I retired from full time work at UGST on July 1, 2018. Since then I’ve been busy researching, teaching an adult Sunday school class at The Sanctuary, teaching at the French Bible Institute, teaching for Purpose Institute, doing some guest lecturing for professors David Norris and Jeffrey Brickle at UGST, writing a book on the Holy Spirit, lessons for The Discipleship Project, Word Aflame Literature, articles for Pentecostal Life magazine and Reflections, serving on a planning committee for the 2020 issues of Pentecostal Life, and on August 22, 2019, I began teaching a semester long class at UGST on the Book of Psalms.
I’m loving all of it.
Am I really retired? When some people ask what I’m doing these days, and I tell them, they seem to have a hard time believing I’m retired.
What is retirement? I don’t hunt, fish, or golf. I have nothing against those who do. But I do enjoy study, reading, writing and teaching. I treasure time with my wife, Susan. We share many of the same interests, and each day with her is a day of joy.
I think of retirement as an opportunity to set my own schedule, to focus on things I didn’t have time to do before, to continue to learn, to think, to experience spiritual growth, and to share new biblical discoveries with others.
I thank God for each moment of life He grants. I want Him to teach me to number my days, that I may apply my heart to wisdom (Psalm 90:12).
Teaching for Purpose Institute at Cabot, Arkansas campus.
I have been writing literature for Word Aflame.
The Nowackis are excellent hosts who made sure we saw beautiful French sites.
We were surprised and delighted to discover a memorial to Andrew D. Urshan in the church in Melun.
Brother Nowacki translated for me as I taught students in the French Bible Institute.
The delightful students were alert, eager to learn, and spiritually minded.
Mike Long also translated. It was a joy to make his acquaintance. Mike has the gift of hospitality, and he is an excellent writer whose guidebooks to Paris are available on Amazon.
Passing by Notre Dame.
A fine student at the French Bible Institute drove us to Paris after we finished our time in Melun. He was not only an excellent driver, he is also fluent in four languages!
The Arc de Triumph.
The Louvre … a work in progress for centuries.
We walked around a corner, and there they were … Napoleon’s Obelisk he brought back from Egypt for Josephine and, in the distance, the Eiffel Tower.
We await our dinner cruise on the Seine.
No identification needed.
Lots of lovely chocolate shops.
On the Eiffel Tower after dark.
Our hotel in Paris, viewed through the glass roof of the lobby.
At the awesome North America Youth Congress with CLC alumni, families, and a current student.
Sharing a meal with good friends Terry and Gayla Baughman during NAYC, at Landry’s in Union Station, St. Louis.
On my way into the new Urshan campus to teach Studies in Psalms.[archive]