The writer of the Old Testament's book of Ecclesiastes declares, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
So, for my pastor and chaplain, it was time for him to retire after twenty years of service. Facing several serious health issues and being in his mid-sixties, it was time for him to move on, albeit with deep sadness.
Being his clerk, I helped him pack up whatever personal items he was going to take with him. This included hundreds of pages of old sermon notes and a wall filled with an array of family photos. I watched as he wept. His heart, I know, wanted to stay. His body, however, said "No."
It was the best choice. Chaplain Steve was weary. Pastoring a church, especially one that's behind prison walls with all the oftentimes changing administrative rules and policies that bureaucracies such as this are known for, could exhaust even the strongest of the Lord's servants.
For Pastor Steve, it's off to greener pastures. For me, it's continuing to stand firm in the faith as I serve the Lord on the front lines, and as I prayerfully await his replacement.
D.B.
Being his clerk, I helped him pack up whatever personal items he was going to take with him. This included hundreds of pages of old sermon notes and a wall filled with an array of family photos. I watched as he wept. His heart, I know, wanted to stay. His body, however, said "No."
It was the best choice. Chaplain Steve was weary. Pastoring a church, especially one that's behind prison walls with all the oftentimes changing administrative rules and policies that bureaucracies such as this are known for, could exhaust even the strongest of the Lord's servants.
For Pastor Steve, it's off to greener pastures. For me, it's continuing to stand firm in the faith as I serve the Lord on the front lines, and as I prayerfully await his replacement.
D.B.
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