When I lived in a crowded Southeast Asian city, it was not easy to find places nearby for a nature walk in order to be present to God and my own soul through the beauty and quiet of nature. I had to go outside the city – often on my bike. I would climb to a place overlooking the city and the distant mountains beyond the city. Or sometimes we would travel farther away to the south coast of the island where we lived. Walking the beach, hearing the steady roar of the waves and looking out at the vast expanse of the ocean beckoned me toward the love of God.

In this blog we share a poem by Roxanne Johnson. Roxanne was a member of our third 2HC cohort, which recently completed its 2HC journey. With over three decades of experience in the UK, USA, South Asia and Central Asia, she expressed that she had a fruitful ministry, but it was marked by hurry, little margin, and a lack of living out her identity as one who is loved of God. Especially during silent retreats in the cohort journey, she heard Jesus’ strong voice. She writes, “He awakened my soul, my poetry, my artistic side. He delightfully allowed me to create, to dream again, to play with him.”

Several years ago, my wife (Joan) read about a Benedictine greeting. When receiving a visitor at their home or monastery, they greet the visitor who knocks on the door with a hearty, “Thank God you’re here!” At the time we were living on a small 10-acre campus with international students and refugees who were studying at local institutions. We decided we would start greeting new students and residents in our International House with the Benedictine exclamation, “Thank God you’re here, we’re so happy to meet you!”

Over the course of each year’s cohort journey, our 2HC team sponsors a number of informal virtual “2HC Cafe” gatherings. We choose various discussion topics that are near to the heart of cross-cultural mission workers wrestling with “2nd half of life” questions and concerns. Among these concerns is the express need for vibrant, safe, and supportive friendships. In January of 2024, two 2HC facilitators shared about their spiritual friendship groups. They talked about what these friendships with other men have meant for them, giving practical suggestions as well for starting and maintaining spiritual friendship groups. We have highlighted below some of what they shared.

The following thoughts, written by Alan Fadling, Director of “Unhurried Living,” come from a journal entry of about 16 years ago when he was experiencing a deep and dark night of faith.

This is an autobiographical parable of sorts, encapsulating several of our 2HC themes thus far: identity, noticing, unhurrying, cycle of grace, rest.

In this blog the author uses his photos and art work of doors to illustrate transition and threshold spaces between the first and second half of life.