Things I Learned When I Took the Time

John Coulombe, Provided by CN Building Adult Ministries Resource Center

Summer is over but reflections from our two-month break from the work continue. So much happened in our lives since late Spring that was wonderful, restful, memorable as well as eventful and stressful. In fact, it was life changing, which I guess is what sabbaticals are all about! April included a Desert Fathers’ Retreat where ‘brothers’ and friends from my past gathered to share their lives . . . In May, Pastor and I, along with others from our church, went to look at the prayer ministries of Christ Tabernacle and Brooklyn Tabernacle in NYC . . . ‘June Gloom’ rolled around, the arteries to my heart clogged up and we enjoyed a weekend in a luxurious private room at St. Jude Hospital where they put me in for a short stent—actually two! In the midst of that, we officially began our sabbatical and the Lord graciously caused my strength to return. July 4 we celebrated my 60th birthday in the air on our way to London. Day one brought us to Trafalgar Square when they exuberantly announced they would be hosting the 2012 Olympics. The next day the first bomb tore into the subway (tube) at King’s Cross. We were planning on going back to London on that same train at the same time that same day—but it was raining so we had waited.

Preaching the Sunday after the bombing at St. Mary’s Church in Luton was memorable. Serving communion using the silver chalice dated 1602, which John Wesley held, when he preached and ministered there in the mid-1700s was especially meaningful! After meeting up withfriends, also on sabbatical, we boarded a ship in Barcelona and sailed to France, Italy, Greece and Turkey to enjoy some places we had only read about in Scripture. My book reading list on the trip was Acts, Romans, Ephesians and Mark (Mark and Stephen are buried in Venice). The Word jumped from the pages into my imagination as well as my heart.

Some of the changes I’m desirous of making from our time away are to walk more, eat slower, sleep longer, dream bigger, and pray with fervor and work smarter, not harder. And oh, how I cherished the time together with Jacque, my friend at age 12, my love since I was 15 and my bride of 38 years. What a great gift God gave me in her! We learned some things along the way from the ancient roads, as well as the Ancient of Days, and it was good.

But now home, I’m resisting getting back to ‘normal!’ After 40 years of ministry I have discovered I can do much of it by the seat of my pants. What might happen if I attempted to minister more by the knees of my pants? “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.” (Jer. 6:16)

John Coulombe has served for 20 years as Pastor to Senior Adults at First Evangelical Free Church, Fullerton CA