July 21-23 was the 15th annual gathering of those who attended Northwest College* in the 1960's. In honor of that I will make this large print! The reality of many lives is that the print is just too small these days!
It is so good to reconnect with old friends, and make new ones among those from the same decade. We share an era so there is an understanding that is simply a given. That makes it a very comfortable environment - and then shared histories meld us together even more definitively.
At this particular gathering I was particularly impressed by how many missionaries were in attendance. People who had served in countries all over the world - some for all of their working lifetime, and now as they reach the decade of their 70's they are challenged with finding a new focal point for their ministry outlet.
That brings up an interesting observation: God does not have a retirement plan from service - though He does alter the direction and location of where people serve. And - everyone can do something. I was chatting with a missionary who had served many years in Latin American countries, and he told me the story of a lady who desperately wanted to do something to serve the Lord, but she was confined to a wheelchair. So, he told her, 'write messages on paper, make them into paper airplanes and fly them out your window.' She did - and over the course of the next year, 4 people came to the Lord and were baptized because of her 'airplane' messages.
God uses willing vessels. Neither age nor physical limitation is an insurmountable issue. So if you are one others consider to be 'older' - make goals, find something to do to contribute to nurturing others to begin a faith journey or to grow in their faith.
Write that book!
Teach that class!
Mentor that young person!
Call that someone God is nudging you to call!
Pray! Encourage! Finish strong!
As a message in tongues and interpretation on Friday night stated which was reiterated in the message given by our Sunday morning speaker, Terry Peretti: God isn't finished with us yet!
*Now Northwest University
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