By the Rev. Dan Wiese
Mile markers indicate locations along a highway. It helps pinpoint certain places, such as, where an accident has occurred for the best emergency response, an address in the country, or a landmark. In life, some markers indicate significant life events such as graduation, marriage, the birth of a child, or even death.
Three such markers are happening in my wife and I’s lives this month. We are both retiring from our current positions. We are buying a house. And we are moving to the Lower 48. These markers are significant in many ways. In each case, they are a great step of faith in our journey with Jesus. Retirement sounds good, but it entails uncertainty as to what will we do with our lives in the future. We trust God will reveal that to us in due time. It is also uncertainty about lifestyle changes with a reduced income. And it is uncertainty about the location (brand new town) where we are moving. We have always believed that the town and the neighborhood in which we live are right where God wants us. We have purposed to be able to bless others wherever we live.
Saying all this means that this is my farewell article for the Living & Growing segment of the Juneau Empire. It has been a privilege to write for this column for the past several years. I am hoping for future opportunities to write wherever I land, for my retirement is from pastoral ministry, not ministry in general. For it is always my hope to “plant seeds” of God-thoughts in the hearts of people. My desire has always been to encourage people to consider God and his love, his work, and his purpose in the lives of people, especially the readers of this column. For that purpose, I also like to share a scripture to help us.
The scripture I want to share this final time is from Psalm 119:105 which says, “Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” It is helpful on our spiritual journey to have a lamp to light our path forward. That is especially helpful when the path is dim or even a dark path of life. A good flashlight is so helpful when we are walking on an unfamiliar path in the dark of the night. In the path of our daily life, we need God’s guidance. And God is there to help.
This journey of retirement, buying a house, and moving out of Juneau has been a path for which we couldn’t see more than one step ahead. Many have said to us that this is the worst time to retire, buy a house, and move. It indeed has been challenging considering rising costs, supply shortages, increasing interest rates, real estate competition, etc. But God has led us step by step. He has shown us the next step forward.
God will do that for you as you also approach and experience the different mile markers in your life. God will guide you because he cares about you!
It has been a privilege to serve the lord in this community for the past 10 ½ years. I have enjoyed the people of this town and the church I have served. They are an
awesome bunch of people! Though we are moving away, our hearts, our thoughts, and our prayers will always be near. Thank you, readers, for your support and encouragement!
• The Rev. Dan Wiese is pastor of the Juneau Church of the Nazarene. “Living & Growing” is a weekly column written by different authors and submitted by local clergy and spiritual leaders. It appears every Friday on the Juneau Empire’s Faith page.
