You inhabit a fallen, disjointed world,
where things are constantly unraveling around the edges. (1)
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This is what drives me nuts about life, I can neither contain nor control what happens around me, much less what happens to me.
You may have noticed that I have not written a daily devotional for two weeks now.
You might be wondering why I have become so lazy.
My problem is not laziness, it is busyness. Things keep unraveling around me and I am frantically trying to sew everything back together.
If we let the edges keep unraveling, won’t the center eventually unravel?
Thus, I have been distracted tending to the edges of life, rather than finding sustenance at the center of all life. This is not good.
It is better to be still in the center of life with God, than to be depleted while tending to edges which life and Satan unravel.
The further I am from God, the quicker the edges of my life unravel.
It is good to be near God, I have made the Lord God my refuge. (2)
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Young, Sarah (2004-10-12). Jesus Calling – Deluxe Edition: Enjoying Peace in His Presence (p. 274). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
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The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Psalm 73:28.
Bread Crumbs - Devotions for Life 
The center will always be there. The edges need attention now. No one ever said being a minister was an easy life.
Three of the latest statistics on ministry are:
1. 75% of all seminary graduates, leave parish ministry within 5 years.
2. Ministers have the 2nd highest divorce rate among all professionals.
3. 76% of all ministers have been “exited” (fired or crashed and burned) at least one, 40% twice.
Tending to the edges is a critical component of ministry, but to do this well, a pastor must be well-connected to the center of life.
If I am not writing my daily devotionals, then it means, i am not keeping my daily devotionals. It means I am not well connected to God. This is not good for me, neither is it for the church.
really glad to see this today. I was about to send you a note starting: “HEY! We have talked about your writing!” Glad I didn’t have to – plus I miss the crumbs.
Thanks Jim. I missed them, too. They are gifts from God which feed me.