40 is the new 40 - Part II

My first post was titled 40 is the new 40. I titled it that because we often hear people make the comment, “40 is the new 30.” It sounds as if something is terribly wrong with 40 and maybe I want to be 30 again. NOT! I was a mess at 30. I didn’t like the person I was so I searched for myself in other people and things. My 30s were much like my 20s. And though I thought I was having fun, I was still longing and missing something. I kept thinking that with age I would simply become wiser and one day something “good” would just happen for me.

It was in my mid 30s that I really started to self-evaluate. I had that “Aha” moment, as Oprah says. I realized God created me in His image. He’s great! So greatness was (is) already in me. I realized that God created me for a reason. I needed to find out what that meant and what was I called to do? I realized that now (then) was the time. Enough time had been “wasted.”

The year leading up to my 40 birthday was a really refreshing year. I felt God’s presence like never before. I could hear Him clearly speaking to me. Most importantly, I felt a release. I felt as though He was giving me permission to live and to live out my purpose for which I was created (for His glory!) When you read my first post, you see how it all came together so I won’t repeat what was said.

But here’s what I want YOU to get…

40 is MY new 40. Everything clicked for me. I get it. I finally get it. And I’m so truly and tremendously happy, as a result!

But the post really isn’t about being or turning 40. It’s about recognizing that for which I was created. I stopped running and searching and simply accepted the call. I’m hoping that by telling my story, you will see yourself in me and you will also have an “Aha” moment. If you’re young, maybe you will realize it before the age of 40. If you’re older, maybe you will realize it’s not too late. You, too, were created by the hand of God, for a purpose. It doesn’t matter if you are 20, 30, 60, or 80. You are never too young or old to fulfill God’s purpose and plan for your life! The point is to start where you are right now. Embrace where you are in your life right now. Don’t fret over could’ve, would’ve, should’ve. Get out of the cycle of self-pity and regretful thinking. Stop thinking that you missed the call and now you’re too old. Life doesn’t end when you reach a certain age. Realize that you’re still alive! TODAY! AT THIS MOMENT! You still have a chance! And there’s still time! All you have to do is make the decision. Today is the day for you to start living the life for which you were created! This is your wake-up call! Start living and living your purpose today!

And just in case you need a little more motivation, enjoy the tidbits below... :)

For the young-uns…

• Fats Domino was a professional pianist by 10
• At 13, French painter Renoir worked at a porcelain factory, painting flowers on dishware
• At 15, Henry Ford, disliking life on the farm, moved to Detroit and trained as a machinist
• At 18, Elias Howe, who worked in a watchmaking shop, dreamed the idea of the sewing machine and worked on developing it for the next five years
• At 26, College dropout Steve Wozniak co-founded Apple Computer

For the middle-aged…

• At 30, Mark Twain published his first short story, "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog."
• At 34, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry, publishes "The Star Spangled Banner."
• At 40, Joan Ganz Cooney founded Children's Television Workshop and became the mastermind behind "Sesame Street."
• At 55, Painter Pablo Picasso completed his masterpiece, Guernica

For the seasoned…

• Grandma Moses started painting when she was 64
• Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the President of South Africa at the age of 75
• Michelangelo designed the dome in St. Peter's Basilica between the ages of 72-88
• Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Guggenheim Museum when he was 91