An Unconventional Christmas Eve Message
December 24, 2024
Today I turn 58, and quite honestly, I have been struggling with that. As an older mom among my son’s peers I feel chronically dated, and my body is aging in visible ways that I don’t enjoy. I have been battling my discouraged emotions with the truth that God decided my birth date, so my age today is PERFECT for His Story – absolutely perfect – but I have been in a prayerful fight.
I recently re-read the Birthday Manifesto that I published in my 100th post in 2016. It still very much reflects my heart today. If you are curious, or have time to read it, THIS is what poured out of my heart a few years ago.
As a birthday present, would you please say a prayer for me?
Would you please consider praying this brief prayer below that aligns with the outline of my manifesto?
Lord, I pray that Laurie lives a life that is unashamed, confident, cheerful, pure, content and full of faith. I pray that she lives a Kingdom lifestyle as a soldier who is sold-out to Jesus Christ.
A good life does not happen by accident.
When we throw a baseball, we look at the target to increase the likelihood of a good throw. When we live our life, looking at a target also increases the likelihood of living a life worthy of His name.
I have always been a proponent of casting a vision for my life by writing down my aspirations, and even writing the eulogy I hope can someday be said about me. Such practices aren’t goals, and I certainly don’t live in their shadows because I can’t live up to them. I believe, however, that a regular review of what type of person we want to be provides guardrails that keep us moving forward even as we wriggle back and forth between the lines a bit. Would you please consider writing your own Manifesto?
Let’s live well.
In His hands, we can influence eternity.
Picture Explanation: Fireworks have always reminded me that God has created all of His children to be lights for Christ in this dark world. God has launched each of us as a “firework” into history’s sky at just the right time, in just the right place, and created us to be just the right type of light to make the light show it’s very best. Working together, I think the church is supposed to look like this picture, and all too often I wonder if we do. The top picture is very special. For the first time ever, I got to be with my grandchildren on the 4th of July. It was so much fun. I love them.
© 2019 by Oaks Ministries. All rights reserved.
I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes growth.
1 Corinthians 3:6
8 Responses
You are old, my dear friend. Happy happy Birthday!
I know! Thanks for underlining that fact for me. Really appreciate it. 😉
Happy Birthday, Laurie….love your words. Getting older reminds us of our histories with God and His sustaining grace and love.
Oh, yes. The beauty of age is a history with God. Priceless, isn’t it? No one can snap their fingers and get it quickly. That makes aging more worth it, for sure.
Happy Birthday Laurie. Your words reflect just how grateful to God you are to be 58. You are beautiful inside and out!💕💕
Thank you, friend. Let’s live this life well. It’s flying by.
Happy Birthday, Dear Friend! As I watched fireworks last Sunday night in our local park, I thought of you. I smiled because of you. I thought about Chapter 5: “As a Firework” in Live ABOVE the Chaos. I am so glad that you were born on July 7, 1961. A year later or a year earlier and our paths may never have crossed! I am grateful to have been able to call you my friend for so many years now! You ARE such a very beautiful fireworks display to the world! Love you tons!
Aw, you know me well enough to know how I view fireworks. Been friends for a long time, girl. Thank you for understanding my heart.