Worried about becoming old? Why the best years are ahead of you!

(Inside: Becoming old? Dealing with getting older? Wonder about the future of getting old? Aging is NOT a crisis – your best years are ahead of you!)

The other night I sat on the beach and watched my kids play in the water.

To my right a large group of college students was hanging out, playing beach volleyball. I couldn’t help but notice them. Super young. Full of life. Energetic. Laughing. The girls all looked great in their swim attire. No one seemed to have a care in the world.

On the way to my spot on the beach, I had trudged by those beautifully youthful people with my entourage of little boys.

My hair was piled high on my head. I wore a free t-shirt from work, my black yoga pants had a bleach stain, and I sported a Captain America backpack.

But you all know how it is getting everyone ready for the beach – Mom, I can’t find my shark swimsuit. I want to wear that one! Where is my blue water gun? The one I got for my birthday that shoots the best. We can’t leave without it!  Then there’s sunscreen and water bottles and floaties and goggles. 

I didn’t put much thought into my attire, I was just glad we made it.

As I sat there on my towel watching my boys play and listening to the sounds of beach volleyball, thoughts of my college years and my twenties filled my head. 

I have some good memories of my twenties, but still…my biggest thought was…NEVER

Never would I trade the joys of my thirties to go back to the youthfulness of my twenties. (I’m 39 as I write this.)

Yes, I know my body has aged. Pregnancy has done some forever reshaping. My face looks older, grey hairs have made their appearance, and I don’t look even kinda as good in my beach attire as the girls playing to my right.

But, in my adult life, I’ve never been as happy as I am now. 

I have a better perspective, more wisdom, a braver attitude, deeper gratitude, and a richer faith. I am more comfortable in my own skin and I love it.

I have experiences I would not trade. I have deepened old friendships and met new wonderful people. I have the kind of courage unique to life-lived that I would never give up. Plus, with each passing year, I get to know my husband and kids better. It’s all captivating and my heart feels full.

Life, of course, still has its struggles and challenges (it always will), but overall the joy and contentment I feel in my thirties vastly outweighs the decade before.

If my thirties are much happier than my twenties, I can’t imagine what unimaginable joys, better perspective, cool experiences, and awesome wisdom will come with my forties. Or, the next decade. Or the next. 

But to get those gifts, I have to turn a year older.

Aging isn’t a crisis. Instead, it’s a gift – there’s always something to look forward to. So, I’m sticking with never.

Never would I go back – our best years are in the future. 

#Aging isn't a crisis. Instead, it's a #gift – there's always something to look forward to. Never would I go back – our best years are in the future. #moms #motherhood Click To Tweet

Read the Full Build-Your-Faith-Through-Everyday-Momlife Series

Elijah’s my favorite. Elijah’s the Old Testament Prophet who went head-to-head with the Baal prophets to show who the One True God was. (Read more about that here.)

This man who experience God’s supernatural power, later found himself in complete despair, with shaken faith, depressed and anxious, trying to hear God’s voice. (Have you been there too?) 1 Kings 19:11-13 says:

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

When Elijah looked for God, he found Him. And God’s voice wasn’t in the wind, earthquake, or fire – it was in a gentle whisper.

Momma’s, God still speaks to us today. It’s deep inside of you, an inner knowing. I’d love for you to join me as I learn to discern that voice smack in the middle of my ordinary days. 

Read more faith-building stories…

Growing Your Faith: Imperfect Faith is STILL Faith
Momma, is God is More Control of Your Life Than You Think?
Mommas, Increase Your Happiness in the Chaos
Tired Parents, You are Beautifully Exhausted
This is How I Hear God Speak Through Motherhood
Kids, Do You Want To Watch God Paint the Sky?
A Mom’s 1st Day of School Wishes
A Miracle Happen Every Day: Do You See It?
Every Day, In Small Moments – God is Calling You
God is Using You Even When You Don’t See It
In 5 Minutes I Was Reminded of the Joy of Being a Mother
Worried about Becoming Older? Your best years are ahead of you!

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I wrote this article a few years back, but, friend – this is my current chapter in parenting…

You just dropped your kid off at practice, picked up another, and are trying to decide what to make for dinner. Your days are filled with work, parenting, and waiting for password reset emails.

You are parenting tweens and teens.

It’s an amazing life-phase, but also challenging in unique ways. In it all, you’d love a little encouragement to help you laugh, grow in faith, see parenting hacks, get ideas to connect with your kid, and celebrate the awesome momma you are. 

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