There is a long-standing tradition in missions that every four years missionaries are encouraged to take a sabbatical. Missionaries were given time away from their ministries so that they could return to the United States, see family, rest from the rigors of living overseas, and raise funds to continue their work. Although part of the sabbatical involves rest, this is not a vacation. Rather it is an extended time away from the work for revitalization, spiritual renewal, and fundraising.
Cadence International offers this sabbatical (called home assignment) to its missionaries. Debbie and I have not been good at taking these home assignments. We took our first home assignment in 1988 because our kids were failing in German school, and they needed professional help not offered in Germany. We spent eleven months in the US helping them to learn to read and write in English. During that time, I worked at our Phoenix Churches, Bethany Bible Church and Trinity Bible Church. We took another home assignment in 1993 so that our kids could transition to American high school, and I could attend graduate school. We took a very short home assignment in 2010; most of our time on this assignment involved fundraising. In sum, we have taken three home assignments over a span of almost 40 years. All of these assignments were key to our continued service with Cadence, and we have always been grateful for the time away from ministry so that we could take care of family needs and continue our education and growth. But, in our case, these sabbaticals didn’t provide much time to rest or reflect.
Leading A Happiness Conversation
Debbie and I learned early on in our missionary careers to pace ourselves, so we don’t get overly tired. We take time off every week, pay close attention to our marriage and take regular vacations. Now that we are living in the US and with access to the internet and the ability to travel, we have not felt the need to take a home assignment. In addition to not feeling the need for an extended time away from ministry, I don’t want to step away from the work we are doing because I enjoy it so much. I led a happiness conversation for the airmen last night and I LOVED being there. Talking with the airmen about the good life, Jesus, and God’s plan for our lives is the highpoint of my week.
Even though it has been twelve years since our last home assignment, I haven’t wanted one or felt like I needed one. I don’t feel tired or burned out, and I don’t want to stop what I am doing. I have also feared that taking a home assignment will be misunderstood as a long vacation. Most people I know who work full-time would like a break from their work. When I explain a home assignment to my friends, many of them find it hard to believe this is not a vacation. So, because I haven’t felt the need for a home assignment, I haven’t really wanted one, and because I have feared it would be misunderstood, it has been easier to just not ask for one. I feel blessed that I have a job that I love so much and one that offers me the freedom in my schedule so that I can avoid burnout.
THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE
However, three weeks ago I listened to a podcast that pushed me to think deeply about the next ten years of my life. I am 66 now and I feel great, but the podcast reminded me that I am mortal. Within the next ten years my health will deteriorate, and within the next twenty years I will probably die. This isn’t being pessimistic or morbid, it is just the way it is. As I have thought about the next ten years, I have realized that I don’t want to retire, I love what I do too much. So, for the last three weeks I have asked myself, “What do I have to do now if I am going to continue this work for the next ten years?”
THE PLEASANT LIFE INTERRUPTED
My answer to that question, which will come as no surprise, is I need a home assignment. I need some extended time away to read, think, write, and visualize the next ten years. In 1845, Henry David Thoreau went into the woods as an experiment in simple living. In the book Walden he writes, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” Although I have no plans to just walk into the woods and live a minimalist life (although we do have ideas about experimenting with a simpler lifestyle) I do want to live deliberately so that when I die, I will know that I really lived.
As I contemplate the health challenges Debbie and I are likely to face, I need to plan for how our ministry can be just as effective while taking those challenges in stride.
I can’t just take a home assignment. I must first make a detailed plan of what I will do and how I will do it, which will require some time. I will have to submit my plan to Cadence leadership for adjustments and approval. As I have begun the process of making this plan, the details seem overwhelming and it seems simpler to just forget about it and keep my very pleasant routine. But I believe that pleasant routines do not make for the best life.
I pray that you never get stuck in an unexamined routine. If your routine is unpleasant, I pray that you will have the courage to do something about it. If your routine is pleasant, I pray that you would examine that routine and make sure that you are living the best life you can so that when it is your turn to die, you will know you really lived.
