A Sabbatical Year

the contraption I had to wear for 6+ weeks to stabilize my wrist

This has been an interesting year; in some ways an answered prayer. I haven’t worked at a regular job since last December.  I’ve had a sabbatical year: a much needed rest, a time for reflection and redirection. However, it wasn’t planned that way.

I took a couple of months off in January and February to rest and recover from the last few years, which have been challenging. When I did start to look for work, the interviews just weren’t forthcoming. As with many who are job hunting or changing fields, I put out dozens of resumes. Nothing. Finally in July, a good opportunity. I had a great initial interview and was scheduled for the second with the company owner three days later. The day before the interview, I shattered my wrist in a bicycle accident. I mean shattered: 22 pieces where there should have been two bones. The technical description was an “Open, comminuted fracture of the distal radius and ulna” The doctor’s slightly more practical description: like taking a hammer to an eggshell. No second interview for me, in fact, no possibility of working for months.

I was finally to the point of being able to return to job hunting in October. Again, I had a great possibility lined up. First interview, excellent, a second in the works. And then, send you through the roof pain shooting through my arm at random times, with the slightest movement. The pins that had been holding the bones together while they healed had shifted and one of them was grazing a nerve. Another surgery, another few weeks of not being able to work and another lost job opportunity.

It seemed like I was being told: NOT YET.

So, here’s the interesting thing: I wasn’t really excited about either of these jobs. They were just going to be jobs. What I wanted to be doing and what I have been doing, is working on a church plant*. The accident this summer slowed this process down, too. I’m not sorry about that. Church plants take time and energy. I’ve been given a year to just BE; a year to rest and relax and rebuild. (And yes, play endless, mindless games on the iPad…)

I am excited to be in the process of planting. I’m excited to see what God is doing with the group of people that has gathered to begin this journey with me. I’m grateful for the time that has been given to me before we launch our plant.  I still need to find a job and work at least part-time.  Not just to earn money, but because I want to be out and about and meeting people.  But I’m so grateful for my sabbatical year.  I needed it more than I knew.

*We are planting a church affiliated with http://Blueoceanfaith.org.  I can be reached on Facebook and Twitter if you would like to know more!