You

“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” – Psalm 139:13-14

I usually don’t blog twice in one day, but there is always a first time for everything. I have been in the ministry for a little over a year now. I interned at three different churches during my college time, but am now a Student Pastor. What I am about to write comes from my heart. It is an unusual blog that has been on my heart all day today. Before reading this, I ask that you pray and put away any judgement you have towards yourself. 

Meeting and connecting with different ministers, you begin to look at yourself in a different way. There might be a pastor or youth pastor you know in your mind that you always say, “Man, I wish I had the awesome ideas they have!” Or “I really wish I could preach like that guys!” There aren’t a lot of ministers that will admit this, but as human as I am, I am the worst about comparing myself to someone. Not only ministers, but people in general. One time I heard somebody tell me, “You don’t need to go to the altars during church to pray because the church people will think something is wrong with you.” Well, I’ve got news for you…I’m not perfect and never will be. I have seen my Pastor kneel before the church at the altar during worship because he felt so heavy, He had to fall and pray. 

I think about Dr. Seuss when he said, “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” I am always listening to other preachers podcasts, read books by well known Christian authors, and always in the Word. God hasn’t called me to be a Pastor Jeremy Griffith, a Pastor Rick Bradley, a Pastor David Tennyson, or a Pastor Louie Giglio. Pastor Jeremy, Pastor Rick, and Pastor David are three of the biggest mentors in my life and I guarantee you if I were to ask them how I can become as anointed or as awesome as they are, they would respond with a “God hasn’t call you to be me.” But isn’t that the truth??? The best YOU there is is YOU! God hasn’t called me to be preach like another pastor. God hasn’t called me to reach kids like another youth pastor. God has called me to be Stewart Wilkerson and He has called you to be you! 

We are God’s workmanship…His creation…His masterpiece. God doesn’t make junk. I encourage you today to be you. Don’t take another preacher’s way of preaching and make it yours. Allow the Holy Spirit to do something deeper inside of you than what you think you can do, because I promise, there is no book that tells you how to preach the best, or how to study the most, or show you how to win a kid to Christ the best. If you pray, and allow the Holy Spirit to take you…ALL OF YOU…and lead, guide, and direct you, I promise that He will not let you down. He will make you into a holy nation. He will lead you beside still waters. He will make you into the royal priesthood that He promised. 

There is no other person that can be YOU better than YOU can. Be authentic. Be honest. Be true. Be loving. Be serving. Be CHRIST!