When it was announced that Kathy and I were retiring at the end of this year, there were many questions about our future plans. First of all, retirement is not a Biblical concept. Nowhere does it say that when we get to a certain age we can retire from our service to the Lord; we just serve in different capacities. Kathy and I have served as missionaries since graduation from SIBI (Sunset International Bible Institution) and plan on continuing to serve as missionaries in residence. By definition, we will be missionaries on home assignment, just not on the field full-time.
In order to facilitate ministry and keep my Pastoral Counseling License valid, we have established a non-profit called HOPE Ministries – Heavenly Options for Pain and Emptiness. This ministry will allow us to continue serving the Lord in a similar, yet distinct capacity. We feel there is yet a great need and much work to be done, we’re just taking it at a different pace. Ideally, we will start with a sabbatical to refresh, reflect, and recharge our spiritual batteries. We believe with our experience, contacts, training, and guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Lord will show us His plans for this new phase. Our primary focus will be in the areas of:
Comfort – To provide counseling and care through various long and short-term mission trips including but not limited to: medical, teaching, interpreting, and working with the deaf. We want all to experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand so that all hearts and minds will be guarded in Christ Jesus.
Communication – To produce and publish materials that will assist others in their ministry of giving HOPE. Other opportunities may include taking and/or giving classes and seminars, etc.
Consulting – To share the knowledge and wisdom that we have gained through our training, education, and experience from our mission work in North, South and Central America, our work with those in addiction, the hurting and broken, and our work among the deaf. Lord willing, He will use us to establish and nurture HOPE recovery groups to show people how much God loves them and will provide Heavenly Options for their Pain and Emptiness.
Our work with the Southside Church of Christ has been an amazing journey filled with a lot of wonderful experiences. So many lives have touched ours and we cherish the friendships we have made. It is impossible to say thank you to everyone who has laughed, loved, and struggled with us through the many years we have been together in the Lord’s ministry. We love each and every one of you and our prayer for you is that God will fill you with His Spirit because He is truly the one who knows you, loves you, and will make you richly blest.
Yours in Christ, Dan and Kathy
