right. And what is55100:38:34.659 --> 00:38:37.579one of the reasons why that wewouldn't say no? Well, you don't55200:38:37.579 --> 00:38:40.300want to let people down. Yeah, you don't want disappointment, you don't55300:38:40.340 --> 00:38:45.730want conflict and you don't want MissPerceptions. I know people invite me to55400:38:46.730 --> 00:38:51.489so many things. I train alot of volunteers. Yeah, I know55500:38:51.809 --> 00:38:57.400a lot of people and if Isaid Yes to every invitation I would never55600:38:57.519 --> 00:39:00.960have a second to myself, andI'm an introvert. I need a lone55700:39:00.039 --> 00:39:05.280time. Yeah, so I havehad to learn to just say no.55800:39:05.800 --> 00:39:08.079Yesterday someone said, Gosh, youshould really come and visit our church and55900:39:08.360 --> 00:39:12.789and I'm sitting there thinking I couldsmile and say sure, one day I56000:39:12.869 --> 00:39:15.429will, but in the back ofmy mind I was saying another invitation,56100:39:15.510 --> 00:39:20.670I can't do it. And finallyI just said thank you so much,56200:39:20.829 --> 00:39:23.739but I just want to be honestwith you. No, yeah, I'm56300:39:23.780 --> 00:39:27.300sorry, I'm not going to govisit your church. I've a church I56400:39:27.380 --> 00:39:32.059really love and I'm going to goto my church on Sundays. So poor56500:39:32.139 --> 00:39:36.380work and person boundaries really key,really key. I mean one of the56600:39:36.500 --> 00:39:39.090personal boundaries can be, you know, if we're dealing with a mom that56700:39:39.170 --> 00:39:45.570chose life. We've certainly dealt withsituations where this mom needs housing. Yeah,56800:39:45.769 --> 00:39:49.409and we've had counselors, and I'mnot saying that they shouldn't have done56900:39:49.409 --> 00:39:51.969this, but I know as forme and my family, there's no way57000:39:52.409 --> 00:39:55.519it would have been a bad decisionfor me to say yes, I'll allow57100:39:55.599 --> 00:39:59.280this mom to stay at my house. Now we again we've had counselors that57200:39:59.440 --> 00:40:01.960have opened up their houses to amom that has chosen live. Of Praise57300:40:02.000 --> 00:40:06.559God, some people can do that. They know their boundaries and it what57400:40:06.719 --> 00:40:08.110I know from the stories, itwent well. Praise God for that.57500:40:08.309 --> 00:40:12.590Yeah, but as for me andmy family, that's not something I'm going57600:40:12.590 --> 00:40:15.789to be able to do. I'vegot, you know, a lot going57700:40:15.829 --> 00:40:20.550on just in my daily life andI don't you know, I've got up57800:40:20.630 --> 00:40:23.420family of ten, so I don'treally have the room practically. Also got57900:40:23.500 --> 00:40:27.340young children in the safety is Shue. We don't know these people. They're58000:40:27.380 --> 00:40:30.460strangers that he would be asking intoour home. You're taking a chance.58100:40:30.659 --> 00:40:34.500So I've made the decision. Meand my wife and even talking about it,58200:40:34.539 --> 00:40:37.809and we have dabbled, I think, mainly driven by guilt, with58300:40:37.969 --> 00:40:42.530the idea, but we've said no, this is not something that we're able58400:40:42.570 --> 00:40:45.730to do. That's just not wisdomfor us. Is there some time in58500:40:45.730 --> 00:40:49.170the future, or maybe some ofthe kids are out of the house and58600:40:49.610 --> 00:40:52.679they grow up and have their ownfamilies and all of that, we will58700:40:52.679 --> 00:40:54.760be able to open our door?Yeah, maybe, maybe, sometime in58800:40:54.800 --> 00:40:58.280the future, yeah, that willbe wisdom for us, but for now58900:40:58.320 --> 00:41:00.280it's not. That's just a boundarythat we've said not going to be taken59000:41:00.280 --> 00:41:05.110a mom into our home. Now, thankfully there are people that can,59100:41:05.469 --> 00:41:09.110their ministries that can, so youknow that resources available. Yes, setting59200:41:09.190 --> 00:41:14.989personal boundaries sometimes does mean saying noto people who are asking wonderful things and59300:41:15.150 --> 00:41:19.699asking really loving and good things ofyou. I get request all the time.59400:41:19.900 --> 