There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. (Ecclesiastes 3, NIV) A friend recently retired from a ministry she loved. Retiring wasn't easy! She was a seasoned nurse (those who have been nurses for more years than some nursing students have been alive). She was an expert in faith community nursing and an excellent instructor. As retirement approaches, it may feel like one is being pushed out, or there may be fear of the ministry collapsing because transition plans were not in place. Not so with my friend and mentor, Maureen Daniels. As she began decreasing her hours and responsibilities, her retirement process included training others to maintain a high-quality ministry. For those following in her footsteps, the staff of the Westberg Institute for Faith Community Nursing (formerly IPNRC), she was and is available to answer questions and offer encouragement as we dream, plan, and create new resources to support faith community nurses worldwide. What about your ministry practice? Have you identified nurses to mentor and carry on the ministry when you retire, or God moves you elsewhere? Have you created a healthy ministry that will continue to grow and serve far into the future? If so, congratulations. If not, don't despair! Now is a good time to start. Begin with prayer and a willingness to examine your ministry from multiple perspectives. Ask God to open your eyes to both the wonderful aspects and the challenges to sustainability. Begin praying for those who are the future of your ministry. Silence your ego as it shouts that no one can do things as well as you do. Gently guide others to become faith community nurses in their own way. Few like change. If you have heard the whisper of God that it is time for a new season in your life, follow Maureen's example: pray and take time to prepare yourself and your ministry for the transitions that will come with your retirement or departure. Then trust that God has the future well-in-hand for both you and your ministry.
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