Jim Leinbaugh

Imagine nothing but open road ahead of you… expecting the next highway sign to indicate full speed ahead.  70mph and no traffic in site.  Then you see the cones and blinking lights.  Construction ahead.  Merging traffic ahead.  Detour ahead.

Despite the pandemic, things were going pretty well in 2021.  Our three boys were making progress - all of them married, serving in the Air Force, forging their own lives.  Our daughter graduated high school, earned her private pilot’s license over the summer and moved down south to begin her college career.

My wife and I were empty-nesters for the first time in over 30 years.  Of course we missed our kiddos.  But the possibilities that lay before us were literally endless!  We began to dream of doing all the things we could never do before.  Travel.  Camping.  Maybe even sell the house and downsize.  And, hey, if we’re gonna sell the house, maybe this is the time to finally move from the midwest to somewhere farther south. (We said it was to be closer to the kiddos, but warmer temps may have had a slight influence in the thought processes.)

And that meant changes in our careers.  Maybe after years of doing whatever it takes to pay the bills, just maybe it’s time to consider retuning to ministry.  Throughout the years, I’ve sent off the occasional resume when I read about a ministry opportunity that sounded interesting.  I love what I do.  But there was just something so satisfying, so relevant about being in ministry.  It was truly one of the most fulfilling seasons of our life.

And so I heard of a ministry that sounded tailor made.  My skillset was in perfect alignment with the requirements.  It was in a part of the country that I loved and could see us settling down in for the remainder of our life.  Closer to family.  The ability to mentor.  So… I sent off my resume.

Honestly I didn’t expect much.  I had prayed about it.  Gave it to God.  Then prepared to keep doing life.  What I didn’t expect was a phone call the next day from the church asking for a video chat.  What I didn’t expect was that the initial Zoom call went very well.  I was impressed.  I guess they felt the same way because we determined to spend the remainder of the week praying about it, then have a follow up call early next week to figure out next steps.

Full speed ahead.  No traffic in site.  Then… the blinking lights. Detour ahead.

That initial call with the church was on Wednesday.  The rest of the week to pray and seek God’s direction.  On Thursday, my middle son called to say after 10 years in the Air Force, he was ready to separate and start a new career.  He and his wife were expecting and ready to start a family and a stable life.  Could they move home while he went to school and forged a new destiny?  Who needs an empty nest?  Sure.  Welcome home!  On Friday, my oldest son called.  He was being deployed to Korea for a year.  What would you think about my wife and two kids moving in with you for the year?  Who needs a half-filled nest?  Sure.  Welcome home!  (At this point, the youngest son, newly married, is moving from Alaska to Hawaii - and not home.  And our daughter is still in college and not moving home - at least until summer break.)

Empty nest to full house in just a few days.  Just a few days after an incredible ministry opportunity was appearing on the horizon.  We had our follow up call the following Monday.  “We agreed to spend the weekend praying about God’s will… I think I have a pretty clear answer… God wants us here.  Our family needs us.”

Was I disappointed?  Maybe, for a bit.  Has it been an adjustment?  Yes.  Are we still figuring it out?  Most assuredly so.  You can’t add a son, two daughters-in-law, two (and a half) grandkids, two more dogs and a cat into the mix and not expect a little chaos.

If this sounds a little bit like my blog post from July 2016, you would be right.  Nearly 6 years later and we’ve come full circle.  So I’ll wrap up this post the same way I concluded that one…

“So when you look at your five bedroom house, now mostly empty and think to yourself that it might be time to downsize... When you look at your ho-hum life and think that maybe God will do something big for you if you changed your zip code... When you begin to entertain the idea that God isn't really interested in granting you the deepest desires of your heart...

Be patient. Be faithful. And get ready... There's something amazing right around the corner!”