00:41:21.739Hey, I'd love to go hikingwith you, a I'd love to59500:41:21.780 --> 00:41:25.380go kayaking with you. That,for me is something in most cases I59600:41:25.460 --> 00:41:30.139would rather not do again. Myhiking, my kayaking are things I do59700:41:30.380 --> 00:41:35.329you alone. To get with God. Part of my how I recharge.59800:41:35.369 --> 00:41:38.289I've talked about that before, andif I filled it with other people being59900:41:38.409 --> 00:41:44.690with me in those activities, Iwould lose that recharging benefit. If then60000:41:44.809 --> 00:41:49.599becomes social which for me is kindof an energy drainer. Yeah, I60100:41:49.719 --> 00:41:52.239can do it and I know Ishould do it and I love it in60200:41:52.400 --> 00:41:54.519limited doses, but I don't loveit full time and I have had to60300:41:54.639 --> 00:41:59.360learn to say no to that.So say no without feeling guilty. It's60400:41:59.360 --> 00:42:02.750an important part of setting personal boundaries. And then the final leading cause of60500:42:02.829 --> 00:42:07.829burned out is inadequate selfcare. We'renot eating right, we're not sleeping right,60600:42:07.070 --> 00:42:12.309we're not exercising. Yeah, we'renot giving ourselves rest, not just60700:42:12.510 --> 00:42:16.059sleep, but when you're not sleeping, rest, yeah, like a sabbath60800:42:16.179 --> 00:42:20.619rest. Sure. Yeah. Well, one of the things is just rest60900:42:20.699 --> 00:42:23.820of your heart and your mind,because this ministry and Ministry in general is61000:42:24.300 --> 00:42:31.969very emotional and very mental. Todisconnect from ministry, and a point that61100:42:32.050 --> 00:42:37.090I was kind of tracking with earlieris that ministry never stops. It doesn't61200:42:37.090 --> 00:42:42.050matter how much you try to disconnect. The reality is you're not just working61300:42:42.289 --> 00:42:46.159forty, fifty, sixty hours aweek, you're working the entire week,61400:42:46.679 --> 00:42:50.920you're working every hour. Ministry isalways going on in your heart, in61500:42:50.960 --> 00:42:53.880your mind. But as best youcan, and this is what my accountability61600:42:54.000 --> 00:42:58.159Guy told me, a matter offact, the first couple of months when61700:42:58.199 --> 00:43:00.869I came in with cities for life, I was starting to get in these61800:43:01.070 --> 00:43:05.829areas right and even maybe getting closeto the crispy area, yeah, where61900:43:05.829 --> 00:43:07.110I'm starting to think, okay,should I really even be doing this,62000:43:07.670 --> 00:43:12.590because I was trying to be outthere on the sidewalk every day and I62100:43:12.710 --> 00:43:16.579didn't have a day to just disconnect. And then my accountability guide told me,62200:43:16.659 --> 00:43:20.179Hey, man, you need totake a day where you're not out62300:43:20.179 --> 00:43:22.820there, where you're not involved inministry, where you're disconnecting. Yeah,62400:43:23.260 --> 00:43:27.690you can't save the world. Goddon't need you, he's using you,62500:43:27.969 --> 00:43:30.889but we get in this mentality likewe think we're more important than we are.62600:43:30.369 --> 00:43:35.050If he wouldn't encourage me in thatand told me to disconnect and take62700:43:35.090 --> 00:43:38.769a day off, then because youknow, in certainly Sunday would be a62800:43:38.849 --> 00:43:42.840day off, but if you're inministry like this and you're trying to share62900:43:42.880 --> 00:43:45.639with pastors and you're you're always askedto speak at churches and you're asked to63000:43:45.719 --> 00:43:50.760reach out in these different contexts.So even on my Sundays I wasn't disconnected63100:43:50.920 --> 00:43:53.760right, and so I started takinga day of the week off and that63200:43:54.079 --> 00:43:59.389just change my life and I disconnectedcompletely. And now to the point where63300:43:59.750 --> 00:44:05.110you my cell phone is not evenyeah, my access and then be important.63400:44:05.389 --> 00:44:07.510The beauty of that is not onlywhat it does for you, but63500:44:07.670 --> 00:44:09.659what it does for others, becauseI have find I I agree with you.63600:44:09.820 --> 00:44:13.500I think there's a lot