Pause, step back, and consider...
How do you want to live, practice and do ministry in the later part of your career?
The average career in healthcare lasts about 35 years. The first 20 years are often a sprint to keep our heads above water. But as we approach the back half and final stretch of our working career and life circumstances evolve, new opportunities for serving God can present themselves. Will you come with open hands and an open heart, asking Jesus what he might have next for you, and acting upon it when He provides you with direction?
Capstone is a new initiative from CMDA that encourages our members to pause, step back, and consider how they want to live, practice, and do ministry in the later part of their career.
Course corrections in career and lifestyle don’t happen overnight. They require a lot of prayer, discernment, discussion, and planning. There’s no one size fits all here.
What Capstone isn’t is a prescriptive pathway for every CMDA member to follow. Instead, it’s a nudge to prayerfully and courageously consider what life changes God is asking you to make now that will put you in a position to finish well. We all want to break the tape at finish line of our careers and know in our hearts that we’ve not withheld anything from Jesus, anticipating His words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”
Medium & Longer-Term Opportunities
When asked how CMDA could be most helpful in supporting their mission efforts at a teaching facility in Africa, an American missionary surgeon had three suggestions. The number one was to send more missionaries with gray hair.
For a number of reasons, our healthcare missionary workforce has skewed younger over the past few decades. But the wisdom that comes with experience is highly valued in much of the developing world in ways that our youth-focused culture in the West doesn’t recognize.
For healthcare workers willing to consider a medium or longer-term assignment, there are tremendous needs and opportunities that await you. The specifics will obviously depend on how God has gifted you and what He’s calling you to. But know that your presence is fiercely desired and could benefit Kingdom work in a variety of contexts around the world!