As we journey through the teaching series Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, I wanted to share this Pete Scazzero quote from his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. Strength in Weakness has always been my life motto; my own Mantra so to speak. Even so, some days I still find myself running from, or trying to resist this reality. In days like these when I find myself resisting, God uses people like Pete to call me back. Here it is.

“In fact, after thirty years of following Jesus, I now see the depths of my own sinfulness with greater clarity. The hole in my soul is much deeper and more frightening than I ever realized. Yet from the abyss bloom seeds of potential and new life. I realize now that few of us descend down into that black hole for fear of never coming up. I would have preferred that God make me an angel, absent from the mess of my humanity. I suspect most of you would like the same thing. Yet our light as leaders shines most brightly from the very backdrop of our own brokenness and vulnerability. This is our greatest gift to the people we serve. We help create a safe environment for others to come out of hiding and be themselves. Our churches truly become communities of grace. Then we can all boast, like Paul, that God’s power really is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor.12:9).”