THE BEST BOSS!

Back in early February (2024), I received a call from my Conference Superintendent, Matt Poole.  He asked for a meeting with me, so we scheduled  a get-together at a Chinese restaurant in Steubenville, OH.

I had retired in June of 2017.  I took a year to get our new home established and landscaped.  Our son, Troy, and I also built a two-car garage that same year [with guidance and help from his father-in-law (and my friend), Mark Noel.  It was a great year! 

Then, I fell into a slump of watching too much news and television.  I recognized that this was not good, so started looking for work.  I was hired by the Lyft company and worked for five years driving people around.  I enjoyed the work, made lots of new friends, occasionally shared my faith and gained an income to help us in our retirement.

At the end of July, 2023, I lost this job very suddenly.  We were forced to make some major adjustments.  I then created a list of projects I wanted to work on while I still had strength and time.  That kept me pretty busy for a good while (there are still things on that list)!  J

But, with my new situation I fell out of frequent contact with others.  My life was spent largely working in my home-study.  Debbie and a few neighbors became my circle of contacts along with attendance at church on Sundays.  I saw this as ‘not good’.  So, I began praying for God to open a door for me to have a greater influence and more contact with people. 

When I met with Supt. Matt, he offered me an opportunity to be an Interim Pastor at The Foundery Free Methodist Church in Wellsburg, WV.  After telling me about the church, he asked “Do you need some time to pray about this?”

I immediately responded, “No.  Count me in!”  I could see the surprise on his face, so I explained my situation and told him that I’d already been praying that God would open new vistas for me.  His offer was clearly an answer to my prayers!  He smiled.

I began my new leadership role shortly after our meeting and continue there at present.  Although my six-month contract is almost up, it looks like I’ll be extending my role for a few more months.  It’s been a great appointment with some major challenges, but God has always equipped me to offer sincere, bold and God-directed leadership!  I’ve enjoyed being ‘back in the saddle again’.  I believe that God has honored this arrangement with fruit and health in the church!  I thank Him daily for the opportunity. 

I don’t know what will follow when The Foundery is appointed a new lead pastor, but I know that I’ll continue to make myself available to Him for whatever He might bring my way.  I know two things:

1.     I still have a to-do list that I want to go back to work on…and,

2.     I know that I still dream about church-planting.

Can you do that at 72? 

The answer is clearly – YES, if God is in it!  I have read books over the years about people my age and older who planted churches. 

Will it happen?  I don’t know.  But I do know that I’ll be making myself available to the Lord of the Church.  I’ve still got some energy.  My creative juices haven’t dried up yet!  He’s cultivated in me pastoral experience, biblical knowledge, a love for people, some writing and speaking skills and a passion for seeing the Kingdom grow and believers get established.   

How about you?

Are you stretching and growing – regardless of your age or stage of life? 

Do you still have dreams to fulfill?

Are you making yourself available to God to help Him with His harvest?

You haven’t stopped contributing to His urgent work of winning the lost and discouraged – have you?

I prayed for God to open a door – AND HE DID! 

He doesn’t love me any more than he loves you!  Turn your ear upward, my friend!  It’s always an adventure when you’re employed by the Maker and Creator of all that exists!!!!!