I recently celebrated my 54^th birthday. A dear friend said, “Just think, Laura..in another yea r you will be the Perfect 10 for the first time in your life!” (55…5+5=10, get it?).  I suppose when you stand on the brink of official Senior Citizendom, you have to find the bright side any place you can!  To add another wonderful dimension to the reality of growing old, I was blessed with my first two glorious, wonderful, cuter-than-any-babies-God-ever-made grandchildren last year. Lillie Kate and Landon have lit up my life with a love and a joy I had only heard about.

But, more important than my 54^th birthday, was my 40^th spiritual birthday this year as well. On June 22, 2006, I celebrated knowing Christ for 40 years. That sounds a bit scary, as if I should be some wise, old saint. Saint, I am (His Word says so!), but not always wise, I’m afraid. I look back at these 40 years and I see a history of faithfulness and meandering: HE has always been faithful, but I have been the meanderer, often taking three steps forward, and two back in this journey we call the Christian life.

The marvelous and amazing truth is that, even with the meandering, He always finds me and helps me to end up right where He wants me to be, in order to lead me to the destiny He has ordained for me!  He has been faithful to direct my paths, even when they have led through harsh and barren deserts, painful valleys of suffering, and almost insurmountable mountains of circumstances. He has been faithful! And He has this marvelous way of ‘working all things together for our good’ if we will just fully TRUST Him.

Proverbs 3:5-6 gives three prerequisites for His direction in your life: TRUST in Him with all your heart. DON’T LEAN on your own understanding. ACKNOWLEDGE HIM FIRST before you do anything. If you will do those three things consistently, then He promises to ‘direct your paths.’

The Lord knows my weaknesses all too well. But He also sees underneath all, a heart that is truly turned toward Him. And even though I’m about to become an official Senior Citizen, He is not finished with me, but more active than ever in my life to accomplish His purpose and destiny for me!