A LIFE TRANSFORMED: SEASONS OF LIFE

A Special Guest Post by Carolyn Offermann

I love this season of my life, just as I have loved all of the preceding seasons. I am not quite sure if I am in autumn or winter, but I don’t want to backtrack and I don’t want to fast forward—-I want to click PAUSE and revel in this place.

I have a good measure of health and a world of opportunities at my feet. I love having my family complete with the addition of daughters and son in-law and, of course, my 15 grandchildren All are at perfect stages of their lives and I enjoy not only being with them but observing how they are living out their lives.

I have the chances to use the wisdom accumulated from being in “the school of hard knocks”, to use learning curves to still challenge me, and hopefully a barrel-full of encouragement gleaned from others, to share with people who need it along the way.

I am so thankful to God to be living in this “Grace Place” which looks like this: five children who passionately love the Lord, 5 devoted daughters and son in law, my loving friends, grandkids who are growing in the love of Jesus and, of course, a life-time partner who has truly loved me unconditionally for 48 years, who is a Jesus lover, and without a doubt is my favorite preacher and my leaning post. It is he who ever urges me on to reach for the trophy. I don’t know where I would be today if God hadn’t crossed our paths back in high school. I am in a great place right now.

This in no way means there are no fights to be fought, no fears to be overcome, no problems to be solved, no challenges to be faced, no relationships to be fought for or sorrows to be borne. I suppose I could say I have never been so stretched beyond myself, so ashamed of my little faith, so lacking in knowledge that should have been learned, and so infantile in prayer skills. Yet this is still a great place to be!

When you are 70 years old, you realize you have more history than future. This causes one to be reflective. To meet Jesus daily and feel His love, mercy and grace has become an urgent daily need. Phil. 3:10 says, “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.” In other words, I want to be more like Him and less like Carolyn!

I also notice certain Scriptures I never noticed before: Isaiah 46:4 says, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He; I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you”. And Psalm 71:18: “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come”. It is this latter verse that most often comes to mind in this season of my life, especially as a grandmother.

The next generation weighs heavily on my heart. I see this is the season for me to throw everything I have into declaring His power to the next generation. In Acts 13:36 it says of David, “For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep.” I DON’T WANT TO FALL ASLEEP until my work is through.

I desire for this next generation to know of Jesus’ power to save, to equip this next generation to do the work of reaching all nations for Jesus, to use all of us to turn our world upside down for Him. Above all, I want to remind all who are younger than me to be busy proclaiming His power to the generation coming after them.

As a follower of Jesus, my heart aches to stop people in Walmart, the mall, McDonald’s, wherever and say, “Let me tell you……”

Please, never leave home in the morning without a holy expectation that there are people to talk to about His love, BEFORE your head ever goes on the pillow at night.

And now you see THAT’S WHY THIS SEASON IN MY LIFE GETS A WHOLE LOT MORE URGENT.

So…which season are you entering? Exiting? OR in the midst of? Whatever the season, the season has a spirit of urgency; remember the command in Matthew 28 to share the Good News of Jesus.

And whatever season you are in, I trust you will be able to say as I can, “This is a great place, and a grace place to be!”

Each season in life strengthens and prepares one for the next season.

Every season is filled with learning, giving, and experiencing.

Embrace yours!

This devotion was originally shared by Carolyn Offermann at the Women’s Fellowship Brunch at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church on Saturday, May 14, 2016.