Pastor's Devotions by Tim Harris

It’s been almost three weeks since my retirement from full-time pastoring and I can tell you,  everything is different. I no longer have the same routines I once had. I find myself  immersed in a very different environment. I’m no longer doing many of the things I once did on such a regular basis. Yes, everything is different.  For the many years I was pastoring, I had pretty set routines. I knew when I needed to be in the church office, which days were for sermon preparation, when there would be staff meetings, and which days and times were my own for going to the gym, getting things done around the house, and spending time with family. I had my Sunday morning and Wednesday night schedule. I knew which evenings were set aside for meetings, services, counseling, etc. My schedule now looks very different.   I now find myself immersed in a totally different environment. As you may or may not know, I’ve plunged into the world of personal training. I’m jump-starting...

Last weekend Kim and I spent a couple of days at our family cabin in the Adirondack Mountains. It was a nice break after all the busyness of my retirement weekend and the weeks leading up to it. Being there gave us a chance to unwind and catch our breath.  As most of you know, however, when the Harrises go away to relax that doesn’t mean we sit on the beach or couch all day. For us, relaxing usually includes some sort of activity. So, our first morning there, after eating a relaxed breakfast, Kim and I decide to go for a hike up Panther Mountain.  Now let me be clear, this was not a hike up one of the high peaks (as our son Jonathan would do). Although it was quite steep in some parts, especially towards the top, it was just shy of a mile each way with an elevation gain of 666 feet (don’t worry about that number, please!). Going up took us about 40 minutes, including a couple of short stops. Once we reached the top we sat on the rocks, ate a snack (there must always be snacks!...

As I wrote last week, this past Sunday was my retirement Sunday. I had a great weekend with my children and grandchildren. We went to the beach and out for dinner on Saturday, and of course they were with us on Sunday for our final service. Our church, Shrewsbury First Assembly, honored and celebrated Kim and me with kind words, prayers, gifts, and a beautiful reception. And I was so blessed to have so many extended family members and friends from throughout the years join us that day.  Then came Monday and Tuesday and….suddenly, it all seemed so final! One season of life had ended and a new season had begun. Yes, I had been planning for this moment for over a year, yet it still seemed so sudden—and again, so final. By Tuesday, I was questioning whether or not I had made the right decision. Was this a good thing? Would I get used to this new life? Would I become anxious, depressed, bored, lonely, etc.? Would Kim and I make it financially? So many questions—and even fears—began to r...

This coming Sunday, September 7, 2025, is my retirement Sunday here at First Assembly of God in Shrewsbury, NJ.  After over 40 years of church ministry, ten years here at First Assembly, and over a year of planning with my church board and assistant pastor, the day is upon me. This Sunday I’ll be preaching my final sermon as a “Senior Pastor.” And I’ll be moving from one season of life to another. After Sunday’s service I’ll officially be a “retired minister.”  That doesn’t mean I’ll be sitting around doing nothing. I do hope to still be involved in ministry, filling pulpits and helping churches as needed. I might do some writing. And in case you don’t already know, this past year I received my certification as a personal trainer. Right now the plan is to work at a local gym a few hours per week as well as run my own training business (Second Wind Personal Training). And of course, I’m hoping to get a bit more time with my kids and grandkids!  As most pastors can attest, ...

As many of you know by now, I’m currently in the process of retiring from over 40 years of pastoral ministry. My final Sunday at First Assembly of God of Shrewsbury, NJ will be September 7, just over a week from now. Thus over the past few weeks, I’ve been dismantling my office, piece by piece and book by book. And, have I collected a lot of books! After all, in ministry one is constantly using books.  Some of those books were one time reads. Some were kept on hand for help with further study and sermon preparation. I had my share of commentaries, word study books, concordances, counseling books, leadership books, and more. Some I’ve given away. Some I’ve reshelved in another room in our church office for use by others. And there are a number that I’ve boxed up to bring home. Thus, both my office and my home now have boxes of books.   Admittedly, it’s not easy for me to part with books that have been on my shelves for so many years. In fact, the other day I found myself g...

Most mornings, I try to eat a good/healthy breakfast to get my day going.  For me that means eggs, toast, some fruit, including a banana, and of course coffee. My goal is to eat a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat so that I can avoid the morning crash I would face when eating merely a bagel and butter or a muffin or a bowl of cereal. I think of my breakfast as fuel for the day. It’s like putting gas in the tank so that I’ll have the energy and strength to do what needs to be done, at least in the first part of that day. In the same way, and even more so, I know I need to fuel not just my body but as well my heart, mind, and spirit. That’s where time spent reading the Bible comes in. Thus, each morning, I pull out my Bible (actually on my iPad), and pick up where I left off the day before, reading two passages of scripture, including one Psalm. Often I include a reading from a devotional book as well.  You see, my time spent reading the Bible is not merely an obligation, ...