of pridewrapped up in well, I can't63700:44:13.539 --> 00:44:15.420take a day off. I'm tooimportant, too important. God needs me.63800:44:15.659 --> 00:44:19.300No one can do it. Ido. But when you decide,63900:44:19.340 --> 00:44:22.980okay, I have to take aday off for myself preservation, well,64000:44:22.980 --> 00:44:24.730you usually have to delegate. Yeah, and what that does is it gives64100:44:24.809 --> 00:44:30.289other people an opportunity to shine,to step up and to recognize their skills64200:44:30.730 --> 00:44:36.690and the the joy of the benefitsof ministry. Yes, sometimes we don't64300:44:36.690 --> 00:44:39.360give them because we we think wecan do it better. Right, yeah,64400:44:39.480 --> 00:44:45.159exactly. So, so, yeah. So, what are some recovery64500:44:45.239 --> 00:44:49.480tips if you're in this, Imean the the the biggest really recommendation that64600:44:49.519 --> 00:44:53.949they make is don't get to thecrispy stage if you can kind of see64700:44:53.989 --> 00:44:58.710it coming. But what if youget there? What if you end up64800:44:58.750 --> 00:45:02.710at the crispy stage? So sohere's some recovery tips good. I believe64900:45:02.829 --> 00:45:07.699this. Second author, Halleran,suggested spend time in prayer, in the65000:45:07.739 --> 00:45:12.619word, more time and praying theword regain a lost vision for the ministry.65100:45:12.659 --> 00:45:15.539I think that's a really good one. Okay, I get that every65200:45:15.780 --> 00:45:17.699almost at least several times a week, or at least once a week,65300:45:17.739 --> 00:45:22.090because I train new volunteers and Ihave to tell them what the vision for65400:45:22.170 --> 00:45:25.170the ministry is. So I'm kindof getting that renewal of the Vision for65500:45:25.210 --> 00:45:30.090the ministry on a regular basis.But I think it's very important to do65600:45:30.329 --> 00:45:34.849that on your own. Stop comparingyourself to others. Facebook can be very65700:45:34.889 --> 00:45:37.559damn oh yeah, absolutely. Everytime I look at facebook I think,65800:45:38.079 --> 00:45:43.119what do they have that I don'thave? Why are there stories so wonderful?65900:45:43.280 --> 00:45:45.599Why do they look so good?What is wrong with yeah, and66000:45:45.719 --> 00:45:50.150I think that that is the dangerof facebook for all of the there are66100:45:50.230 --> 00:45:53.829good things with social media, butthat's the danger develop Oh and in our66200:45:53.909 --> 00:46:00.909ministry. Stop comparing yourself to others. Someone's value on the sidewalk is not66300:46:00.070 --> 00:46:05.739determined by how many people they haveseen saved. Yeah, by how many66400:46:05.820 --> 00:46:10.019babies they have seen saved, byhow many hours they're out there. That's66500:46:10.139 --> 00:46:15.380that is not how God views theirworth or their value, and so you66600:46:15.539 --> 00:46:21.289shouldn't view your worth or value inthat way either. Are you being obedient66700:46:21.409 --> 00:46:23.210to God? Right, that's,I think, probably the most really big66800:46:23.289 --> 00:46:28.849creous and obedience to the Lord.Yeah, and that's where you're worth,66900:46:29.010 --> 00:46:31.130is in glorifying God. Are Youdoing that? Yeah, one of the67000:46:31.170 --> 00:46:37.000things I'll say here as a sadnote along those lines, because you might67100:46:37.119 --> 00:46:39.159be, and I've had people reachout to me, you might be looking67200:46:39.199 --> 00:46:43.920at what we're doing here in Charlotte, what God is doing, and you67300:46:44.360 --> 00:46:46.429we're seeing. We just like Isaid, eight babies were saved last week,67400:46:46.429 --> 00:46:51.710and some people that are out thereit maybe even more hours than our67500:46:51.789 --> 00:46:54.949teams are here, are not seenas many baby saved. There's different reasons67600:46:54.989 --> 00:46:58.829for that. Is it because we'remore effective, because we've got this all67700:46:58.869 --> 00:47:00.860figured out of notice? Oh well, of course, yeah, we got67800:47:00.980 --> 00:47:05.139it. Oh well, listen,we've learned some stuff and we certainly want67900:47:05.179 --> 00:47:08.340to. This reason why we startedthe