In the past few months, I’ve had surprising opportunities to spend time with folks who encouraged me decades ago when I first started ministry. It was first Ed, the Sunday School director and a deacon at the second church I pastored in Ohio. His continued encouragement that day blessed my heart and challenged me to keep pressing on at this stage of my ministry.
Today, it was Myrtle — a member of the church in Kentucky where I preached this morning. Myrtle and her husband, Paul, were faithful members of the church where I spent my teen years. To this young, rookie, too-proud preacher who was just trying to figure out life, Paul and Myrtle were an ongoing encouragement and inspiration. I learned today that she’s followed me from a distance over the years — and her delightful spirit inspired me again today.
I write this post first to say thank you to all those folks who’ve inspired me through the years. You cannot know how much you’ve meant to me, but I do remember you. There are so many of you . . . .
And, I write today to say “thank you” to God for allowing me the privilege of meeting some of these folks again in the past few months. I’m grateful.