April 18, 2024

The SEND U Blog

Reflections and Resources for Lifelong Learning for Missionaries

Tag: calling

The Power of Presence in a World of Distraction
Spiritual Formation, Book Reviews, Spiritual Disciplines

The Power of Presence in a World of Distraction

“Faithfully Present: Embracing the Limits of Where and When God Has You” by Adam Ramsey is a compelling call to Christians. The book urges them to embody a life of presence in a world that is constantly distracted and disconnected. The book challenges believers to live out their faith with intentionality, focusing on being truly present with God, with others, and in their personal calling. It combines theological insight with practical wisdom. Ramsey’s work is a clarion call to rediscover the power and beauty of presence in an age of absence. As a 43-year old missionary woman who has dedicated her life to serving others, I find “Faithfully Present” to be particularly resonant. The demands of ministry come with a set of worries and responsibilities. They often leave me feeling stretched thin and disconnected from the very people and purposes I am called to serve. Ramsey’s book serves as a… Read the whole post
Jenny Baker4 mins read
Lifelong Learning in Retirement
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
Finishing Well, Lifelong Learning

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
Retirement Sabbatical: Identity and Calling
Photo by Mikhail Nilov from Pexels
Finishing Well, Lifelong Learning, Books

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
Mentoring In Sync with Personal Design
Photo by Mathew Schwartz on Unsplash
Mentoring

Mentoring In Sync with Personal Design

Editor’s note: We are continuing our blog series on mentoring using the Mentoring Pillars written by the late Jim Feiker, a former member of SEND International. This fifth pillar talks about the need to mentor in such a way as to respect the God-given personal design of each mentee. In the last pillar of mentoring, we dealt with the significance of working with God. We must partner with God in what He is doing in people’s lives. But we are also to be working with people according to their differences and design. To be most effective in mentoring, both where God is working in their life and how God has designed them must be on our radar screen. To overlook their design and desires is to violate a person’s very personhood and value before God. It is to disregard the principle of differences in the Body. The animals’ school The… Read the whole post
Jim Feiker2 mins read
Significance of Work
Theology

Significance of Work

I’ve been asked to give some thoughts on the theology of marketplace ministry. Apparently, some are experiencing a level of frustration balancing marketplace work (whether in education or business) with ministry work. I will share my thoughts in two blog posts. In this first post, we will identify the significance of work for a Christian. In the second we explore the implications for marketplace ministry. I hope to stimulate your thinking in these areas and do not presume to write as an authority in these areas. ”In the beginning there was work.” So begins the first chapter of Tim Keller’s book, Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God. He continues,… Read the whole post
Gary Ridley1 min read
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