A letter to someone, anyone
Dear Pastor Erik,
I'm writing this letter to say thank you and to let you know that I am going to miss you terribly. Your preaching had a huge impact on me and my life and I wanted to thank you in person but I couldn't do it. I knew I would burst in to tears if I talked to you face to face. Part of me feared that I would throw myself around your ankles, grab on and beg you not to go. I am not good at small talk and I knew I would stumble over my words and gush about how much I love you thereby making both of us uncomfortable.
The way you conducted yourself, the subject matter you choose, the stories you told, the Bible passages that you referenced and explained, the sermons you gave have all left their mark on me. I specifically remember one sermon where you stood up there on the pulpit with both of your arms outstretched to the side while simultaneously explaining to the congregation the true posture of Jesus.
It made me weep. I've never cried in church before, and if I'm being honest, in the past I could barely stay awake in church. Our oldest pastor was a bit of a droner, as you may well know, and I wasn't the only parishioner who could've nodded off before you and Pastor Larry arrived.
Pastor Erik, through your sermons, you explained Jesus and his teachings in a way that awakened in me a desire to know more about Him, to perhaps be a bit more like Him. You prompted this stodgy old congregation of Lutheran Missouri Synod believers into closing our eyes and raising our hands and taught us to openly praise Him in His house. For me, you made church something more than rote.
You told us to tell our stories, that the truth in telling our stories is what was going to heal us and bring us closer to Jesus.
You, my friend, are a true follower of Jesus. You are the epitome of an apostle and you showed me how a true apostle should act.
Thank you for teaching me that Jesus can be found not only in the Bible but that He is alive, right here in our everyday lives. And if we will only open up our eyes and hearts, we will see Him through our tears and in our pain, in our family and friends, in nature and yes, even in our stories.
I wish you and your family nothing but the best as you travel to California and your new lives.
I am sorry to see you go. You will be sorely missed at Immanuel.
Gods Blessings to you Sir,
Sincerely,
Sincerely,
Thanks for reading,
Love, Lolly
P.S. Should I send this to him? Or is it a bit over the top?
No doubt about it....send it. It's your heart and it's pure.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! We so often only hear about when people are not happy. I have no doubt he will love to receive this.
ReplyDeleteYou must send it. I wrote a similar letter to my 8th grade teacher Mr. Contreras, who impacted my life so hugely. I hesitated because I just knew he'd gotten other letters like mine, and why should I track him down and mail it, etc. I sent it when I was in my late thirties, finally. He told me it was something he re-read and treasured. And it opened up a friendship between us that lasted until his death from Parkinson's a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteLastly, I have just become a member of a LCMS church after months of praying and seeking and reading. I would never have believed that I would go from being a Baptist (loved that church of my childhood) to a Pentecostal (loved that church of my whole married life) to a confessional Lutheran (love this church of my widowhood), but it is changing my life in beautiful ways.
Do you listen to Issues, etc.? I listen to something from it every single day.
God bless you, friend. Your letter to Pastor Erik will encourage and strengthen him.