Pastoral Care 2013

By andrew lester pg 70

One way of accessing the relative prescence or absense of 'hope' is to evaluate 
whether a person is on a journey in life. 

Does she move into new experiences, new understandings ? 

Does he journey from one level of consciousness to another ? 

One type of exodus is the internal, intrapsychic process of individuation  and 
differentiation. Through these processes, an individuals  sense of self 
emerges, a self connected to, yet distant from, that of parents and 
community......


the pastor then can be helpful in leading people on an exodus journey. ....To be 
effective, of course, the pastor must also be participating in such a 
journey.........

The most important thing to remember, that is a persons travel story is aimed 
only at a specific, finate goal, then trouble lies ahead....valid 'hope' must 
exist in the context of a transfinite hope and focus on the open ended 
horizon..........

The whole concept of hope distinguishes pastor care from methods of therapy that 
are problem oriented and solution oriented.  The pastoral. Theology of hope that 
under grids and informs our task will not let us be satisfied with solving a 
specific problem, it demands we ask questions,  and listen intently for the 
larger story, the persons ultimate concerns,  ..........

It goes on to share that trying to solve a problem is like attending to a wound 
with a functional band aid......

I know if I listen from my open hearts, if I am ever present and review my 
coaching pathways skills, this is going to be a beautiful offering that I share 
to the world......this is gonna be a natural transition to serve thy neighbor, 
or let it be thy will, come to me and let it be thy words that speak thru me....

I silence, I pray.........

-k