Good News: The Return of My Co-Pastor
For the past number of months, my wife Amanda has been on leave from Brookfield Baptist Church due to the ongoing struggles with post-concussion syndrome and post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome. This was initially an indefinite leave, with no specified return to work date.
I never wanted to push Amanda as I agreed with her leave and it was important for her to take this break and focus on her health. At the same time, I enjoy working with Amanda as co-pastors and so hoped that the leave would not last too long.
Amanda recently made the decision to return to pastoral ministry on February 1. That meant her first Sunday back would have been February 4. Unfortunately, we had to cancel the service because of a massive snowstorm here in Nova Scotia.
First of all, I want to clarify that Amanda’s return to work is not because she is “all better.” What recovery looks like for Amanda is a moving target. She is still deeply affected by her health issues and her work schedule will reflect that.
Amanda is making a choice to go back to work despite some daily struggles. This is another example of why I respect Amanda so much. She is not waiting for a return to “normal.”
I am thankful that Amanda is returning to work for a couple of reasons. One is that she is an extremely gifted pastor and has much to offer. The second is that we compliment one another nicely. Amanda is strong in the areas where I am weak. We work well together.
This will be a period of trial and error. Some weeks might be longer than others. She will have good days and bad days. She might have to miss some Sundays. The point is that she is doing what she is able to do.
This is Good News.
