First Tender Shoots

In contrast to the sad things going on in my life at the moment, I gave my first sermon on Sunday.  It was short and of course only mediocre.  However, once I got past the nausea, I was thrilled by the fact that I could envision myself giving the same sermon in the future.  I could see myself improving the sermon each time and could see my own ability to engage with the congregation improving.   It was wonderful to get past my own insecurities and be able to see that moment as the first awkward step on a journey.  The first tender shoots sprouting from the seed of my calling.

I even kept my sense of humor through the immediate “loving” criticisms of a few congregation members (including from a theater director).  I decided that my diamond-in-the-rough-self can be a group project.  It takes a village, right?  Besides, the people who gave me positive feedback said some really wondeful things from the heart.  They were the ones who helped me to catch a glimpse of what I hope to become.