Once a year, our mission organization (ReachGlobal) encourages us to pull back and spend a few days in an annual planning and evaluation time. Jesus set a great pattern for us, as I was reading in my devotions this morning. He regularly withdrew, sometimes alone and sometimes with His disciples, to solitary places and pray, reflect, and discuss important issues. During this annual time, Holly and I look back at the past year, evaluate what went well and what needs improvement, and look forward to the coming year. As usual, I set my sights high for all I wanted to get done over this time, with a long list of issues to discuss with Holly, points to pray through, factors to consider, and goals to set. So Holly and I headed out to the coast and stayed in a friend’s mobile home for a few delightful and productive days together.

Our time began with a reconnection with the couple who introduced Holly and me to each other 30 years ago. Sean and Lisa Kelly happen to live only a mile from the place where we were staying, and it was great catching up after many years. We even took a picture with them mimicking the picture we took on our first date. Ahhh the years take their toll!

The night we arrived a huge wind and rain storm descended on the PNW and the place we were staying was just about blown away. Power was out for most of the next day, so we needed to make adjustments, but we still enjoyed the time and engaged in helpful discussion.

By Saturday we hit our stride and spent much of the day talking through a host of issues, like:

• adjustments to my travel and training schedule for 2027
• options for Holly to join me in some of the stateside work
• healthy rhythms for us to maintain to stay connected and enduring for the long haul
• our local church involvement and how to shepherd the young families Bible study we are leading
• spiritual goals
• parenting adjustments as we walk with our grown “children”
• options for our living situation since all our kids are out of the home

We also took some lovely walks on the beach, spent sweet time reading and praying together, and gave thanks to God for the companionship we share on this journey of life.