Imagine entering a castle in a thick wooded forest. As you enter it’s filled with historical architecture. The paintings and decor give you the impression this castle is centuries old. After getting your bearings and advancing in the door, the only sound you hear is a distance clanging of metals. The curious sound gets louder as you close in on the room. The sound doesn’t frighten you, however it intrigues you and pulls you closer to its origin. As you open the door you see a man, a blacksmith perhaps. The room is about 15 feet wide with a stone well in the middle of the room filled to the top with crystal clear water. There is a lamp hanging from the ceiling that gives light to the entire room. You can hear the man praying with every blow onto the steel anvil. His words are determined and powerful. The voice is filled with emotion and pain. With every blow the man prays harder and deeper, after a few dips in the well he wipes the tears from his eyes. The crick of the door has this man turn and look at you. As your eyes meet you gasp for breath and feel numb, you notice the item he is working on is an amazing and luminous sword. He pulls the sword to his brow and the reflection from the light blinds you for a moment it’s so illuminating. You regain your breath and muster the words HOW. You’re lost because the man, the blacksmith is you. He says are you are ready to dip the sword into the stone well. This book The Sword and the Stone represents the intrigue of conversation and education when our favorite topics are presented. Every person when hearing the name of what they are passionate about is alerted with eyes of fascination and prepared to share their knowledge and wisdom on the topic. The question is when the polished sword rises in front of you, are you passionate to grab hold of that quest and follow your heart to its destination. In this book, the tattered and polished swords are pastors. Men and women of God who have accepted the calling to minister, to pastor, to preach, to evangelize as a full-time profession. This book is for every pastor who has stepped away from ministry for a time, to re-evaluate themselves, re-define themselves and seek God perhaps for approval or recognition that the calling was real. There are moments (even years) as you read what is to follow of frustration as the calling feels like it has been broken in half or is so distant it seems unattainable again. This time of waiting perhaps has hardened your heart or made you feel unworthy. Maybe this time of waiting has pierced a sleeping giant inside of you wondering if you will ever be called Pastor again. You will read stories of Pastors who have been tattered and broken, some who are finding identity and others who are polished and prepared to go back into ministry. We have developed a ministry called POW (Pastors On Watch). This ministry enables Pastors (not on staff) to use their gifts and talents once they have found healing and worth! My challenge for you as you read this, is to make it personal. Don’t just think about your pastor, or the pastor you remember from 10 years ago who fell into sin. Allow Holy Spirit to dip you in the water, refine you and prepare you for the race that is ahead. We have one life to live, live it with faith, live it with hope and in all things live your life with love.
