I'm sitting in the Vancouver airport, anticipating a minimum five-hour flight delay because of mechanical problems. I just want to get home to celebrate Fathers Day! There is a radio part that they must fly in from San Francisco and replace before we have any hope of departing - which will get me home at about 2:00 in the morning...
Life is full of surprises and delays. For those of us who like to plan and control, this is incredibly frustrating. But I'm learning to roll with the punches. So instead of stewing over something I can't possibly change, I'm thinking back to the past few days of ministry in Calgary and Vancouver (actually, Abbotsford, BC).
In both cities, I had the privilege of speaking to women leaders in the church. These were women of all ages, both staff and volunteers, who fill a variety of roles in their ministries. I was recalling today that in the past 10 months I have led workshops for women leaders in Chicago, London, Bristol (England), Melbourne, Sydney, San Francisco, La Mesa, Dallas, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver. Every one of these events surfaced similar issues, and frankly, a lot of pain. It seems that once women are given permission to describe what their experience has been trying to lead in the church, they are freed up to express a level of disappointment that still catches me by surprise and troubles me. I'm amazed at the stories I have heard, and even more astounded that these same women continue to faithfully serve, persevering for the cause of Christ. Many of them are hugely under-valued and under-utilized (and under-paid if they are paid at all). Some of them are shamed for ever bringing up issues about title or job description or salary, told that if they were true servants, they wouldn't be displaying such prideful character. My emotions vary from anger about the injustice to sadness for my sisters in pain to inspiration for their determination to continue in ministry.
I am trusting that God, who knows every one of these stories, will be faithful and provide wisdom. And in the meantime, I will continue to gather these women together in a room if only to let them know they are not alone, their issues are shared by others, and their ministry matters more than they could possibly know.
This work among women leaders is not a calling I ever sought - in fact, I have only entered this arena reluctantly. But if God has used me this past season to bring any encouragement to these incredible leaders, then I am profoundly grateful for that privilege. So many of them are now heroes to me.
Now if I could just get home to Chicago....
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