Abbie Lane

What is Abbie Lane All About?

An open letter from Dr Wayne & Nancy Spears, Abbie Lane's founders

If you are a professional minister in need of a respite from the demands of your life of service, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Abbie Lane’s online home. In order for you to understand the true purpose and mission of Abbie Lane, it may be helpful for me to explain the personal journey that initially led me to begin development of this retreat.

I retired as pastor of Fairmont Park Church in La Porte Texas on June 1, 2012. We had been pastor there for 27 years. I led the church through major changes over a period of 17 years. After 12 years into the change journey, with untold and immeasurable conflicts, I broke and needed time and a place to heal. My church was very gracious and kind; we were allowed to go on sabbatical for three months. We ended up spending those three months at our farm in Louisiana. This farm became holy ground for us. Upon facing retirement my wife and I knew I needed something to do.

While teaching a Bible Study home group on Philippians, God spoke to me through Philippians 3:13 “But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.” As strange as it may seem, God used this verse to allow me to let go of the pastorate and to begin praying for and planning for a place for ministers to go who are in need of a place to find themselves alone with God. God just happened to put my wife and I in a relationship with a lady who was able to help us obtain money to start our building process. To date, some of our planned infrastructure is complete. We are looking forward to the ministers we will meet and to offering to others something we so desperately needed for ourselves at one time.

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