Preaching
I preached this morning—something that is still taking some getting used to. Over the last decade or so, I’ve grown accustomed to preaching once or twice a year, at special events, or as a guest in another church. The idea of preaching regularly (in my case, once a month or so) still feels like strange, uncharted, fearful, and exciting territory to me.
As always, Frederick Buechner‘s words provide a good dose of wisdom, re-orientation, and encouragement:
Basically, [preaching] is to proclaim a Mystery before which, before whom, even our most exalted ideas turn to straw. It is also to proclaim this Mystery with a passion that ideas alone have little to do with. It is to try to put the Gospel into words not the way you would compose an essay but the way you would write a poem or a love letter—putting your heart into it, your own excitement, most of all your own life. It is to speak words that you hope may, by grace, be bearers not simply of new understanding but of new life both for the ones you are speaking to and also for you.
Rumblings 
I was heard a preacher say “If you can quit preaching, you should.” If God has called you to share his gospel message, then you must proceed humbly with boldness. That sounds like a contradiction, doesn’t it? The Bible says that even the feet of the one who shares the Good News are beautiful. But we remember that it’s not the one who preaches that receives the glory, but reflects the glory of God. “How can they believe except they hear, and how can they hear without a preacher?” But the message is never about the preacher.
It’s late and I’m rambling. Keep up the good work; it if ever seems like work, think back to these days when it’s a blessing and an honor to be able to stand and speak.
Thanks for the encouragement Clark.