Have you experienced a time in your life when failure creeps in? Such has been how I have felt the past couple of months. Trying to heed the advice I often give to others: “Lead from your scars, not your wounds” (Thanks Nadi Bolz Webber). I haven’t written about it here. My blog is primarily …
vocation
A New Preaching Plaza
Something happened to me on the morning of November 9th of last year. I felt so sad not just as a private citizen but as a faith leader. I felt so sad for what our newly elected administration would mean for the rights of people of color, immigrants, women or any minority groups for that matter. …
What Are Your Plans for the New Year?
Last week on New Year’s Day, I was sitting among a table of family and one person asked, “Where do you want you life to be at this moment in 2018 that you aren’t in today?” Everyone went around the table to share as we feasted on the traditional southern meal that Kevin put together …
“You Should Really Be in the Church, Full-Time”
Such is the start of several conversations I’ve had lately with folks who wonder why I’m not serving one particular church, full-time. “But you’re good at it. Why would you not?” “The church needs you. Why are you keeping your gifts from it by not applying for ___ job?” “Did you really go to seminary …
Find Out Who You Are: Quit Your Job!
In December 2012, I quit my job. I didn’t have another one to go to. And though there were lots of extenuating circumstances that led me to believe that I knew what would be next– at heart I really didn’t have a plan. It was very UNLIKE me. All I knew was that Kevin could …
Goodbye 5, 10 or 15 Year Life Plan: I have no idea!
When I started seventh grade, I was in club that asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up. We were told to write our answers down on a piece of paper and keep it somewhere where we’d see it again in several years. I recently found it again all these years later …
Goodbye 5, 10 or 15 Year Life Plan: I have no idea!Read More
So This Is It
It’s been over one year now since I left traditional ministry. And folks say to me all the time, “When are you going back to the church?” I don’t know how to answer other than to say that we need to think about the church in new ways. Why do we always think about church …
Year in Review
January 2013 began with a bang. A quiet bang that is. I left my position of pastor at Washington Plaza Baptist Church in Reston in pursue more writing projects and support the work of Feed The Children. I blogged and sought to practice Sabbath keeping as I transitioned. Some days it went better than others. …
Be Someone
We can’t help it, but in our society we are what we do. When you meet a new person (especially in the circles I run in it seems) the first question that gets asked when you meet someone new is, “What do you do?” And in response free-flowing answers are something like, “I am a …
Creating What Doesn’t Exist
People ask me all the time what I miss about church life? Do I miss preaching all the time? Do I miss the committee meetings? Do I miss the hospital visits? Do I miss the cranky people calling me after church on Sunday afternoon? I’m not really sure how to answer these questions. Because yes, …
Has it really been a year? Kevin Hagan + Feed The Children
Today marks the one year anniversary of our family’s involvement with the non-profit giant, Feed The Children. More than just a job for Kevin, it has been a calling to a way of life. I’ve thought a lot about the fact that I would write this blog today. That today I would mark this passing …
Has it really been a year? Kevin Hagan + Feed The ChildrenRead More
Figuring Out Calling
Yesterday, the Associated Baptist Press published a commentary I wrote called, “I Left the Church. But Don’t Hate Me.” You can read it here. In this piece, I described that one of the reasons I left my pastorate stemmed from a new professional opportunity given to my husband at Feed The Children. It’s something I’ve …
