Finish the Race of Life Strong!

Hitting the milestone ‘ripe-old-age’ of 50 years old recently has left me thinking how I want to spend the rest of my life. I don’t want to waste whatever time I have left! I plan to finish the race of life strong, God willing.

When I was young, I did the career thing, pouring my energies into a college education and gaining job experience. Now, I am currently doing the “family thing,” staying home to raise children who will be well-adjusted and able to contribute good things to the world. But my kids are getting older, and I ponder what to do with the later half of my life? I don’t want to just get another job to buy more stuff. Stuff never satisfies.

All the advice I’ve heard tells us to pursue our passions. Well, I am passionate about God and His purposes, but how practical is that? Since becoming a Christian at 25 years old, I’ve spent the past 25+ years working hard undoing the secular-humanist worldview the first 25 years imprinted on me. It’s taken that long, and God is not done with me! But how do I spend the later half of my life doing “God stuff?” Blogging at Think Divinely is one way. I’m not sure of other ways at this point, but I am walking in faith that God will show me, one step at a time. It’s trusting Him, and this is something I’ve learned to do the past couple of decades.

He’s been molding me, refining me, and has set me back on the potter’s wheel many times. It’s an adventure of ups and downs, and in between, I’ve had some awesome God-encounters.

Let me tell you the story of my first one. I became a Christian the last semester of my senior year at Cal State, through a man I’d been dating who was a Christian. This guy had an evangelical spirit about him, and beamed whenever he talked about Jesus. He was the only man I had ever dated who respected me. That spoke volumes. Who is this Jesus person who turned this guy into a man who honored me? It wasn’t too long after that time where I found myself hungering for truth and the meaning of life, a hunger that was always there, just below the surface. That was the beginning of an amazing, faith-filled exciting start to learning how to walk with God.

Another time was when I had decided to move in with four other Christian girlfriends from my local Vineyard church. I was still a baby Christian and felt that this move would either make my faith or break it. It definitely made it! Living in a Christ-centered community does wonders for your faith! We all grew closer by praying together, holding events at our house for other singles, and serving in leadership at our local church. I really began to see understand what it meant to have “sisters in the Lord.”

Within a couple of years of living with my new “sisters,” I met my husband. We were married and a few years later had our first child. I found myself longing to quit my job to stay home with her. That’s when God opened up the doors to a great job for my husband! Unfortunately, it was in the Midwest, a place I had never been before. We had to leave “paradise on earth” (Santa Barbara), and move to Wisconsin. Now that was a sacrifice! Nonetheless, I was home with our baby girl and that was my heart’s desire. We had a son a few years later, and have been blessed tremendously by God who has met all our needs. He has been very good to us!

Now I want to give back. I want my life to reflect His goodness, and show the world there is something to hope in—His name is Jesus Christ, and He’s awesome! I’ve never regretted a moment of my faith walk with Him, and I know He will be with me to the end. So, how practical is this? Practical ‘schmatical’ – I want to please God first, and if I don’t make any money serving Him, well, somehow it will all work out. Let me finish strong, dear Lord, to the end of my time here on earth, knowing it’s the beginning of eternity with You.

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:14)