a fly among shepherds

how did i get here?? that was what was pounding through my mind the other night as i sat in my chair listening and taking notes. you see, I have the honor of writing on my church's creative writing team and was tapped to help with an upcoming project that involves several local churches and on this particular evening, i was attending a pow wow for the head pastors from these churches...(and i was supposed to be there too! whew! crazy!) As i sat just slightly back from the group (so as not to intrude) i was able to hear these amazing leaders encouraging, sharing ideas, supporting one another, joking around, teasing each other, identifying strengths seen in one another's congregations and pointing one another toward the ultimate goal of becoming one (capital C) Church body in this fair city of ours. it was thrilling to glimpse behind the curtain and to see these men who are generally "competing" (in a weird way) with one another- doing exactly the opposite.

Towards the end of the meeting we circled up for prayer and i could not help but feel tears stinging my closed eyelids as i attempted to step outside of myself and capture this beautiful image in my mind. * (*now i'm not claiming to be on par with these gifted men of God by any stretch- i'm just a volunteer writer for goodness sakes!) listening to them pray together, i could not help but lift up my own prayer of thanksgiving for this opportunity to serve, for these incredible men around me as well as a prayer of protection over their lives, ministries and marriages. thank you Lord for this glimpse. thank you for these shepherds in your city and for giving me a chance to be a welcomed fly on the wall among them.