What would your life be like if you took off work 4 weeks every year?
Imagine the memories your family could make, the positive changes it would have in your spouse and kids, and the peace you might feel deep in your soul.
When you make regular time off work a priority, you often avoid burnout.
The reality is pastors like you don’t take enough time off work. It’s causing real problems in your personal life.
One of the main excuses I hear is: my church schedule is full and there is no space in the calendar for me to take time off.
Being away throughout the year is both necessary and possible. If taking regular time off is not a habit for you, it should be.
Let’s talk about how you can make this a reality.

www.pastoringfromwholeness.com

I used to live my life with constant stress and fatigue.

Do you feel this way?

I would go to work, come home, cook dinner, put everyone to bed, stay up to work some more, go to bed late, never getting everything done. Then, I would get up and repeat the process. I would do this day after day, week after week, year after year.

I never stopped to think about if there was another way, a better way, or what this was doing to myself or my family.

If only I had taken the time to see where this path would take me. I could have saved myself and my family lots of loneliness, heartache, and healing.

Pastoring well and making time for your family and yourself is both biblical and possible.

Let us talk about that now.

Find the full transcript for this episode and more resources for pastors at PastoringfromWholeness.com/6

www.pastoringfromwholeness.com

You are a pastor so everyone thinks your marriage is amazing. Your life is perfect and theirs is the one who needs your help.

The reality is you work all the time and are always at church for various events. Your spouse is raising the kids and taking care of most of the things at home. You help as much as you can, which isn’t much.

You want your marriage to live up to expectations, and don’t think you are at risk for divorce because you are a pastor.

But connecting with your spouse like a great marriage requires takes time that you just don’t seem to have.

They understand and try not to complain too much. You don’t think it’s that bad, but you don’t really know.

You know you need to do something different, but you may not know where to start.

Don’t all pastors’ marriages go through this?

Find the full transcript for this episode and more resources for pastors at pastoringfromwholeness.com/5

www.pastoringfromwholeness.com

You heard from God when he wanted you to be a pastor, when you were running towards Him.

Making space with Him the priority in your life.

But now you are so busy. Your to do list keeps getting longer.

It seems like everyone needs something from you.

You still manage to be with Him but it is for things like

· Preparing sermons

· Praying for others

· Seeking his will for your church

You do talk about God, and research in His word, often telling others about Him.

But the truth is…

Your private time with Him is for everyone else and not yourself.

Now let’s get back to connecting with Him for you and your personal relationship.

Find the full transcript for this episode and more resources for pastors at pastoringfromwholeness.com/4.

www.pastoringfromwholeness.com

Do you find yourself attending every meeting your church has? Does your nursery leader call you when they need something?

It can get really distracting when you are the go-to for everything going on at your church.

There is a better way.

It is time to define your role. Really figure out what is it in your church that only you can do.

What are the tasks that require your specific expertise? Have you ever sat down to think about it?

If you don’t have this clearly defined as a guide to go by, then you might find yourself drawing the art needed for the kindergarten classroom.

Get ready to start thinking about the important tasks you don’t want to leave up to everyone else. The things that require your specific knowledge and valuable time.

Let’s talk about why pastors need to define their role.

Find the full transcript for this episode and more resources for pastors at pastoringfromwholeness.com/3.

www.pastoringfromwholeness.com

Being a pastor’s family is both rewarding and hard.

Your kids are immersed in church. They witness first hand how important God is to you and others. Your spouse often works selflessly alongside you and sees how you continuously support your flock.

Your family gets to be overly generous, which is a virtue …

But on the flip side you are constantly busy.

They try to understand but they long for your undivided attention.

A quick trip to the store turns into an hour-long wait as you finish just one more conversation. You are always on call, missing out on important events. Emails pour in, your phone keeps buzzing with texts, and your mind just won’t shut off.

What is it doing to your family to always make them the last priority in your life?

Let’s talk about simple but specific ways you can begin to shift this around.

Find the full transcript for this episode and more resources for pastors at pastoringfromwholeness.com/2.

www.pastoringfromwholeness.com

When you heard God’s calling to be a pastor, you eventually stepped out in faith.

You decided to go to seminary, get ordained, or start a church.

Many lives are changed for good because people step out in faith when they hear from God.

It’s always comforting to hear from God, especially when His promptings are small and relate to things you would ordinarily do.

Every once in a while, He asks you to do something way out of the ordinary. He says he trusts you and made you for this. All of your life He has been preparing you for what is coming next.

Remember when you were living your life in a certain direction and then God asked you to go another way?

It elicits feelings of both excitement and fear.

Pastors are changing lives because of their boldness to follow God’s calling. Now, pastor’s lives can be changed by others stepping out in faith.

Find the full transcript for this episode and more resources for pastors at pastoringfromwholeness.com/1

www.pastoringfromwholeness.com

Pastoring from Wholeness is hosted by Reese Long, wholeness coach for pastors. This show offers sensible tips for pastors who want to address burnout and lead in a sustainable way. Episodes will cover ideas for pastors to lead other leaders in the congregation, prioritize self-care and family time. The show will also explore unique approaches and healthy rhythms that help pastors lead from wholeness. Reese is a CTA certified coach, passionately devoted Christian and is highly active in her church. She has been led by God to help pastors balance their personal and work life. Subscribe so you don’t miss a thing and share this show with other pastors.

www.pastoringfromwholeness.com