sidewalks for life website, because we68000:47:08.500 --> 00:47:12.940want to help people to be mosteffective. Yeah, but there's other just68100:47:13.139 --> 00:47:16.090practical things to you know, we'vegot down the road from the latrobe abortion68200:47:16.170 --> 00:47:19.530clinic. One of the things isthey do a lot of abortions. But68300:47:19.610 --> 00:47:22.369that's true. It's the busiest abortioncenter in the southeast. So you're going68400:47:22.449 --> 00:47:24.730to see there's so much traffic.Yeah, there is a lot of traffic.68500:47:24.929 --> 00:47:29.050So if you're at an abortion andclinic that doesn't do as many abortions,68600:47:29.130 --> 00:47:34.199and obviously there's going to be somedifferences, but also the scenario itself,68700:47:34.360 --> 00:47:37.119we actually have access to be ableto talk to the patients. There's68800:47:37.119 --> 00:47:42.239an abortion center not far from hereon windover that our friend Elijah reaches out68900:47:42.239 --> 00:47:45.630at. Yeah, and it's farfrom the main road there where he has69000:47:45.670 --> 00:47:50.309actually a public access. Yeah,and also it's a part of a business69100:47:50.349 --> 00:47:53.349complex, or this abortion center isalso associated with other businesses there. So69200:47:53.510 --> 00:47:57.630you don't know who's going in foran abortion who's going in to get their69300:47:57.670 --> 00:48:00.900teeth cleaned or something like that.So that makes it more difficult. And69400:48:01.260 --> 00:48:07.860so and it's a lower volume abortioncenter to so the interactions are going to69500:48:07.940 --> 00:48:12.340be less. So there's reasons why. So don't let that, which God69600:48:12.460 --> 00:48:16.170intends to be an encouragement to youthat God is saving babies on the trope69700:48:16.170 --> 00:48:20.969drive or whatever other abortion center you'relooking at and people are doing things for69800:48:21.050 --> 00:48:22.489the Lord out there and you're seeing, they're seeing a lot of baby saved.69900:48:22.730 --> 00:48:25.889Doesn't meant to be an encouragement toyou rather than discouragement to you?70000:48:27.440 --> 00:48:29.880So don't let that, which isintended to be an encouragement, become a70100:48:30.000 --> 00:48:32.480discouragement to you. Be encouraged thatif God is doing it here, he's70200:48:32.519 --> 00:48:37.480going to do it there. Andeven if you aren't seeing with your own70300:48:37.519 --> 00:48:42.590physical eyes and confirming that babies aresaved, I promise you your faithful out70400:48:43.110 --> 00:48:45.949faithfulness out there, God is honoringit and babies are being saved in the70500:48:45.989 --> 00:48:50.789Gospel is being proclaimed and you mightnot find out about some of these babies70600:48:50.829 --> 00:48:53.070being saved until you stand before theLord, but that's when it really matters70700:48:53.110 --> 00:48:57.900anyway. So be faithful what Godhas called Youtube. If there are some70800:48:58.099 --> 00:49:01.420things that you can change and maybedo a little more effectively than you do70900:49:01.619 --> 00:49:06.179those things, but it's likely notthat. It's likely there's some other things71000:49:06.260 --> 00:49:09.650going on. So it's be encouraged. Yeah, good advice. So he71100:49:09.769 --> 00:49:14.449also has focus on the positive andhave fun. Yeah, and it's not71200:49:14.610 --> 00:49:19.210like we should be dancing and laughingand and being inappropriate, but to joke71300:49:19.289 --> 00:49:22.849with each other and to to findjoy in the Lord with each other,71400:49:22.969 --> 00:49:27.800I think is a critical part ofnot burning out. You're doing a very71500:49:28.039 --> 00:49:32.679depressing in some ways and heavy ministrywhen you're a sidewalk counselor. But there71600:49:32.679 --> 00:49:37.719are there, always are positives.Yeah, sometimes you have to look for71700:49:37.840 --> 00:49:43.269them, but they're always there andhaving a sense of enjoyment of the people71800:49:43.389 --> 00:49:46.269that you're out there with or enjoymentin the simple pleasures. There was a71900:49:46.389 --> 00:49:50.829breeze today and it's a little bitcooler at those sorts of