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I want to offer the encouragement that, as a daughter of the Most High, it is crucial to consider and prioritize maturing in the Lord and growing in godliness. I’ve been re-reading and re-riveted by Jean Fleming’s insightful book, Pursue the Intentional Life.

When Jean turned fifty, she took a long walk near her home in Colorado Springs and prayed about what kind of older woman she would become and how she should think about her remaining years. (A stellar example for any woman at any age!)

A concern she pondered on her walk that day struck me:

“I feared living my remaining years vaguely, merely driving in the wake of those living unconsidered lives. I desired to move into the coming years with vigor and focus. Then, too, I feared becoming a pinched and grouchy old person. The truth is that, all things unchanged, the women we will be at seventy, eighty and ninety are the women we are at forty and fifty — only distilled.”
(Pursue The Intentional Life, Jean Fleming)

A person doesn’t suddenly become kind, wise, and gracious just by reaching a certain age. Jean says, “The truth is that everyone, regardless of age, is already setting patterns for the shape of her life. These patterns of thought and practice will either serve the glory and purposes of God or hinder them.”

What kind of women will we become? I agree with Jean that, to a great degree, that depends on how attentive we will be to our thought and practice patterns and how tenacious we are in our commitment to continue to learn to walk in a manner worthy of the gospel.
Knowing full well that life has an expiration date, let’s consider with care how we will live today and each of the rest of the days of our lives.

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12