 “As you follow the Lord Jesus, may you be one who sets your face to finish the course the Father has set before you. May God bless you in the afternoon of your life and make you a faithful follower of Jesus.”
Christopher Ash, Not Old, Not Young, Not Done Here I am, in that lovely stage of life referred to as “perimenopause” which may last from 2 to 67 years. (Yes, I pronounced that as six-seeeven when I typed it -- I am a middle school teacher, after all). Our kids have left the nest, I am counting the days (and seconds) until retirement, and I am trying to age semi-gracefully. So when I spotted Christopher Ash’s book “Not Old, Not Young, Not Done: Following Jesus in Your 50s and 60s”, it only took me 6-7 seconds to decide to add it to my TBR list. After a couple of hot flashes, I quickly decided to upgrade the book from my ever-growing TBR list to the MRN (must read now) list. Within a few chapters, it had me nodding and thinking, this should go on my RAS (read again soon) list. I found myself wishing that this book had been published twenty years ago so that I could have been more prepared when the hormone roller coaster started. The “Menopause” appendix by Sarah Allen was itself worth the price of the book. (And yes, now her book Pause is on my TBR list.) With that said, don’t overlook this book if you are in your 40s, or 30s, or even 20s. It is never too soon to think about how we can follow Jesus faithfully in any stage of life. Ash’s book has a redemptive focus for every aspect of aging. Yes, we are going to lose muscle. Our reaction times will slow (oh good, now I have a legitimate excuse for being clumsy and uncoordinated). Our bodies will deteriorate (spoiler alert) and our minds are not exempt, either. Our frustration over these changes is because these things are not supposed to be normal. The creaky joints and leaky bladders are a reminder of the weight of sin. But as believers we know that this weight is light compared to the weight of glory that is coming (2 Corinthians 4:17). As I dove into this book, I kept thinking of people from our church—walking, talking examples of everything Ash was describing! I met regularly with a woman who, even before retirement was on the horizon, would talk about the plans that she and her husband had for serving after retirement. Ash encourages us to establish Titus 2 relationships — both with older believers who can help us and younger believers that we can mentor. These encouragements challenged me to reexamine how much time I spend filling my TBR list—and how little time I invest in relationships. Our bodies may be sagging and our minds may be lagging, but Ash gently reminds us that we can’t use those as an excuse to slack off in consistent godly habits. Reading our Bible, praying, and serving others can keep our hearts focused on an eternal perspective. Ash also warns us of the temptation to think that aging means we have earned the right to be grumpy or selfish. This made me pause — I can’t use second puberty as an excuse to treat others poorly. It is so easy to be blind to my faults and motives. These are reminders that I need to rely on Christ and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in my life. So, even as I struggle to make it through another day when I am mad at the world or feel like crying for no reason — his strength is evident in my weakness. From this book I learned that there is no retirement from growth in grace and sanctification. I can find ways to intentionally and diligently glorify God and serve others. I can even find joy amidst the rollercoaster of menopause and ever-changing middle school lingo. Because my identity is rooted in Christ, I am not defined by my physical and mental limitations. Because I am anchored by the hope found in his Word, I can do more than just survive —I can thrive. The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. Psalm 92:12-15 (ESV)
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 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:1-4 What did you notice when you read the text of Ephesians 6:1-4? The command to children: “honor your father and mother” and the command to parents: “bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” probably stood out. But what about the command to parents that Paul gives before he says “bring them up”? He gives a negative command even before the positive command. But the negative part of this verse is sometimes overlooked. It is easy for us to see the “specks” in our children’s eyes when we are training them, but we may miss the “beams” in our own eyes (Matthew 7:3-5). As we examine our “beams” through the lens of Scripture, we can begin to understand how we may unintentionally provoke our children to anger. Our lack of discipline, our words, our quick reactions, and our busy schedules may be hindering our efforts to bring up our children in the Lord. Proverbs 22:15 explains that discipline helps a child see the foolishness of his actions. Consequences and instruction are a crucial part of bringing up our children in the Lord. So as we consider what it means to provoke our children to anger, it’s important to clarify that this doesn’t mean that we should never deny our children something they want or avoid doing something they won’t like. As Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4:29-32, our words should be gracious and kind. We should strive to speak encouraging and uplifting words whenever possible. Do we only quote Scripture when our children have been disobedient or disrespectful? And when we reprimand them, do we also demonstrate forgiveness when they have shown a desire to change? Frequent reminders of the gospel, grace, and forgiveness are crucial aspects of parenting — for ourselves and for our children! In addition to careful consideration of our words, it is also helpful to understand when it would be better to refrain from speaking. Proverbs 18:13 says “If a man gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.” Pausing, listening carefully, and even taking time to pray before we speak can prevent misunderstanding. Resisting the urge to instantly provide an answer shows patience and humility and reflects God’s character to our children. Our words are important, but God’s words are even more important. In Deuteronomy 6:6-8, Moses tells the Israelites that they