The Transitional Journey

After a very lengthy absence, the blog has reappeared, and it is a fair question to ask where it has been.  It is not that I quit discovering joy two and a half years ago; on the contrary, these months have been filled with joy.  What happened is that life intervened.

 

Two and a half years ago I was invited to consider becoming the transitional pastor of a local church.  After serving the church for almost four decades, my friend Pastor Nick was retiring.  I couldn't fault him for the decision; I'd been retired for ten years, and I liked retirement.  I liked it so much that there was a part of me that considered running as far and fast as I could in the other direction.  God, however, had other plans, and I'm glad he did.  It’s still true that God saves the best for those who leave the choice to him.

 

So for two years I have had the joy of shepherding a congregation through the adventure of a pastoral transition. It turns out that that takes time.  It also turns out that no matter how fervently I may pray, God is not going to make the sun stand still in order to accommodate what I might want to do.  For years I've carried around business cards inscribed with this sentence: I have all the time I need to do all God wants me to do.  For the last couple of years, writing blog posts hasn't fit in that category.  But the writer in me is not yet dead, and now that I have been blessed with a second retirement, perhaps it will fit once again.  After all, I still have all the time I need to do all God wants me to do.

Last month I had the joy of passing the shepherding baton to FTPC's new pastor, a gifted young man who is God's choice for the future.  And I get to re-retire.  It has been a two year adventure, filled with both joys and lessons that have been many, varied, and deep.  Among them is the clear reminder that God seldom leads in straight lines, and it’s wise to turn when He does.  It’s been a fun couple of years, and I’ve had a blast!  But I’m glad Pastor Aaron is on board.  It turns out that I still like retirement, and I’m looking forward to rediscovering those joys as well.