J. Oswald Sanders was nearing his ninetieth birthday when he died, working on his last book. Before he was 50, he was afflicted with arthritis so badly that he could hardly get out of bed. He could have taken a nice retirement. Instead he entered the most procreative years of his life.

At age 50 he left a prosperous career as an attorney in New Zealand to lead the China Inland Mission (now Overseas Missionary Fellowship). Remarkably, as he entered his second and third careers he was totally freed from arthritis.

After several years of leading the mission, he retired, only to take on the directorship of a Christian college. Another step downward. Then he retired again. A widower twice, he certainly deserved a rest. But rather than taking it easy, he accelerated, spending his last 20 years speaking around the world over 300 times per year. His respect grew even though he never sought the limelight or tried to maintain his position.