Ten years ago when I was 65 years old I started taking three months off of regular ministry each year. I call it a summer study break even though I do a lot more than study. Last year I came home with 33 sermons outlined and except for adding illustrations and stories they were ready to preach. I am preaching them on Wednesday night services and at our daughter church in Albany, Agape Family Fellowship now. This year I will be on a bicycle trip going down the Pacific coast from Canada to Mexico for one month, then I will be in Alaska fishing for a month, then home for a week, and then back to Alaska hunting caribou with my son-in-law who lives in Fairbanks. Only a couple more months now before I am off on my adventures, and I am getting excited.

These three month breaks have been the key thing in my continuing to pastor with passion and energy. They are not only super times of reading and writing and composing sermons and lessons to teach, but they are very good times of being with the Lord and focusing on Him and my relationship with Him, as well as getting renewed in my vision and calling in life.

I am convinced that these times of being away, and decompressing, resulted in my being a better pastor, leader, husband, father, grandfather, and friend. It is such a blessed time that I call it heaven on earth.