*Year Forty-One*

I’ve been going down memory lane for the last few weeks:). Mostly because I want to remember what I looked like without anti-aging cream or other additives applied to my face!

But for real, since I recently celebrated my 41st birthday and I’ve been looking over the course of my life. The early years, the ones in the middle thus far, and the most recent. As I was looking through old photos, or remembering times past, not one time did I wish to go back. I’ve often heard friends say they’d love to have the energy they did as a twenty -something, but with the wisdom of their forties. Agreed. I don’t want to return to my younger years. I’ve never heard anyone want to return to all the hormones of teenage years and high school drama or even the early years of adulting. No thank you:). To be honest, I kind of like the age I’m at.

Those years were good, but they aren’t the best years of my life. They have been the best years FOR my life.

Formative. Informative. Inspiring. Challenging. Strengthening.

And So. Much. More.

I can look back to being a little girl in Ms. Richard’s 2nd grade class and receiving an A+ on a poem assignment, knowing that it meant something special to me. What was the poem supposed to be about? It was free choice and 2nd grade little me wrote about life & death. Yup, that’s a glimpse at 2nd grade me:).

I remember receiving some paperwork from high school around graduation time and on the paper it said in bold lettering, that I was, “Endorsed in Reading. Endorsed in Writing.” I have no clue what else it said or if everyone’s said that, but those words jumped off the page and into my heart.

I remember early days of ministry training, traveling a lot and sleeping a little, then full time ministry learning to stay in one place while still learning to develop roots in a town I never thought I would live in. I also remember learning to create family friends in new places like a real adult.

I remember real conversations, hard decisions, situations and circumstances in which I didn’t know how to process all that was going on around us, and big moves that grew us up in more ways than one.

Memories & moments that formed and informed my way of thinking. Moments & memories that challenged and strengthened my way of connecting with God and times that built up my prayer life.

Have you ever walked down memory lane friend?
Can you see the years that were the best FOR your life?

Our lives may not all seem like monumental years with big wins or huge successes. Maybe they are years filled with little glimpses of hope, or dark moments where now you can see some light among the shadows.
Friend, wherever you find yourself today, know that your story matters, and the years of your life are worth looking over and celebrating too.

Hold onto that promise above from God’s Word. In fact, go check out the full chapter of Psalm 23 – you won’t regret it.

Over the next few weeks, we will look at some of our best years together. I hope you’ll join me and invite a friend to come along too. It’ll be a worthwhile journey.

Let’s Pray:
Dear Heavenly Father, we know You to be the Giver and Sustainer of life, and in many of our stories, we may look back and see times of feeling just sustained. Lord, as we look over our lives this month, will You help us to see the moments that were so good for us- especially the ones where we haven’t been able to see the good quite yet. We desire to live lives today that are full of good fruit- lives that are full of blessing and not regret; lives full of hope and not full of bitterness. In this new month, we give You these years that we have already experienced and even the years ahead, asking that if You can use any of it for Your glory, that You would. Lord help us to have eyes to see the lessons and the important parts through Your lens of love. Help us to see who in our story was a source of strength and hope for the us as encouragers. Help our hearts to grow closer to You as we learn together how events and experiences shaped us into who we are today. May we continue to learn how You’ll use our life stories to lead others into knowing You- Our loving and generous Father. And may we grow more and more into the people You dreamt us to be. Amen.

peace – liz:)

Go The Extra Mile: Check out this song by Josh Baldwin – I kid you not, it has encouraged me during my own walk down memory lane – We CAN see the evidence of God’s goodness when we look over our lives because Jesus changed everything when He died on the cross and rose from the grave. Listen and be encouraged today friends!