After age 30 or so, each milestone birthday becomes more sobering. Age 60 hit me particularly hard. There’s no question that there are more years behind me than ahead of me. Though I hope to still have another two or three decades, my strength and stamina show obvious signs of slowing down.
I’ve never had trouble admitting my age until I turned 60. I was past the time of claiming to be middle-aged, yet I didn’t consider myself to be really old yet. I still felt relevant, but I was afraid younger people would see me as past my prime, no longer worthy to be listened to.
One frustration of aging is increasing health problems. I suppose most people don’t go full steam until the day they die. Most of us undergo a gradual breaking down of various functions. I heard a radio preacher say one reason our bodies start failing is to make us willing to let go of them. We have a strong instinct to survive, but at some point, this body will get to a place where we’ll realize it’s no longer worth trying to preserve it. But even long before that time, doctor’s visits and medications increase.
What’s even more unsettling for me is that the age I will turn this August is the same age both my parents died. They had bad health habits and conditions that I don’t have–but I have some that they didn’t have. I am reminding myself that my times are in God’s hands.
I’m encouraged by reports of people my age and older achieving great things. Laura Ingalls Wilder was 65 when she published her first book. Grandma Moses began serious painting at the age of 78. Harlen Sanders established the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants when he was 65. Peter Mark Roget published his first thesaurus at the age of 73.
Most of us don’t have such lofty goals for our later years (although I would like to publish a book). We’d be happy just to be able to get around on our own steam and not be a burden to anyone.
In a recent post by Tim Challies, he included a quote by De Witt Talmage that arrested me:
. . . there is something for you yet to do. Perhaps it may be to round off the work you have already done; to demonstrate the patience you have been recommending all your lifetime; perhaps to stand a lighthouse at the mouth of the bay to light others into harbor; perhaps to show how glorious a sunset may come after a stormy day.
Those are things any of us could do. With however many years I have left, I want to share with my family, readers here, and friends at church and elsewhere, that God is faithful, God is good, and God is worth knowing.
When it feels like God is silent or absent, He is not. He has promised never to leave or forsake His own.
When answers to prayer seem a long time coming, God’s timing is best.
When you feel forsaken, God is with you.
He is the truest friend, the wisest guide, the strongest ally, the most loving Father.
His Word is a treasure chest. Delve into as often as you can, not just as an exercise or ritual, but to know the Author.
On all of my sons’ graduation materials, whether a card or the “senior page” in their yearbooks, I shared the first part of this verse:
And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. (1 Chronicles 28:9).
I usually share this verse on graduation cards:
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11).
I’ve also often shared this with others:
And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified (Acts 20:32).
These are the messages I want to share and demonstrate for as long as I live.
Rosalind Goforth shared this poem at the beginning of her book, Climbing: Memories of a Missionary Wife. It has stayed with me for years and epitomizes what I want my life, ministry, and legacy to be:
If you have gone a little way ahead of me, call back;
‘Twill cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony track;
And if, perchance, Faith’s light is dim, because the oil is low,
Your call will guide my lagging course as wearily I go.
Call back, and tell me that He went with you into the storm;
Call back, and say He kept you when the forest’s roots were torn;
That when the heavens thundered and the earthquake shook the hill,
He bore you up and held you where the very air was still.
O friend, call back and tell me, for I cannot see your face;
They say it glows with triumph, and your feet bound in the race;
But there are mists between us, and my spirit eyes are dim,
And I cannot see the glory, though I long for word of Him.
But if you’ll say He heard you when your prayer was but a cry,
And if you’ll say He saw you through the night’s sin-darkened sky
If you have gone a little way ahead, O friend, call back
‘Twill cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony track.
Author Unknown
Whatever else we can or can’t do as we get older, we can join with the psalmist in praying:
I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old,
things that we have heard and known,
that our fathers have told us.
We will not hide them from their children,
but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.
He established a testimony in Jacob
and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
to teach to their children,
that the next generation might know them,
the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments . . .
Psalm 78:2-7
(I often link up with some of these bloggers.)
