The volume of the voices

No matter who you are, you have these people in your life. The people that don't think you can do it.

I can hear their words like it was yesterday. YOU can't be a pastor! You can't visit well. You don't know how to relate to seniors. You're too "youthy" to be a "real" pastor. You dress badly. Your haircut looks like Satan. Your spiritual life is weak.

You'll never get people that want to pay that kind of money to play hockey. Victoria can't manage more than 10 teams. Then more than 12 teams. Then more than 16 teams. You'll never find the ice time. You'll never be able to manage the fighting and contact. You'll never be able to keep it a beginner league.

The little idea Eric and I had called Island Hockey will likely have 22-24 teams this year. That's just about 500 people playing. 75% of them are beginners/novices or people just getting back into it. I'm sure we could have 30 if we wanted to push hard enough.

I'm not sure how good of a pastor I am but I can honestly say I'm not ashamed of my work. I think most of the time I've been able to be faithful to the calling God has put on my life. I wouldn't say I'm really great with seniors or preaching but then I wouldn't say I'm great with youth either. As long as I'm moving in the right direction and growing, I'm happy with my work though. I don't think I'm letting anyone down.
A long time ago, when I first started ministry someone said "Chris, just go and love them and you'll do fine. Just love them." And I can honestly say that I love them - in my preaching, my visiting, my everything.

We'll always have people that will try and keep us down. They may not intend to but they do. And those will probably always be the loudest voices and the ones we remember most because they are the ones that hurt. When I really stop and think about it though, there are 10 times more positive voices than negative ones. The people that really believe in me and think the world of who I am and what I can give or accomplish.

I guess I just need to learn to live by listening to those cheering for me rather than watching for those that don't.