I’ve recently spent time with a friend and former team member who will be retiring in a few weeks. I congratulated him, and told him that he may have a variety of feelings as he approaches his retirement date and immediately afterward. For so many years (for me it was nearly 38), I knew where I was going to work each day, and what I would be doing. Then, all of a sudden, that phase of your life is over. I remember feeling almost like I was doing something wrong, like I should be somewhere, instead of home.

My wife Tammy and I agreed that I would not just jump into activities after retiring, but take some time to decompress after my retirement date. Some refer to this as taking a sabbatical. Ideally, we were hoping to find ministry work that we could do together.

After serving God in your primary vocation, what does serving God in retirement look like for you? What is your purpose in this new chapter of your life? That is a question that several members of our church small group have been asking recently. Continue reading →