August 15, 2026

The SEND U Blog

Reflections and Resources for Lifelong Learning for Missionaries

Series: Finishing well

Finishing Well: Cheering the Next Runner
Photo by RUN 4 FFWPU from Pexels
Church Planting, Finishing Well, Leadership Training, Mentoring

Finishing Well: Cheering the Next Runner

This entry is part 6 of 11 in the series Finishing well What would you think of a relay runner who went to the locker room right after completing his or her lap? Perhaps you would think the runner had suffered an injury or had some other health concern. Aside from that, we would question their relationship with the rest of the team. A healthy relay team recognizes that success depends on the performance of each runner. Therefore, each member of the team who has completed their leg stays on the field and cheers on the remaining runners. They stay off the track and cheer from the sidelines. In this series, we have been using the analogy of a relay race for finishing well in a ministry assignment. So, how do we cheer those who follow us as we complete our ministry assignment? How do we keep from getting in… Read the whole post
Gary Ridley2 mins read
Is retirement an endless vacation?
Photo by Marc Najera on Unsplash
Finishing Well

Is retirement an endless vacation?

This entry is part 7 of 11 in the series Finishing well In my previous blog series, I talked about finishing well in a ministry assignment. But finishing well can also refer to finishing a career, and in our case, finishing a missionary career. Does retirement have a place in finishing well? Various voices answer the question differently. Some reject retirement. Others embrace it. Yet, many wish to modify the popular image of retirement as an endless vacation. In this post, I will explore some realities and perspectives on retirement. In so doing, I will make a case that retirement has a place in finishing well. Energy Levels Decline In the series on finishing well in a ministry assignment, I used the illustration of a relay race. Interestingly, relay teams do not stay together very long. There comes a time when a runner cannot keep the pace of the rest… Read the whole post
Gary Ridley2 mins read
Retirement Sabbatical: Identity and Calling
Photo by Mikhail Nilov from Pexels
Books, Finishing Well, Lifelong Learning

Retirement Sabbatical: Identity and Calling

This entry is part 8 of 11 in the series Finishing well In a previous post, I mentioned starting retirement with a sabbatical. In this post and the next, I will explore the benefits a sabbatical brings at the start of retirement. Specifically, I want to describe the anatomy of a sabbatical resulting in discerning identity and calling in retirement. Then, the following post will explore coaching and mentoring in retirement. In other words, this post deals with our self-awareness, and the next post our relationship to others. Anatomy of a Retirement Sabbatical I have a confession to make. I’ve never taken a sabbatical. Furthermore, I’m not retired yet (that comes on January 1, 2022). Yet there are helpful guides for taking a sabbatical. In chapter two of An Uncommon Guide to Retirement, Jeff Haanen outlines nine practices to consider as we plan our retirement sabbatical. 1. Prepare A retirement… Read the whole post
Gary Ridley2 mins read
Planning to Restart
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
Finishing Well, Coaching, Mentoring

Planning to Restart

This entry is part 9 of 11 in the series Finishing well Recently I mentioned to a friend that my wife and I will begin our retirement with a sabbatical. He looked at me oddly saying that sabbaticals are usually followed by a return to work. My response was that Christ still has good works for us to do in our retirement (Eph 2:10). In other words, a retirement sabbatical is a time to rest, reflect on past ministry, and discern God’s calling for our remaining years. Indeed, we are called to be a people zealous for good works (Titus 2:13-14). And there is no expiration date on that calling! Essentially, a retirement sabbatical prepares us for a restart. The nine practices mentioned in the previous post can launch us into a fulfilling retirement. Moreover, they help us find meaning and purpose in our later years. A retirement sabbatical is… Read the whole post
Gary Ridley1 min read
Lifelong Learning in Retirement
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
Lifelong Learning, Finishing Well

Lifelong Learning in Retirement

This entry is part 10 of 11 in the series Finishing well We are continuing our blog series on finishing well, focusing particularly on retirement after a life of missionary service. Finishing well does not mean that we finish learning. Lifelong learning ought to continue in retirement. After all, we are still alive! Interestingly, opportunities for learning in retirement have grown as more baby boomers retire. In fact, my Google search for “learning in retirement” produced 332 million results. Many of these were courses offered by colleges and universities. There were also travel packages with onsite lectures covering secular and biblical history. Indeed, continuing lifelong learning in retirement is popular today. Yet, why should it be a priority for a retiring missionary? Lifelong Learning is a Christian Calling J. I Packer writes, Lifelong learning, both of the truths by which Christians are to live and of the way to live… Read the whole post
Gary Ridley2 mins read
Back To Top