Category: retirement

Walk in Faith

What is the opposite of faith?  Most would say doubt or fear!

What do you fear?

 

walk
Walking in faith

If you are like me, you don’t really have any fears – you’re a stoic person.  You just trust God on the surface.  But subconsciously there is fear.  Fear of the future, fear of what if????  Fear of how well I handled that situation. Fear of that diagnosis.

Recently we planned a trip to Florida.  I was to drive, and the forecast was for heavy rain for the entire trip.  No problem, we could just go slow. In packing and planning for the trip – I experienced trouble breathing – anxiety – not sure why I was having trouble – realized subconsciously I was fearful of the trip – the rain, flooding.

For us boomers, our concern is if the retirement funds will be enough?  How long will I live?  Will I be able to take care of my spouse – or will he be able to care for me?  Who will take care of us?

Will our children take care of us like my husband took care of his parents?  Can I trust God in this situation?

I’m helpless like Elisha’s servant in II Kings 6:8-23.  The King of Aram was at war with Israel.  He sent his men by night to capture Elisha in Dothan.  (not Alabama) When Elisha’s servant got up early the next morning, he saw an army with horses and chariots surrounding the city.  “Oh, no, my lord! What shall we do?”

Elisha responded –  “Don’t be afraid those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Elisha prayed for the eyes of his servant to be opened.  The servant saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around.  Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.”  So, the Lord struck them with blindness and the army was defeated.

Am I just like Elisha’s servant who could not see the army of the Lord surrounding the camp?   – open my eyes Lord to see your ministering spirits working in my life, in my children’s lives, in my husband’s life – in my future Lord.  Help me to see and to trust you for all these situations.  Praise you Lord, your provision is enough.

Help me to:

Acknowledge the presence of God,

Isaiah 41:10

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

To claim the promises of God,

2 Cor. 1:20

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

To know the peace of God

Philippians 4:7 ]

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Then walk in the power of God.

2 Corinthians 4:7

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

One of my favorite songs regarding walking in faith is below by Greg Wilde.

 

 

Retirement

Spring time in the mountains at Butternut Golf Course.

Playing golf is much more relaxing and much more fun than cleaning house, washing windows or weeding the flower or vegetable garden.

This is how I planned to spend retirement after a wonderful twenty-five years working at Young Harris College.  

How many retirees have said, “I don’t know how I had time to work!”
Well, it is true.  I have been much more busy than expected since retirement two years ago.  I really don’t know how I had time to work a full time job and also keep up with cooking, housework, and volunteering at church and community.
My scheduled now includes the above as well as golf, gardening, canning, freezing, volunteering at church food cottage and writing a book with my husband about God’s strength in our weakness.  Neither golf nor gardening were in my schedule back then and my house was cleaner when I was gainfully employed.  The common thought is “Well, I can do that tomorrow or the next day!”
Playing golf was always my dream but because of work I never had time to learn much less play.  Now my husband and I try to play golf at least once a week.  My golf pro son gives me a lesson when we visit his family in MI or he visits us.  Improvement is twenty-two strokes getting to the first hole to about seven.  My first comment was that I got more exercise than others since I had more swings with the club. Recently I accomplished my first birdie (one under par)!
Back to Eden gardening became a passion after visiting Evergreen friends in Indiana in November 2012.  My husband built a fortress seven feet high around our garden.  Neighbors thought he was building a house when the first posts went in the ground.  God blessed our efforts and we had an abundant harvest – much more than expected – I canned and froze vegetables all summer long.
I promised my husband that I would not volunteer for anything the first year of retirement.  He knows how I like to get involved.  My freedom to sleep in the first few months was great.  Time to read my Bible much more than my regular thirty minutes was wonderful.  A regular exercise program helped me keep active and fit.  Then my husband got us involved working at our church’s food cottage.  A couple of volunteers were out for the winter and he was asked if we could fill in for them November through April.  Not a problem!  Now two years later I am still volunteering in the office of the Food Cottage.  But what a blessing this work has been and some really wonderful people to work with.
My husband and I have been composing stories about our lives and ministry to leave for our children and grandchildren and retirement was supposed to be the time to “write it.”  Joining a writing club was my attempt to jump start the process.   However, this seemed to add another meeting and travel time was stealing from my time at the computer.

 

Finally I resigned from two of my volunteer activities and am focusing more on my writing.  Joining COMPEL with Proverbs 31 Ministries  has already helped me “write it.”  Blogging is my attempt to get my creative writing juices flowing so that the “book” will be not only historical for my descendants but also showing how HIS story influenced our lives and blessed us much more that we could think or imagine!
Blessings,
Pat