Foundations – The Base Camp Journal

Gene’s Sabbatical Adventure, Issue 5 : March 30, 2024

I just finished a 2 month sabbatical. Cru’s updated sabbatical policy provides for and encourages missionary staff to take a 2 month sabbatical after 5 years serving full-time and then every 5 years until 20 years serving full-time, when sabbatical is 3 months. Heather and I approaching 14 years. Such a blessing. Such an honor. It was hard to step away from ministry and leadership responsibilities for a season. But I am so glad that I did. During the planning process, I uncovered 4 priority issues that needed to be addressed: Margin (or lack of margin felt as always being…

Cru, Foundations, Sabbatical

Hitting a lick vs doing the very best we can

I remember it like it was yesterday… It was about 3 weeks into the spring semester of my freshman year of college and I had just made the decision to be done with baseball, which had been a big part of my identity since I was about 12 years old. I had long dreamed of playing in college. My roommate was a football player and understood what I was going through. The question he asked still makes me shrink up a little bit … "Did you give your all and get as far as you wanted to go?" It is't…

Commentary, Foundations

Hopes, dreams, and what matters most

Fences are sometimes built to keep things in and sometimes they’re built to keep things out. Around homes in cities where we’ve lived since joining staff with Cru, fences are mostly to keep things in. Like dogs and kids. Fences like the one I’m currently building around the house at Base Camp are to keep things out, like cows and horses. Fences also define boundaries. In this case, the boundary distinguishes the house from everything else. It sets it apart and gives it definition. Same with landscape edging. Goals are much the same. They define direction but also boundaries. Beyond…

Commentary, Foundations