REST, RELAXATION AND WRESTLING

REST, RELAXATION AND WRESTLING! An adventure into the world of R&R has begun for the Sherman family as we have embarked upon a three month sabbatical. On October 10th, 2005 we officially began to pack and take care of all the final details necessary to leave our home, our city and most importantly the people we love as our extended family from the congregation I pastor in Washington State.

This has been a time I have both looked forward to and somewhat feared. Leaving a church I have invested the last 17 years of my life into for almost three months is almost like watching your kids leave home. Every leader of any kind of group or organization is faced with the prospects of how those he/she leads will do in their absence. The health of the group will be exposed and the job done by the leader will become all too apparent while the leader is gone. Have I done a good job of building a capable and strong team around me? This and many other questions lurk in the back of my mind while I try to relax and release the weight of the leadership load that has been upon me these many years.

As I write this it is already October 26, 2005 and we have spent 1 night with our dear friends the Graybills, 2 nights in Sacramento taking in a Switchfoot concert, 1 night in San Francisco enjoying one of the most beautiful cities in the world, 3 nights in Southern California with my wife’s family and 4 nights in Mazatlan, Mexico adjusting to the place we will call home for almost 8 weeks. We have slept in Hotel rooms, on floors of relatives and in the home of friends. Our family of 6 has been challenged by the tight quarters of our minivan and the major adjustments involved in being in a different culture with a different language and trying to find our way around. So far, our time has been anything but restful as I have dealt with my regular insomnia, only multiplied. Yet, in all of this, I know God has called us to this time.

Our Father in heaven is engineering something within His mind that will bring us more into the image of the pattern Son Jesus. I trust God to do this work which He alone can do. I have been tired, lacking inspiration and very discouraged at times these last few years and I am in need of a “personal revival!” So far, I have barely cracked my Bible and have done virtually no reading at all. The main goal I have before me at this time is to get oriented to my surroundings, help my family do the same and try to disconnect mentally and emotionally from the work mode. Believe me when I say, “This is much harder to do than it sounds.”

I am wrestling more than I am resting right now. This is evidenced by the number of dreams I have had about the church and ministry since my arrival in Mazatlan. Two nights ago, I dreamed I was at a church service and everything was going wrong that could go wrong! I was frustrated and felt OUT OF CONTROL! Is this dream indicative of my condition or what?! Anyway, this is one more proof to me of my need for rest and fresh inspiration.

I have found a cool coffee shop with wireless internet access and can now regularly write and blog without paying an arm and a leg. THANK YOU, ALL OF MY FRIENDS OUT THERE WHO REGULARLY PRAY FOR MY FAMILY AND I AND READ THIS BLOG. KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN, I WILL WRITE MORE OFTEN.

With much love and appreciation,
Doug