First, a word of explanation: rather than the more customary devotional today, allow me to share some thoughts I wrote to our children and grandchildren on my birthday yesterday. EveryDay Life was first begun in 2007 as a daily email contact with our eldest granddaughter, Lauren, when she went to University a couple of hours from home. I began sharing the things I have observed and been taught from God’s Word and from my life experiences that I felt could be useful to her everyday life for spiritual growth and development. Others began to ask if the daily thoughts and comments could be copied to them as well, and with the help of some talented people with the needed technical skills, EveryDay Life was born and now reaches a couple thousand people in very diverse places, also being translated into Bulgarian by Pastor Lusi Arsov. My objective has always been to share God’s Word and wisdom as it touches the practical applications into everyday life. Consistent with that are my thoughts as I marked another year of God’s blessing and grace. Thank you for being one of a circle of readers that make each day meaningful with the privilege of sharing humble and simple understandings of the practical brilliance of God’s truth. That is an honor I regard as a sacred trust . .
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My birthday – sixty-nine years! (The years seem so much gentler when written out rather than seeing the blatant numerals.) I can hardly believe that number. That is a long time to live, yet not nearly enough yet. The customary greeting on such a day is “Happy Birthday,” and as I read greetings in emails and Facebook this morning, I reflected on what makes me truly happy. I have concluded that among all that I enjoy, central to my happiness are three things: my faith, my family, and my friends. My “birthday wish” would be that those I love most would share those three values sincerely.
My faith has been central to all else, the source of great joy and satisfaction – supporting daily life through good and not so good things and times, making me more than I would have been without it, providing me with a network of others who share and depend upon that faith, keeping me on track when I would have gone astray, and opening doors of opportunity for me I would not have wanted to miss. Most of all, faith makes me know that my heart and future are safely in God’s hands. All is well, and will be well forever. My greatest joy is seeing that “my children are walking in the truth.” 3 John 1:2-4 NLT. Remember, faith cannot be inherited; it is a personal and individual decision that you alone can make, and must. The earlier in life you decide that, the simpler it is to do so. It is primary, not secondary to all other decisions you will make, and is best reaffirmed every day. Don’t waste a day of life without a clear and personal faith. Do not live a single day facing eternity without that.
Marriage and family have brought me a greater joy than I could ever have foreseen in my youth. Had I been wiser sooner, I would have invested more of myself much earlier. Family is the greatest investment I have ever made – producing far richer and more satisfying dividends than property and possessions ever could. I wish for you the joy and pleasure multiplied in your lives that I have received from you. Prize the time and times you have together. The years are too brief and pass too quickly to take them for granted because of busyness or lesser pursuits. You make every day a joy-filled day. Our family has enjoyed privilege and blessings to the degree that faith has been central to who we are and how we choose to live our lives together.
The right friends are the greatest of God’s gifts to one’s life. Choose them well and wisely. Friends who share your faith and values will best shape who you become in many ways that you may not realize until later. The older I become, the more appreciative I am of the unmistakable influence of the remarkable people God has placed in and around my life. I am blessed. Like family, friends become invaluable with each year, through the common experiences and memories you will share. By their acceptance and example, friends have helped me become a man, husband, father, friend, and pastor far better than I would have been without them. I would counsel you to be purposeful about friendships, and be the kind of friend that you would want others to be in your life. When you are young you have many acquaintances and associations; the years sort those and reveal the friendships that make your latter years full and satisfying, as mine have been. Lots of people around you cannot make your life full; even a few of the right kind of friends, who challenge and inspire you, will.
These are the things – faith, family, and friends – that are important to my life on this birthday, and that I pray you will prioritize in yours. You know, now that I think about it, this is really a happy day . .
With my love and prayers for you!