things, rather72000:49:50.869 --> 00:49:55.340than focusing always on the sorrow andnegative, absolutely keeping an optimistic outlook.72100:49:55.380 --> 00:50:00.619Yeah, I know some of thedeepest relationships that I have been able to72200:50:00.699 --> 00:50:04.059cultivate have been out there on theside of Ye. We can enjoy each72300:50:04.059 --> 00:50:06.780other. Yeah, we can havethe joy of the Lord, we can72400:50:06.860 --> 00:50:09.449encourage each other, we can sharefunny stories and things that are going on72500:50:09.570 --> 00:50:14.730in our lives. We of course, don't need to be laughing like crazy72600:50:14.769 --> 00:50:17.050people out there and chuckling and allof that, and we need there's a72700:50:17.130 --> 00:50:21.679somber attitude that we need to haveout there. Yes, certainly, but72800:50:21.840 --> 00:50:24.760we can enjoy each other, wecan talk, we can have fun,72900:50:24.920 --> 00:50:30.039we can even sometimes we might cracka joke here and there, because we're73000:50:30.039 --> 00:50:34.119human beings and we love each otherand we love the Lord. We need73100:50:34.199 --> 00:50:37.429to be intentional. We encourage ourvolunteers here locally to be intentional about encouraging73200:50:37.750 --> 00:50:42.710each other. Right and so just. I mean we have biblical discussions out73300:50:42.710 --> 00:50:45.670there. They're not heated, we'renot trying to get in debate with one73400:50:45.710 --> 00:50:49.789another, but we talk and wegrow. Yeah, there on the sidewalk73500:50:49.869 --> 00:50:52.420never group as much as as beinga sidewalk. Yes, absolutely, in73600:50:52.500 --> 00:50:59.579the so many wonderful spiritual discussions,this is a good one. Expressing gratitude73700:51:00.099 --> 00:51:02.980not only to the Lord, asmostly to the Lord, but to each73800:51:02.980 --> 00:51:06.769other. Hey, I'm just sothankful that you're out there. Yeah,73900:51:06.769 --> 00:51:10.210I appreciate you so much, butat when you have an attitude of gratitude74000:51:10.210 --> 00:51:14.929it becomes hard to be depressed.Yeah, you know, if you're expressing74100:51:15.010 --> 00:51:21.000thankfulness then it just instantly do easeyour your mood out there. I know74200:51:21.159 --> 00:51:23.159one of the things I like tosay around my house I like to pretend74300:51:23.159 --> 00:51:28.360that I coined this phrase, butI don't think that I did. But74400:51:28.599 --> 00:51:32.469your attitude determines your altitude. Yourattitude determines your altitude. If you have74500:51:32.550 --> 00:51:37.429a bad attitude, you're going tobe low and man and everything's terrible.74600:51:37.469 --> 00:51:40.230If you have a good attitude,yeah, your altitude is going to be74700:51:40.269 --> 00:51:44.550high. You can be happy,you can to soar above the garbage that's74800:51:44.590 --> 00:51:46.900going on right and you're going tosee the good from a different perspective.74900:51:46.940 --> 00:51:52.699So your attitude can determine your altitude, and an attitude of gratitude will help75000:51:52.739 --> 00:51:55.619you sore high about that. That'ssounding night. I wrote a book about75100:51:55.619 --> 00:52:00.300a tower builder, okay, whosename is Tony, one of the most75200:52:00.380 --> 00:52:04.210optimistic people I have ever met,and he used to tell me one of75300:52:04.329 --> 00:52:08.050his things, his little mantras,was I get high being high, because75400:52:08.090 --> 00:52:13.769he would climb heat. He's theEmpire State Building Tower, okay, Maintenance75500:52:13.849 --> 00:52:16.400Guy, tower whatever, not metanceguy, that design er whatever. So75600:52:17.280 --> 00:52:20.760he gets high being high, high, high, up in the air and75700:52:20.880 --> 00:52:23.960what to most of us would beone of those terrifying things places we could75800:52:23.960 --> 00:52:29.639possibly be. He finds joy injust being high up above and seeing the75900:52:29.719 --> 00:52:34.630things that no one else has seen. Yeah, so gratitude, gratitude for76000:52:34.869 --> 00:52:37.389what you do have, because theyhave plenty of plenty of absolute things.76100:52:37.469 --> 00:52:44.380Always okay, and and so we'llget to like though, the last