In just a few days, I will celebrate my 57th birthday! And as I reflect on this season of my life, one thing I have settled in my heart is that I will not allow my age to become a stumbling block to seeing the dreams God has placed within me come to pass.
I am still dreaming. Still believing. Still growing. Still becoming the woman God created me to be.
Today, a sweet friend shared something with me that served as a powerful reminder. God does not operate within the restraints of our time.
What a beautiful truth!
We have a tendency to put timelines on things, don’t we? We think certain dreams should have happened by a particular age. Certain doors should have opened by now. Certain things should be further along.
But God is not looking at the clock the way we are! What He has spoken, He is faithful to fulfill according to His perfect will and timing. My responsibility is to continue following His lead.
And when I look back over my life, I can see His hand everywhere.
I have watched Him move in some pretty unexpected ways. I have seen Him bless the fruit of my hands, open doors I wasn’t looking for and bring some pretty amazing people into my life. People I am so grateful for and hold very close to my heart.
And for all of it, I simply want to say, thank You, Lord.
A Little Sidebar: My Fitness Journey
Now, before I go any further, can we talk about this fitness journey for just a moment?
Because, ladies, I have been showing up!
No missed days!
This is the longest streak I have ever had of consistently moving my body for at least 30 minutes a day in exercise. I am lifting weights three to four times a week, getting in 8,000 to 10,000 steps most days and closing all three rings on my Apple Watch!
And yes, I am proud of that!
Now, my trainer continues to remind me that this process is going to take time. And you know what? I am okay with that.
No quick fixes for me. Not this time.
I am here for the long haul.
I am learning to appreciate what my body can do. I am getting stronger. I am building consistency. I am learning patience. And isn’t it something how the Lord can use one area of our lives to teach us lessons that apply to so many others?
The same patience I am learning in my fitness journey is the patience I need as I continue walking out the things God has placed on my heart.
Growth takes time. And I don’t want to rush through the process and miss what God is teaching me along the way.
Getting Out of My Own Way
There are days when I look at everything before me. The book I am working on, this blog, the desire to restart my vlogs and the other creative things stirring in my heart. And sometimes, I feel a little overwhelmed. I wonder how I am going to get it all done. Whether I have enough time. Whether I am moving fast enough.
Then I remember something very important…. I didn’t put myself up to this.
These things were birthed out of my quiet time with the Lord.
They came from those moments when it was just Him and me. When I wasn’t trying to impress anyone, build anything or make a name for myself. I was simply spending time with my Father (The blog started as hand written letters to different friends and loved ones).
I told The Lord that I wanted His will more than my own. That I wanted to speak what He would have me speak and write what He would have me write. That is still the desire of my heart!
Now, I would be less than honest if I didn’t admit that getting back in front of the camera has made me a little nervous. My face is a little fuller than I would like. And, These cameras are a whole lot clearer than they used to be, and they seem determined to show every little flaw!
And can I just say, I do like a good filter (case in point, the feature image on this post)!
Maybe a little too much sometimes. Ha!
I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Not just the younger version of me. Not just the thinner version of me. Not just the version of me with the perfect lighting and the right camera angle. Me. Right here. At almost 57. My age does not diminish my worth. A few extra pounds do not cancel my purpose. And the things I may see as imperfections do not change who God says I am. #Selah
So, with His help, I am going to get back to those vlogs.
I may not have everything figured out. I may stumble over a few words. I may even watch a recording and think, goodness, do I really look like that? But I am going to show up anyway. Because sometimes the biggest thing standing between us and what God has called us to do is simply our willingness to get out of our own way!
My Favorite Place
Of all the things I love to do, worship comes the easiest.
There is something so precious about those early mornings or late evenings when the house is quiet and everyone else is asleep.
Just me and Him. No audience. No microphones. No expectations. Just a daughter spending time with her Father. That secret place has become my favorite place. It is where I pour out my heart. Where I cry when I need to cry. Where I sing, pray, listen and sometimes simply sit in His presence.
It is where I am reminded that before I am a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a writer or anything else, I belong to Him. Yahweh, my Everything (My very best Friend). And if I never accomplish another thing that the world considers significant, knowing Him and being known by Him is more than enough.
That is why I want this blog to be more than just words on a page.
I want it to be a place where I can share His goodness, His faithfulness, the lessons He is teaching me and the beautiful ways He continues to reveal Himself in everyday life. Because when I think about all He has done for me, how could I not tell somebody? #ToShareMyStory
Lord, Thank You for This Life!
There is so much life still ahead of me, so much to learn, so much love to give and, Lord willing, so much more to create.
Important to Note: Surrender doesn’t mean giving up on your dreams. Sometimes it means trusting God enough to place those dreams back into His hands and allowing Him to determine what they become.
To the Woman Who Thinks It’s Too Late
Can I encourage you for a moment?
Maybe you are in your 20s and still trying to figure out what you are supposed to do with your life.
Maybe you are in your 30s or 40s, raising children, building a career or wondering when you will have time to pursue those things that have been stirring in your heart.
Or maybe, like me, you are in your 50s or beyond, looking at dreams you haven’t quite seen come to pass.
Please hear me.
- You are not too young, and you are not too old to be who God created you to be.
- Your age does not disqualify you.
- Your past does not have to define you.
- And just because something hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean God has forgotten about you.
I think about Sarah, who received a promise from God that seemed impossible given her age. Yet the Lord was faithful to His word.
Genesis 18:14 asks, “Is any thing too hard for the LORD?”
What a reminder!
Now, that doesn’t mean every dream we have will unfold exactly as we imagine. But it does remind us that God is not limited by the things that limit us. So keep believing! Keep dreaming! Keep praying! Keep growing! And most importantly, keep yielding your heart to Him!
With a grateful heart,
Marvlun
“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” Psalm 139:14 KJV
