PENTECOST: A TINY STORY OF JOY! (Post 184)
June 4, 2026
Short and sweet AND hard to beat!
- a friend
Often an old friend would introduce a personal story or speak words of gratitude for a presentation he had heard, with the above saying. Likewise, the experience I am about to share is one of Holy Spirit-sweetness, brevity, and tailor-made for the time.
I’ll start first with the scriptural background account of Pentecost as found within the New Testament Book of Acts, Chapter 2, verses 1-4 (NKJ)
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Over the centuries, observance of Pentecost takes place in Christian churches 50 days following Easter Day (whenever Easter occurs in the present year). Usually, services are filled with words sung and spoken, addressing and praising the Holy Spirit.
One spring, however, my spirit was ebbing. Often there does seem to be a letdown following the celebration of Easter but this was more of discouragement. Attendance was lower than usual (even knowing that the post-Easter slump is nothing new) and I went so far as allowing questioning thoughts of whether I should continue in ministry. Finally, I voiced those questions to my husband one Sunday soon after Easter as we were driving home. His reply? Short and sweet – and hard to beat: Has God called you out of the ministry… to another Call? Clearly, I knew that was not the case.
From that point on, I began to pray for a bright and FULL spirit. First, the idea came to add something new that was red in the two individual sanctuaries for each Sunday leading to Pentecost. Okay, nice touches, I initially thought but what actually surprised me was a sudden sense of hardy excitement for this project. Each week, I’d think of another way to surprise my parishioners. Excitement mounted, day by day; and on Pentecost Sunday, if the air could have been turned red, I would have included that too!
That simple question: Has God called you out of the ministry? has remained prominent in my mind since then … and that was many, many years ago. Although “retired”, the sense of being under the Call is clearly present. The JOY from that Pentecost experience – the building of excitement and anticipation, when there was none, convinced and convicted me that spiritual recovery is as essential as physical and emotional recovery.
Perhaps, that is why the inner call came in January to devote this year’s Posts with recollections of joy experienced. Again, some are simple and others, mind-boggling … all are authentic - and prayerfully shared.
I will close with Step 11 and Reflection of Gam-Anon’s Recovery Program
( www.gam-anon.org )
STEP 11
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of his will for us, and the power to carry that out.
“I am not sure what my belief in a Higher Power is. But this I know … when I pray for strength and serenity, I am blessed with strength and serenity. When I was first introduced to Step 11 I thought, this should not be a difficult Step for me. After 12 years of parochial school and a belief in God, I have this. Wrong!! What I didn’t have was a sense of spirituality. I was missing the one-on-one relationship with my personal Higher Power. Step 11 opened the door that allowed me to reach into a deep part of myself that I really didn’t know existed. I am grateful today for discovering my true spiritual self.” ANONYMOUS
Blessings,
Rev. Janet Jacobs, CCGSO
Founding Director
Gambling Recovery Ministries
855-926-0761
For more information on the IPGGC Clergy/Lay Minister Certification visit:
www.IPGGC.org NOTE: new web address!
International Problem Gambling and Gaming Certification Organization
For more information on gambling disorder and recovery issues, go to:
www.indianaproblemgambling.org
www.masscompulsivegambling.org