one76200:52:44.699 --> 00:52:46.699that I that I really can relateto, and I think it's very important.76300:52:46.780 --> 00:52:50.820Do activities that energize you. Yeah, for me it's Kayaking, for76400:52:50.860 --> 00:52:53.139you it might be something else,but you really need that's one of the76500:52:53.219 --> 00:53:00.090biggest remedies outside of scripture. SoI know we're kind of running along here,76600:53:00.250 --> 00:53:02.730but maybe we could hit on eithera scriptural story or some scriptures that76700:53:02.809 --> 00:53:07.570that can encourage us that you donot need to wallow in this place of76800:53:07.650 --> 00:53:14.400burnout. You really can find God'shelp. Yeah, and yeah, well,76900:53:14.559 --> 00:53:19.440Jesus is our ultimate example. Yeah, and I believe Jesus took some77000:53:19.559 --> 00:53:22.559of these principles and of course hedidn't get burned out because he was fueled77100:53:23.119 --> 00:53:27.670by his desire to do the willof the father. Right, but you'll77200:53:27.710 --> 00:53:30.309look in the life of Jesus inthe Scripture here Matthew, Chapter Fourteen and77300:53:30.349 --> 00:53:34.789verse thirteen. He says, now, when Jesus heard this, he withdrew77400:53:34.829 --> 00:53:37.510from there in a boat to adesolate place by himself, but when the77500:53:37.590 --> 00:53:40.070crowds heard it, they followed himon foot. So, Jesus, he77600:53:40.150 --> 00:53:43.619slips away. Yeah, he's tryingto get away from the crowd. He77700:53:43.780 --> 00:53:46.619knew that he needed to get alongwith his father. And for a person77800:53:46.739 --> 00:53:50.420like you and a person like me, there are times I'd just need to77900:53:50.460 --> 00:53:52.219slip away, right, there aretimes where I just need to go and78000:53:52.340 --> 00:54:00.050just do something other than ministry,disconnect. And so for you it's kayaking.78100:54:00.409 --> 00:54:02.690For me it's taken naps. Yeah, not really. I do like78200:54:02.809 --> 00:54:07.250to take naps, but just doingstuff, like around my house, play78300:54:07.289 --> 00:54:10.400video games with my kids. Meand my boys actually do air soft where78400:54:10.400 --> 00:54:14.719we shoot each other with plastic babies, lean cherous. I've seen the baby78500:54:14.800 --> 00:54:17.599dangerous, but it's really fun andit's a way for me to unwind.78600:54:17.679 --> 00:54:22.400So whatever it might be, fishing, hunting, who knows? And preserve78700:54:22.599 --> 00:54:27.150time for that. Be Intentional,be intentional, N own it, time78800:54:27.710 --> 00:54:30.949for yourself, doing what energizes youand in some way connects you to the78900:54:31.110 --> 00:54:37.150Lord. That kayaking for me isvery spiritual, right. I it's quiet,79000:54:37.190 --> 00:54:39.179it's peaceful, it's with God.But be intentional about that need.79100:54:39.460 --> 00:54:45.420Yeah, absolutely, and Jesus wasintentional about slipping away go into a desolate79200:54:45.460 --> 00:54:51.300place, being alone with him andhis father, and maybe that's something for79300:54:51.460 --> 00:54:53.130you guys that are listen that youneed to do. You know, there79400:54:53.170 --> 00:54:57.650are times, I would say,when it gets when it's getting pretty bad79500:54:57.690 --> 00:55:00.530or you're feeling like you're getting towardthat crispy states and you're going to burn79600:55:00.570 --> 00:55:05.369out and be a crispy fried burnout. Yeah, that maybe you need to79700:55:05.449 --> 00:55:07.480take a couple of days, maybeyou need to slip away to the mountains79800:55:07.559 --> 00:55:15.000for three or four days and justdisconnect right and maybe leave your phone somewhere79900:55:15.000 --> 00:55:19.639else. Maybe just, I don'tknow, give your give. I have80000:55:19.760 --> 00:55:23.829a little cheapy flip phone that Iuse that only if very few people have80100:55:24.030 --> 00:55:28.869that number. So I I disconnectday, I put my regular phone to80200:55:28.949 --> 00:55:31.469the side and I don't have toworry about it. I don't have to80300:55:31.510 --> 00:55:35.269worry about there might be some emergencyI'm missing out on because I got my80400:55:35.389 --> 00:55:37.139super top