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 The Rev. Sharon L. Vandegrift, M.Div, PCC 
 
          Professional Certified Coach, International Coach Federation
                    Endorsed Life Coach, United  Methodist Church

Empowering Clergywomen to Excel

Quotes Of the Month

"Silence is the pause in me when I am near to God."
~Arvo Part 
 bridge over water

"The principle of art is to pause, not bypass."
~Jerzy Kosinski
 

Prayer of the Month

As we pause to re-center ourselves in you,

Make us yours,

O Wondrous God,

Make a place for each of us and for all that we carry

inside us;

Release us from shame

into pride,

Touch now all that is broken within us

and make us whole,

in Christ. Amen.

~John R. Pritchard, Jr. 

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                                                     March 2011

Greetings!  

We are now immersed in the Lenten Season. These 40 days are a gift in the midst of the liturgical calendar when we are called to pause: to slow down and pay special attention to the needs of our souls. So, this month's theme is 'Pause'.

~Enjoy! - Sharon

Pause

 We sometimes come to points in our lives when we are yearning for deeper spiritual connection. During these times we may recognize that the ways we have been nurturing our souls, often for decades, just aren't helpful anymore. Spiritual disciplines, no matter how creative they once were for us, can grow stale. Faith commitments can become boring and unimaginative. The language we use to define meaning in our lives can seem dull. When this occurs, it is time to pause.

Initially, to pause means, simply and powerfully, to stop. It means to stop doing what we are doing and to re-consider, re-evaluate, and re-imagine. Allowing pause in our lives gives us space and time to ponder where we are and where we are going. It gives us the wonderful gift of perspective. When in the midst of pause we are confronted with the question: "What do I really want at this point in my life?" Before we can find an answer, we must fully embrace the question.

If you are feeling out of synch or off-track...pause.

Here are a few coaching questions to consider during your time of pause:

~How would your life be different if you had a deeper connection to the Holy?

~If there were no boundaries on your options, how would you choose to live the next 2 years of your life?

~When you consider your life as a novel, where are you in the story now and how might that change in the next chapter?

~What do you believe God intends for you?


Query for the Coach 
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Dear Sharon,
After 2 successful years at a small, rural church, I have just learned that I will be moving in June to be the pastor at a much larger, suburban church. I didn't ask or expect to be leaving this year. I am pretty excited and sort of scared. But right now, I am afraid of the reaction of my congregation when I tell them. Things have been going well and they often tell me I am the best minister they ever had. I feel bad that I am leaving them, but at the same time I am really psyched about my new appointment. What is the best way for me to help them say good-bye and also let them know that I really believe God will take care of them?

To read Sharon's response go to Query for the Coach
Bridge-the-Gap Life Coaching Services, LLC
 ~
Empowering Clergywomen to Excel
The Rev. Sharon L. Vandegrift, M.Div., PCC