September 2, 2026 · 1 min read · 6 thoughts
A chaplain’s Tuesday
Thought 1 of 6
People imagine a chaplain’s day as a series of dramatic moments. Mostly it is coffee, a hallway, and someone who does not want to talk yet.
The work is learning to wait without leaving. Deputies can smell an agenda from across the parking lot. So you bring none. You bring a cup, a chair, and time.
Around eleven, one of them will say something that sounds like nothing. “Long night.” That is the door. You do not push it open. You stand near it.
Bridging the gap between the word and the world is rarely a sermon. It is usually a chair.
By the afternoon you have said perhaps forty words that mattered. That is a good day. A great day is when you said fewer.
If you lead anyone — a team, a family, a congregation — try one Tuesday like this. Bring the chair. Leave the agenda in the car.
Bring this message to your church or team
Dr. Zarate speaks at churches, conferences and leadership retreats.