Grief is a natural human emotion and it’s ok to express grief, hurt, and sorrow. No one is calling you to tough it out. I believe a good wailing or sob is good for the soul! So, in your grief. Here are 12 good lessons to remember as you process your emotions and deal with the real pains of sorrow and loss. (I recognize some of these may go together.)

Yesterday Pastor Allen concluded his “Therefore” series in Hebrews reminding us to honor the leaders from chapter 13, verses 7-8… So, before I move any further, I would love to honor the leaders of my youth. First and foremost… What can you do TODAY to encourage your pastor and church leaders? DON’T WAIT! Your words today can make all the difference in the world this week! YOU ARE LOVED! GO LOVE YOUR PASTOR AND CHURCH LEADERS!

YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS STUFF UP! Friends, there’s glimpses of light even in the darkness — taps of God’s grace on the shoulder as a reminder that you are not forsaken nor forgotten. Are you looking for them? Don’t get so trapped in the darkness that it blinds you from seeing the light of the Lord shinning through even your toughest moments. YOU ARE LOVED!

I’ve had some successes and “failures” in those terms, but most of all, I want to make sure that the people in my care gather together, read the scripture together, prayer together, sing together, and hear the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus proclaimed! If those things are happening, you have a great church! BE ENCOURAGED!

I’ll never forget one of my own church “leaders” (intentional quotes) accuse another LEADER (actual leader) as being all three of those things. Trust me, it said more about the “leader” than it did the actual LEADER.

Yet, we must be careful, because in our frailty, we are most vulnerable to the lies of the enemy. In my case, feeling like a fraud. I confess to you that I have fallen victim to this lie more times than I care to admit. Peter reminds us that the enemy of our souls is waiting to pounce — he prowls about like a roaring lion seeking to devour. No doubt, I have some bite marks or at least have been so close that I’ve felt the drool of the lion’s mouth.

Take advantage of the access given to us by Jesus. He lived, died, and rose again FOR YOU! He sits at the right hand of God FOR YOU! He understands and sympathizes WITH YOU! Approach the throne boldly — with confidence knowing that God hears His children and longs to help them. Embrace His grace and mercy! God’s mercy endures forever and they are new every morning. His grace is sufficient for you and He pours it our liberally upon the humble. Rest in God’s comfort and care — there’s no better place to rest. Often in our struggles — especially with sin or when we feel like we have failed, we have this tendency in us to shy away from God as if He bears the looks of disappointment and is waiting to pounce all over us. Friends, IT’S SIMPLY NOT TRUE! It’s the devil who pounces, it is God who embraces! Do not shy away, but rather RUN to Him!

Dear Pastor… BE ENCOURAGED! “Your labor is not in vain!” Your love for others, your leadership, your faithful dedication to the preaching and teaching of God’s word, your humility and grace, your prayers, your encouragement, your vision, and your heart for serving Christ and His church DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED! Thank you for all that you do to serve the Body of Christ. You’re My Hero!

The church should be the safest place for people to “work out their salvation,” but it can be a difficult place as well. If the church can’t be a place for people to find grace — to find help and healing — to unburden themselves of the weight of life — to mess up — to find mercy — to find forgiveness — to find rest from the weary world, THEN WHY EXIST AT ALL? It’s the not healthy that need a doctor, but the sick. But, the sad reality is, the church can be full of undue judgement and harsh criticism from many who refuse to see the plank in their own eyes. Thus, church hurt exists. So, here’s the real purpose for my post today. How do you deal with church hurt? Allow me to offer these 7 steps and then following it up with a little bit of encouragement.

Hey Everyone! I’ve been silent the last two weeks as I have been UNDER ATTACK by the Sinus and Upper Respiratory Infections! I’m still not over it — I’m not really sure when it will end at this point, but wanted to share something with you by way of Thom Rainer, Founder and CEO of Church Answers. Baptist Press published the article written by Rainer entitled, “5 Ways To Hurt Your Pastor” and as I was reading the short article it immediately resonated with several conversations that I’ve had with pastors lately and over the years - and frankly, it touched on some hurts that I’ve personally experienced. Check out today’s post as I share with you some of my own personal thoughts on Rainer's article. YOU ARE LOVED! PastorPusch

We are not concerned with the “cultural norms” when we follow Christ. // Do everything for the glory of God: dating, marriage, living, spending money. // God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him. // God’s glory is the ceiling of human happiness. // If he doesn’t take you out of the fire, He’ll teach you in the flames. // God is worth enough for us to lose everything!

There are no rouge pieces in God’s box. All the pieces fit together to form this beautiful picture called you. It may not always make sense. We may challenge God as to the placement of the pieces, but as the Master and Creator of the universe, we can trust Him with the little pieces of our life. Even when things may not make sense, WE CAN HAVE FAITH BECAUSE GOD IS FAITHFUL! Just has he fulfilled His promise to Abraham and Sarah whose descendants out number the stars and the grans of sand, do God will fulfill his promise and purpose in you!

“When it comes to Ministry, leading can be overwhelming. There’s the pressure to perform, the pressure to please, and the pressure to program. We’ll talk more specifically about those pressures in another post. Today, I want to give you 5 Essentials of a Life-Giving Leader.”

“It’s Monday, July 10 and it’s going to be ok! This particular post is for the Pastor or Church Ministry Leader who is still feeling the pressures of the previous day. It get it… Here are 7 reminders for you this MONDAY MORNING!”

… While we can’t see demeanor in scripture, I tend to believe Jesus responded with a gracious grin. Jesus said in verse 23, “If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.” – Mark 9:23. It’s as if Jesus asked, “Is there anything to hard for the Lord?” Now notice with me the dad’s response – this is the part where I completely relate. I get it. I can feel his words. “Immediately, the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief.” – Mark 9:24.

If you have been a student of the Bible for any length of time you know the scriptures calls believers in Christ Jesus to do hard things… sometimes incredibly hard things.