For example, Duncan,a who had his heart set on being a missionary, found that after many years in missionary service, he and his wife had to return home. “For the first time in my life, I lost all sense of direction,” he said. “I had no goals. Nothing seemed important anymore.”

Some have found that setting priorities is helpful. Duncan, mentioned earlier, says: “When my wife and I realized that we could never go back to our former way of life, we were devastated. Eventually, we established two priorities: caring for Mother and if at all possible, continuing in the full-time ministry. When faced with decisions, we consider how they will affect these priorities. This simplifies everything.”