Mid-Life Exhilaration

Recently my wife posted on Facebook that I was living out my mid-life crisis when I purchased a sporty new car. She admitted it could have been much worse if I had purchased the car I really wanted, grown out my hair or even decided to go rock climbing in Nepal to reclaim my youth. I have to say I enjoyed this venture into mid-life. Of course, one of my friends questioned calling it "mid-life" since I turned 54 today and that would mean I expect to live to 108! Whatever the Lord wills - let it be. My venture into mid-life not only included the car purchase, which is I must say, a very sporty little Altima couple that is solid black and sleek all over. The venture also included going with my son on a zip-line adventure one Saturday and then to the firing range several weeks later. Both of these ventures were out of the norm for me and brought exhilaration to my mid-life attainment.

Mid-life is very different for me. Both of our children will be living in Europe this summer. Austin will be interning with a missionary for eight weeks and Anna is in Germany for three years while her husband is deployed with the US Army. This gives me another opportunity for mid-life exhilaration as we go to visit them and explore parts of Europe I have never seen. Mid-life will make this possible. We have the freedom of time, good health and the resources to do things we could not have done when I we were younger.

When I was crossing 40, I read a book entitled Halftime and committed to doing something significant with the second half of my life. This  was starting new congregations and mentoring young pastors who were called to start these new ventures for the kingdom. I have been able to do this in multiple ways and it has been exhilarating and fulfilling. Now I look forward to continuing this calling in my continuing life ventures.

I am blessed to serve a congregation with a kingdom mindset. Everyday through our Academy we shape and influence the next generation of Christian leaders. My church here wants to reach new people groups for Christ so we plan to start a Korean speaking worship service in the fall. We have just agreed to a joint venture with a church in Togo to bring water to their village through a well and spiritual water through mutual ministries and support.

I think entering mid-life is exhilarating and never a crisis when our eyes are fixed on kingdom goals. I think I will go rev up the new car and drive into the office. I wonder how fast I can get there and how many people I can impact through today's meetings and calls to live out their life mission. Life is good. God's grace is sufficient. You and I are loved and called by our Creator to a life of significance. So, let's  get on with it!