Stray Thoughts 
This is your best post yet! Just really has so much meaning in so many different ways for me. I’m 66 and turning 67 this July so can’t deny I’m on the path to 70. Lol. My parents died at ages 53 and 61. I have a friend exactly 10 years older than me that epitomizes the helper calling back in the poem.. She is such an encouragement that God is taking care of her in the storm even as she was recently widowed. I realized if I can just stay kind and not grouchy that that is an accomplishment and good testimony for the glory of God in my later years! I don’t have to run marathons!
Thanks so much! Renee
Thanks so much! I like that point that staying kind and not grouchy can be a testimony in itself. When my mother-in-law lived with us, she had a good testimony among the hospice workers because she took everything patiently and never complained.
You share some good insights on aging, and some good scripture and quotes to go along with it. Have a happy week.
Thanks so much. I hope you have a good week, too.
Such a poignant post and one I can totally relate to. God numbers our days and has a plan for them. That is such a comfort.
It really is.
This is so beautiful – an encouragement and a challenge to me as well. As I get older, I find that I am getting more focused on telling and teaching and exhorting the next generation, but it’s also tempting to wonder if I can make any difference or if I’ve just become irrelevant. I love that “call back” poem you shared – so moving!
Thanks so much, Kym. If we can’t do anything else, we can testify of His faithfulness to us.
Thank you for this post. I also read the linked Tim Challies post. I am in my 60s and things aren’t the same. It’s a hard pill to swallow sometimes. Over the weekend, I started writing out Bible verses for aging. Your post came at the perfect time. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Thanks so much, Kim. One of the verses I was considering for this post was Psalm 71: 15-18:
My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,
of your deeds of salvation all the day,
for their number is past my knowledge.
With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come;
I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.
O God, from my youth you have taught me,
and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
So even to old age and gray hairs,
O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
your power to all those to come.
You know, I have only ever heard one sermon on aging, and it was so refreshing to realize God still has purposes for us as long as we live.
This is so nice! 60 hit me hard too; no way to spin that as anywhere near young anymore. The health issues popping up are a constant reminder that life on earth doesn’t go on forever, for any of us. I can imagine how that would feel to realize you’ve reached your parents’ lifespan. I’m realizing more and more recently too that I’m no longer cool/hip/etc to people my kids’ age. They have inside jokes and just ways of looking at the world that are different from mine. And like you, I want my legacy to be one of honoring Christ with my life. I love the Challies quote too, and enjoyed a chapter in a recent book I read about a woman in her 90s, in a nursing home, who spent much of each day intentionally praying for others. I loved that! Any of us can do that, whatever our age and disability level. I liked this Elisabeth Elliot quote on intercession that a friend recently posted on social media: “Intercession is the hardest work in the world—the giving of one’s self, time, strength, energy, and attention to the needs of others in a way that no one but God sees, no one but God will do anything about, and no one but God will ever reward you for.”
I’ve seen that quote from EE–so true.
Some years ago, a woman in her early 30s told me she didn’t come to our ladies’ meetings at church because it was all older ladies–who were in their 40s and 50s at the time. That’s when I started feeling irrelevant. Thankfully, though, I’ve had some good friendships with women of all ages.
We’re all aging and none of us is guaranteed the next 15 minutes.
Our physical maladies and impairments almost give us an advantage, because they force us to realize our mortality.
That’s true–none of us is guaranteed or next breath at any age. As we get older, knowing we have an expiration date helps bring eternity and our need to be ready for it closer.
Ah yes, dealing with aging. It’s so hard to believe that I’m not far off from turning 80. The thing that I have loved the most about growing older is getting to know my Father more deeply. And understanding more about how His ways are always best and being thankful that both His thoughts and His ways are higher than my own.
But there are days that I struggle with the “what if’s”. You’ve done a beautiful job of sharing the positive here, Barbara. I really enjoyed the Talmage quote that Challies shared.
Thanks so much, Dianna. My mom died in her 60s, and my mother-in-law died at 90 after a very slow decline. Neither way is easy. There are things I hope I won’t have to go through, but I just have to trust God about it all.
I wish I had your writing abilities! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for your kindness, Monica.
