One Person, Celebrating Four Families
Today’s blog is an article I was honored to contribute for Celebrate Arkansas Magazine’s July 2013 issue.
(Our grandchildren – all six of them!)
Family matters. Yes, I believe in the family. I am convinced that one of the keys to a happy life is engaging with four families in your lifetime. Each of these families play a distinct role within your life and each of them is vital to your overall success.
Your Immediate Family
You were born into a family. Whether you grew up with both Mom and Dad in the home, or you grew up in a single parent home, or perhaps you were adopted, family does matter. Whether your family is living in harmony and oneness today or conflict has resulted in dysfunction and heartbreak, family does matter.
Family teaches you how to live. Family teaches you love and forgiveness or hate and bitterness. Family teaches you the value of life and the value of others. Family teaches you what is and what is not important in life.
Jeana and I have been married over 36 years. We have two sons, each married, and six grandchildren, all seven years of age and under. This season of life, which can occasionally be filled with challenges, is ultimately always overflowing with joy. We are learning to continue living a joyful life while teaching our grandchildren what really matters in life. Yes, it begins with family.
Celebrate your family today. Even in their weaknesses and shortcomings, they are your family. Love them. Hug them. Kiss them. Family matters.
Your Work Family
Most adults work outside the home in some respect. You may work in private business, corporate America, education, politics, or elsewhere, but wherever you work you engage people. Each of these people have an immediate family but you come together for 30, 40, or 50 or more hours each week.
Do you view the place you work and the people you work with as being a family? You should. You will spend most of your waking hours with this family. You had better love where you work, who you work with, and what you do professionally or else you will have a difficult time being happy.
In my profession as a local church Pastor, I find that most people do not feel good about their jobs. Through the last decade, I have done more counseling relating to vocational challenges than any other subject. This continual workplace displeasure comes for many reasons.
I believe unhappiness in the workplace results in a miserable life. Life is too short for you to not love the kind of work you do, where you work, and those you work with. Where you work and those you work with should be viewed as your work family. Look at your workplace as your family. They are real people you have chosen to live much of your life with; therefore, get to know them, meet their needs, and show them compassion in the midst of various crises they may face. Yes, your work family matters.
Your Church Family
I love the testimonial words found in Joshua 24:15, “But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” As for our family, we have made this choice. We have made it personally to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and we have made it as a family through engagement in a local church.
The New Testament is comprised of multiple letters written to local churches. The Scripture is very clear: Jesus is the Head of the Church. Unquestionably, Jesus died for the church. The Scripture makes that more than clear.
Since the church is important to Jesus, it needs to be important to you and your family. Life is hard and tough personally and for the family. No one is exempt from this. Each family needs a church family.
I have been a Pastor of a local church for over 36 years. I have pastored the same church for 26 of those 36 years and I can testify to you that there are no perfect churches and no perfect pastors and yes, no perfect church members. Regardless, each of us needs one another and we need the church.
Find a church that will teach you how to live God’s way — from the Bible. Engage in that church consistently and faithfully. Treat it like it is your family because it is your spiritual family. The church can help you live your life more successfully.
Your National Family
This month, we are celebrating the 237th birthday of the United States of America. I love our country. I pray daily for our President and many other national and state leaders. America is my national family.
Sure, America faces problems periodically. So does your immediate family. So does your work family. So does your church family. This is why we need one another. This is why we celebrate the need for each of these families. Each of them bring a distinctiveness to your life, but together, they will make you a better you — a happier you — yes, a more successful you.
Celebrate America this month. God has placed you in what we believe is the greatest country of the world. Whether you are native born or an immigrant into our nation, we are all family. We are America. We are family.
Family Matters
Yes, family matters because people matter. What matters to God should matter to me. People I live life with in my immediate family, my work family, my church family, and my national family all matter to me because they all matter to God.
Engage each of these families in your life. Individually they will make life better for you. Together, they will help make your life great. You are one person. Now celebrate your four families.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
Three Benefits of a Few Days Away From Your Ministry
Pastors, there are many benefits of taking a few days away from your ministry. In my younger years, I wondered if I could afford to be away. But the longer I am in the ministry, the more I know that my body, my family, and my church need me to take a few days away from the ministry. It is profitable for all parties.
When we first started out in ministry, our time away from the church was mainly spent with our families. It seemed like when we arrived at Jeana’s family home, six hours away, or at my parents’ home, 11 hours away, we were on a retreat. Our families played with and cared for our boys while we rested and slept. It was not about where we went, but being away was always profitable.
Since today’s blog is directed towards pastors and church leaders, let me share a few of the benefits I have found in taking time away:
Benefit #1: Diversion relaxes the mind
Regardless of where you may go to be away from your ministry — it is a diversion. This diversion relaxes the mind. Stepping away from the daily grind is very beneficial for the mind. Even though technology can keep us connected, and even if you enter into a time of some decision-making, you are still removed from your normal ministry routine.
Benefit #2: Learning refreshes the spirit
When I am away in a friendly, relaxing place I choose to learn. I am able to read books I’ve wanted to read, rather than books I must read. I am able to take some more time for running and exercise, which provides me opportunities to listen to pastors and teachers who mentor me through their podcast ministry. Earlier this week, I wrote a blog about, “Four Books I Read While Away For A Few Days.” I encourage you to read that post to see what I did and read during that time.
Now, when it is just Jeana and I away for a while, learning can occur much easier than if we take a week away with our children and grandchildren. That time away is much more engaging, but again, beneficial as a diversion. The season of your life definitely determines the benefits of being away.
Benefit #3: Changing pace rests the body
Time away from the ministry always should result in a change of pace. Your schedule should not remain the same; in fact, you need to insure it changes some. When we go away, decision-making is lessened. Quite honestly, here is what will comprise a day while Jeana and I are away. These things you can count on:
*We always begin our day with God — while at home this is usually very early most days. When we are away, we sleep later.
*We exercise nearly every day while away — we both do this, using the time to learn, grow, and be mentored by someone through listening to a podcast of some kind.
*We will spend our days together — this may be at the beach, or shopping, or every now and then we take in a movie.
*We will eat — this is usually our biggest decision of the day in our time away. We will usually go to an early dinner and we greatly enjoy this time together.
*We will usually drive around, taking in the environment — this is refreshing to both of us, but especially for me.
When your daily pace is changed, your body is more likely to become rested. In the few days away we just had together, I came back rested.
In closing, Pastor . . .
Take time away. There is nothing noble or spiritual about refusing to go away. Yes, through the years, I have had to force myself to do so. There have been times when I’ve left the office feeling fearful of what may happen while I would be away. There have also been occasions that while I was away my time was jeopardized by problems at the church. Just recently, my biggest issue was that I felt the “treadmill of life” that I had been on for several months was running so fast I was not sure I could get off of it.
So Pastor, there will always be reasons to not be away from the ministry. But let me be completely honest with you. There are three major reasons you need to be away:
*YOU need it
*YOUR family needs it
*YOUR church needs it
Therefore, take the time. Let God use it in your life.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.