Jesus said to them “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
John 20:21
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We are in the season of Pentecost. We have just celebrated the day of Pentecost where the Holy Spirit is given, and the disciples are sent out. We have also celebrated with high school graduates as they have completed one big step and are now being sent into the world. In the church, the season of Pentecost uses the color green, and the focus is on spiritual growth. It is the Holy Spirit that Jesus sent to walk with us, give us guidance, wisdom and encouragement to bring God’s love. It is this constant presence that keeps us grounded in Christ.
There are different faith traditions that put a big emphasis on the action of the Holy Spirit. People often chase that feeling of being filled and can seem totally immersed in worship. The way people often access that time is through music and being around others who also seek God’s love. It is where I truly started my own spiritual journey as a teenager. I see the different faith traditions in Christianity as God meeting us where we are in a particular season. During my younger years, I really felt a need to feel that presence as I was searching out my way. Later that changed to something different that I needed. I was attracted to Lutheran practices because they seemed to connect me to the sense of the Holy in the focus on open communion. I also loved the rhythm of worship, ritual, and symbolism. I experienced the Holy Spirit in a different more peaceful way.
I no longer felt so much of the emotional storms and turmoil of my earlier years. One thing the Holy Spirit does is pull or push you in a direction for your life that has purpose and a tangible way you impact the world for God’s kingdom. For me, I spent a couple decades focused on being a parent. Having and raising children is a gift and blessing I would never trade even though there were some big storms during the journey. It was in the midst of this that the Spirit tugged at me to pursue ministry and to go to college at an older age. Today, I have been a pastor for 8 years and have had the privilege to serve many people. The Spirit led me to leave the city and serve in rural areas which was a total surprise but has been very fulfilling.
I share my story to show how the Spirit moves in surprising ways, and you may find yourself in places you never imagined doing something very different from what you originally planned. Lean into your faith and seek the guidance of the Spirit. There is nothing easy about following Christ in that the world is very good at handing out anxiety and worry to drag us down and God’s timing is so frustrating, especially to our preferences.
My time with you will be coming to a close this summer and I feel thankful for our time together. As I write this, I’m not sure where the next stop is on my journey yet. However, I can look back over my life and see many many times when things looked scary, yet things moved in a direction that was positive. I have never been disappointed or abandoned. I have tried at times to figure things out just on my own which usually didn’t turn out well. The Holy Spirit does walk with us to bring us peace, love and a rich life. I’m excited to see where God will send me next and who will be coming to you.
In Christ, Pastor Linda Molitor
