Run Across the Finish Line!

My husband (Steve) turned 70 this month! What?!? I'm not too far behind him. How could we be that old? Actually, those years contain a treasure trove of precious memories, experiences and events that we would never want to trade just to be young again. 

We've been serving God in ministry for over 4 decades now. Steve went forward at a men's advance when he was 26 and in answer to God's prompting he committed to minister full-time for the rest of his life. It has been our greatest joy to raise our children in the Lord and see them love and serve God wholeheartedly. They in turn raised their children in a way that God captured their hearts at a young age and all 7 of them love Jesus with everything. It has been our delightful privilege to serve God's people in one amazing church in So Cal then to be sent to "replant" a church in Nor Cal. We loved, led and fed for 21 years and God brought the increase. It is now a healthy thriving church that has planted out 2 churches and sowed resources of finances and people into several other church plants. I can't explain adequately the pleasure and fulfillment of seeing lives changed, people going from darkness to light, marriages restored, relationships healed, bodies, minds, emotions healed, miracles and redemptive stories. It has been our life-giving honor to get a front row seat to be part of it. We wouldn't change a thing. For us ministry has been so gratifying.

We turned our church over to the perfect man/ couple/ team and it is surging ahead and going further than on our watch - which is exactly what should happen. Is it time to be "done" and get an RV and travel the United States without the gift of a community? No! We are not done yet! until we take our last breath we will serve Jesus! We are now in the church that my son and his wife lead along with a great group of elders and their wives. What a blessing to have our son as our pastor and to serve on his team! We also have the privilege of being on a team of seasoned men and women of God helping to build strong, healthy, local churches and leadership teams to grow, thrive and advance His Kingdom.

Back to my 70 year old husband... he didn't want to have to quit because his health failed him. He didn't want to have to limp and army crawl across the finish line. He wanted to run across! He wanted to have significant input into the lives of our grandchildren. He wanted to lead "one more" to Jesus and encourage and coach more church leaders in how to have strong and healthy churches. He intentionally started preparing for our next season and taking care of things that needed attention. He has lost 65 pounds in the last 6 months, had a knee replacement a year ago and is working out. Last week we were in Honolulu and walked up Diamond Head State Monument 3 days in a row. We're leading a community group of 25 people every week, helping anywhere else we can in the church and traveling around the US, Canada and Australia equipping local churches and leadership teams to have strong and healthy churches. Why not retire? Why not be "done?" Because we will serve Jesus, help churches and preach the Gospel for the rest of our lives. We want to run across that finish line and not army crawl!