Wonderful post Barbara. I didn’t mind turning 60 at all as in my circle of friends and neighbors, we consider “middle aged” to be 45-70 and then “senior citizens” from 70-death. And regarding health/body: Americans do tend to “age” worse than some other cultures and it’s mainly due to the overly processed foods and medications so many people choose. I have embraced an almost totally plant based diet and feel very fit and lean. Of course I do power walking every day despite the cervicogenic headaches. I found out that the cervical issues I have are NOT from aging but are from things like kayaking, lifting preschoolers my whole career, hiking up/down vertically steep mountains……but the fact I CAN still hike and power walk and kayak at age 65 is pretty awesome and I give glory to God for that. He is the One who gives me strength to get through the days I have the bad headaches which in the last week has been every day. BUT..the good news is the upper back pain went away! first time in 3 yrs!! I also choose to NOT be on prescription drugs opting for natural vitamins, foods and supplements like phytosterols vs a statin (although now I no longer am a candidate for an statin due to no more beef or pork and taking the phytosterols. God made our bodies and I figure when it’s time for us to go, we will go, no matter which method He chooses. Of course He gives us a brain to use regarding eating right, moving our joints, staying active mentally and physically and taking care of our emotional and spiritual health.
But….we also are meant to age…..some things won’t “move” as well as others as we get into our senior years but staying as active and eating as best we can is key I think. Sure things happen. but we can keep alot of those physical ailments away.
What’s important for me as I get older is to model the love of Jesus to those around me…to use the gifts He’s given me in new ways now that i’m retired. To model for my daughters, a marriage centered around Christ and yes we have had our ups and downs like any normal couple but with Christ, we have come through whatever the challenges have been. I now have time to volunteer with various ministries and I’m loving this new phase. Am I more physically drained afterwards? you bet! But i know that is all part of the normal process and I will rest and recharge. Sorry this is so long. This was such a good post!!
I’ll be 63 in August – I embrace my age because life gets sweeter and sweeter. I help with my grandkiddos during the week and wonder how I did this and more with five in the nest – but I love that as I grow older, I am learning to let go and let God do so much more. I think the silver lining is what we have learned – and the power of the Holy Spirit invited in in greater measure to do His work – rather than my work. You’ve written before about the desire to publish a book – gather your writings my friend and self publish them for your family – and your blogging community. What a treasure! He’s still writing our stories with us! He writes the best stories!
Barbara, i loved this post…i had also been touched by the anonymous poem you shared, and included it in this blog post of mine … https://bethwillismiller.blogspot.com/2011/05/if-you-have-gone-little-way-ahead-of-me.html
I certainly am resonating with every word, Barbara. 70 is coming right around the bend before summer’s end. I have many mixed emotions but am working on cultivating a bit more gratitude as I think about what’s next.
I agree – our parents’ lives and deaths do have impact on how we look at our own. But am trusting and believing that God holds our lives in His hands and He’s already written out the end of our stories.
It’s a peaceful place to be.
It’s funny how the older we get our perception of “old” definitely changes! I remember thinking my grandmother was old when I was little but now that my mom is that age (and probably older!) I don’t think of her as old at all.
“He is the truest friend, the wisest guide, the strongest ally, the most loving Father.” Amen, and forever and ever! In just a few days, I will be in PEI with my daughters and celebrating my 60th birthday! Although there a less years ahead than behind, I am assured that “God’s timing is best.” Wonderful post!
Ah, I remember 60 (more than 20 years ago now). I didn’t feel old and had no change in health that can happen for many by then and didn’t retire until 70. I had long recalled the remarks from a graduation speaker: “if you love life, do not waste time because time is what life is made of. What you are is God’s gift to you and what you make of yourself is your gift to God.” Decade by decade I began to understand that not wasting time doesn’t mean staying busy all the time and filling my schedule to the brim. It means choosing the most important things to invest time pursuing. We gradually learn that each moment is a gift and we ought to savor it. There are no list of certainties save Christ alone of how many moments will be ours but rather than be downcast, I think it should cause us to be more grateful for the people we love, the flowers that brighten so many days, the music that takes us to places where our spirits soar, the fragrance of freshly baked bread, and the people the Lord has been in our lives or crossed our paths that we were able to love and share the journey with.
I love every word of this post, Barbara. I’m so thankful for you and your words.
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Oh my , I so appreciate you sharing your vulnerability here with us Barbara. This is so very poignant and I’m so glad you wrote about aging. There are so many truths here we need to keep in mind.
I appreciate you sharing your heart, insights and encouragement with Sweet Tea & Friends this month my dear friend.