I turned thirty a few moments ago and I'm pleased as punch. I know a lot of people are leery of milestone birthdays, but I'm all for it and the next one too. It may sound silly, but people treat you different as a minister if you're still in your twenties. I've had people openly express disappointment that the minister is so young (usually at the hospital or funeral home, rarely at church). In my estimation, preachers receive the least age-related criticism between forty and sixty. Outside of that you may be perceived as too young to understand or too old to relate.
I think my church family is different though. I've noticed a change in the last six years. I was just shy of 24 when I was hired and in the last couple of years I've really been treated as an equal and I've felt appreciated and respected. And that's important to the emotional health of a preacher.
On a lighter note: Blogger re-invited me to upgrade; how thoughtful of them to think of me.
1 comment:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Yeah, we know all about being too young to be taken seriously! We're the youngest MAF missionaries (world-wide)and deal with lots of teasing from our comrades here in Shell about our age. Thankfully, it is all in good fun and the people we are actually minstering to couldn't care less how old we are...most of them don't even know their own age anyway. I say it's better to just enjoy your youth and smile when people make comments about what a "baby" you still are - they're just jealous anyway, right?!
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