Today we conclude my interview with Mickey Connolly with his thoughts on time management, biblical leadership, sports, and leisure. You can read the first half of the interview here.

Mickey, what single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your effective use of time?

Pray. Luther said the busier he got the more he prayed and I think that is wise. I can’t get to everything but I can certainly bring everything to the Lord and trust him for it all.
 
What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your leadership?

Wow, that’s a hard one. Can I have two? Actually both come from Scripture and speak to my temptations to be self-sufficient, arrogant, and ambitious.

The first is John 15:5, “for apart from me you can do nothing.” I repeat this to myself almost daily at the end of my time of meeting with God. I am, as the title of this series suggests, ordinary (on my best day), but I learned early if I was going to be fruitful in any way, it wouldn’t be because of my talents but from staying attached to the vine.

The second is Mark 10:42–44 where Jesus speaks to his disciples about the greatest being the servant of all.

If I had the opportunity to pass on any advice to young guys, this would be it.
 
Where in ministry are you most regularly tempted to discouragement?

I still find it hard to get over people leaving the church because they felt dissatisfied or ill served. It always bothers me that we can’t work things out or that we haven’t served them more effectively.
 
Do you exercise? If so, what do you do? If not, why not? (Please be specific.)

Yep. I have a recumbent exercise bike at home and ride 45 minutes to an hour most days. Yet I’m still fat.

Go figure!

Do you think maybe I eat too much?
 
Currently, what sport do you like to play and/or watch?

As you know I was a physical education major in college so I have always loved sports. I love watching the Carolina Panthers and University of Maryland football and I love March Madness, and the Masters, U.S. Open, and British Open golf.

I play golf and fish (if that is a sport). I still like to play basketball but my body protests—loudly!
 
What do you do for leisure?

The above, but my favorite thing is to be home with Janie and watch British mysteries (e.g. Poirot and Miss Marple) and comedies (e.g. Jeeves and Wooster) or reading together.
 
If you were not in ministry, what occupational path would you have chosen?

This question is a little hard because I got saved later in life (28) and was a loser who only took PE because I liked sports and because you didn’t have to take any languages (which I regularly failed in high school) or advanced math (I stopped with adding and subtracting). So it’s not like I had a lot of options.

But…if I got a do over and if God blessed me with better brains I would have loved to have been a medical doctor—specifically a surgeon.

Barring that miracle I would have liked to have been a fishing guide.

Thank you, my friend!