The Burdens I Carried
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you.” — Psalm 55:22 One of the most meaningful moments for many pilgrims on the Camino occurs at a place called Cruz de Ferro—the...
"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage." Psalm 84:5
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you.” — Psalm 55:22 One of the most meaningful moments for many pilgrims on the Camino occurs at a place called Cruz de Ferro—the...
Today marked another transition in my journey. I left the mountains, forests, wine country, and animals behind as I entered an area known as the Meseta. The Meseta is a plateau in central Spain...
About nine months before Stephanie died, I was meeting with my spiritual director, and he asked me a question. The question was, “What do you want?” This is a question Christians are sometimes hesitant...
PURPOSE: This blog exists to share experiences, insights, and applications, related to Jim's 2025 Sabbatical.
BACKGROUND: In August of 2024, Jim received a Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Grant that will allow him to take a Sabbatical for the summer of 2025. The Grant encourages ways to have the congregation engaged in the Pastor's leave. This blog is a means of informing and engaging the church.
FOCUS: The theme of the Lilly Grant was "What makes your heart sing?" Jim's proposal focused on the idea of drawing close to God and being spiritually renewed through adventure and new experiences, both of which energize him.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES: Jim's Sabbatical will have three separate sections. The first will be a trip to Europe where he will walk the 490 mile Camino de Santiago and then spend time at a monastery in Montserrat to process his journey. He will also visits some other sites in Europe and see his son Trevor in Germany before returning home. The second section of his Sabbatical will be to hike and then whitewater raft through the Grand Canyon with his son, Timothy. The final stage of his Sabbatical will be to take a two week cruise from Fiji to Sydney, Australia. This will include snorkeling and scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef.
SPIRITUAL GOALS: During his break, Jim will have periods of rest, and he has a reading list of 15 books that he hopes to complete. He also will have extended times of solitude, worship, and prayer, in order to seek and walk in God's presence. He will also be meeting with a Spiritual Director during and after his Sabbatical to process what the Lord is doing in His life during this time away.
OUTCOMES: The hope is that by the end of Jim's Sabbatical he will come back renewed and spiritually energized to lead Palm West with a fresh vision for the future.