secret phone that if peopleneed to get in touch with me,80500:55:37.260 --> 00:55:42.300who really need to get in touchwith me, can maybe you need to80600:55:42.340 --> 00:55:45.219do that. Maybe there's some somethings that you need to do to disconnect80700:55:45.500 --> 00:55:52.130from ministry, disconnect from the heavinessof ministry, do those things. Ultimately,80800:55:52.210 --> 00:55:57.849it comes, though, in gettingalone with the Lord, with our80900:55:57.889 --> 00:56:04.559consistency with him, bringing these thingsbefore God, not complaining, not murmuring81000:56:04.639 --> 00:56:08.960before God. But you'll see throughoutthe psalms, you'll see even throughout Moses81100:56:09.039 --> 00:56:13.639Ministry where he cries out to theLord. There's this sense in which,81200:56:13.880 --> 00:56:15.519as we started out, God,I can't do this, I'm overwhelmed.81300:56:15.559 --> 00:56:19.710Yes, getting honest and bringing thatbefore God and saying, Lord, I'm81400:56:19.710 --> 00:56:22.269overwhelmed. Yes, you've called meto this ministry, but I'm overwhelmed,81500:56:22.309 --> 00:56:27.469I can't do this in all ownstrength, confessing that, asking God for81600:56:27.630 --> 00:56:30.989grace. That's often times for mewhere I get the break through. I'm81700:56:30.070 --> 00:56:34.820just crying out to God and I'mconfessing my need. The Bible tells us,81800:56:34.860 --> 00:56:38.019and this is another important scripture foryou guys to meditate on, John81900:56:38.139 --> 00:56:44.139Chapter Fifteen. The Bible tells usthat Jesus said to his disciples, I82000:56:44.260 --> 00:56:46.570am the true vine and my fatheris the vine dresser. He goes on82100:56:46.650 --> 00:56:51.969to say that I am the vine, you are the branches apart from me.82200:56:52.690 --> 00:56:59.130You can do nothing. That isthe confession of every Christian, especially82300:56:59.210 --> 00:57:05.760those who are involved in vocational ministry, that, Jesus, Christ is the82400:57:05.800 --> 00:57:10.719vine where the branches. All weare is just fruit bearing and fruit holding82500:57:10.880 --> 00:57:15.750branches, but we're really nothing atbrands can't do anything if it's not attached82600:57:15.829 --> 00:57:21.150to the vine right. And somaking that confession before the Lord. Lord,82700:57:21.190 --> 00:57:24.030Jesus, I can't do this withoutyou. This is your ministry,82800:57:24.829 --> 00:57:28.909this is your calling, it's notmine. I didn't invent this calling for82900:57:29.030 --> 00:57:32.380myself, and the fruit that's bornultimately is intended to give you glory anyway,83000:57:32.460 --> 00:57:37.300not to give glory to the branch. And so making that confession before83100:57:37.420 --> 00:57:40.219Lord, bringing your your troubles andthese things before the Lord is important.83200:57:40.260 --> 00:57:44.849Again, having an accountability person thatyou can kind of build these things out,83300:57:44.849 --> 00:57:46.849to embounce things off of us,off of is really important. So83400:57:47.010 --> 00:57:51.730would encourage you guys with that.Don't give burned out. Yeah, keep83500:57:51.929 --> 00:57:57.730keeping touch with the Lord on aregular basis and God's going to continue to83600:57:57.809 --> 00:58:01.079use you, guys. So wedo appreciate you guys listening and please do83700:58:01.280 --> 00:58:07.719share this podcast and go out onour on our website. Check out sidewalks83800:58:07.760 --> 00:58:12.440the number four lifecom's. We putout articles on a regular basis. Share83900:58:13.269 --> 00:58:16.309this podcast, share there's articles.Reach out to us if there's things that84000:58:16.429 --> 00:58:21.429you want us to cover in thispodcast. We'd love to cover those subjects84100:58:21.469 --> 00:58:24.110that maybe guys are struggling with havequestions about. Reach out to me.84200:58:24.190 --> 00:58:30.059D Parks at cities for lifecom,v COSSE ORG at cities for lifecom,84300:58:30.139 --> 00:58:37.940for Vicki, and until next time, God bless me, ove for love,84400:58:42.650 --> 00:58:51.090give me our loft for gratitude.I know it will cost me my84500:58:51.449 --> 00:58:58.840life. Nothing's too precious. Andsome met you