are to have God’s words in their heart and then they need to repeat them to their children throughout their daily routines. Learning about Scripture at church isn’t enough. If we neglect to talk about his Word on a daily basis, our children will have trouble understanding that Scripture is applicable to all aspects of our lives. Taking advantage of teaching moments during the course of the day is one way to provide consistent training in the Lord. Using windows of opportunity throughout the day is one way to incorporate God’s word into the rhythms of our lives. But it is also worthwhile to examine our schedules throughout the week. Do we set aside large chunks of time just to rest together as a family at home? Or are our schedules so full that we are rushing from one event to another? All our activities — sports, church ministry, clubs, music lessons — may be enjoyable and good. But when they crowd out the priorities of time with God and family, they become distractions from what is most important. These are some of the ways we may drift into habits that can provoke our children to anger. I am reminded of all the ways that we fell short in our parenting. We reacted in anger when we should have paused and prayed. We had seasons of busyness when dinner together at the table was a rare occasion. Sometimes I failed to see all the ways our kids were changing and growing more like Christ — and only focused on what they could do better. But we also know that neither our parenting nor our children’s salvation and growth in Christlikeness is dependent on our efforts. Jesus is the only perfect son — he lived a sinless life. Then he willingly suffered the punishment that we deserve. Jesus conquered sin and death once for all and was raised. It is in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection that we have hope for our children and ourselves. The cross reminds us that we can turn to God in repentance when we realize we have done something to provoke our children to anger. And then we can turn to our children to ask for their forgiveness. We can demonstrate humility when we fail and show forgiveness and grace when our children fail. We are responsible to parent faithfully while relying on the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. But in the end, what our children need most is not perfect parents, but a perfect Savior.  We sing to Yahweh
We praise the Almighty He is our God He is the warrior Who has power over the enemy Holy, Holy, Holy God has triumphed -- we respond together Like the stars at creation From bondage and darkness He has led through the sea And we give thanks with melody Our song tells the story God has saved us through judgment The enemy boasted of certain victory Yahweh shattered him with fury Our song is a witness -- Of what God has done He has guided us and redeemed us When we go astray These words bring us back to truth We sing, we pray, we cry What we know is true The world is watching Let them see the power of your arm Let them hear us singing boldly We sing for the journey ahead When the way forward is uncertain We look back to remember We know that victory is at hand We sing for those who can’t-- When the storms threaten In weakness and in doubt -- Our voices carry them to the cross Anchoring them in hope We will be together someday Singing together of deliverance A choir of peoples praising him The song of Moses and the Lamb Free from the vanquished enemy We exalt the Almighty Who has power over the nations We worship you Yahweh You and you alone Holy, Holy, Holy Scripture references: Exodus 15; Revelation 15 This piece was inspired by a sermon preached by Pastor Ken Winter (Heritage Fellowship Church, Springfield, Ohio on January 11, 2026). You can watch the full sermon here.  New Year. New resolutions. New Bible reading plan. But wait, why are we talking about New Year’s resolutions in March? Because I suspect that, for many of us, our reading plan fizzled out somewhere around February 21. Or the lists of unclean animals in Leviticus.
We all know it’s important to read Scripture regularly. So we choose a Bible reading plan and then life happens. We forget a few days and then spend extra time rushing through to catch up. Fatigue and stress hinder our efforts -- so we skim quickly, check the box, and move on with our day. We don’t feel encouraged or inspired; we wonder if it’s worth the time. Sigh. I’ve been there. My bookmark has stalled in Leviticus many times! So how do we make good on our reading resolutions? How do we read all of Scripture -- yes, even Leviticus -- regularly, thoughtfully, and productively? Maybe we need to change our perspective! We typically see Bible reading as a plan to be executed with checkboxes to mark. Instead of thinking of it as another part of our “to do” list, let’s approach Bible reading as an adventure. This adventure is a life-changing experience! As Proverbs 2:4-5 says, “If you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.” Here are some ways to embark on your treasure-seeking, Bible reading adventure. Chart your treasure map. It’s great to have a goal, but expecting to finish the Bible in a year may not be realistic. If you’ve chosen a year-long plan, ignore the dates. When you miss a day, just start where you left off. Don’t try to catch up on one, two, or twelve, days all at once. If it takes 615 days instead of 365 -- you’ve still read the entire Bible. That’s reason for celebration! Adjust your compass. As long as you are ignoring the dates, rather than working through the reading plan each day, make a goal of reading 4-5 times a week. Then use the other days to spend time reading for your small group study, looking back at the sermon notes from the last week, or doing a deeper dive on a topic or passage. Widen your treasure field. Since you won’t be following the plan every day, consider reading the Bible like you would another piece of literature. Read 5-10 chapters at once. You will start to see the repeated ideas and get a better feel for the human author’s style and tone. Return to the treasure. Another way to notice themes and tone from a specific book of the Bible is to read that book repeatedly over a short period of time. Instead of quickly moving on to the next book, read it again. And maybe a third time. This is the first step in doing an in-depth study of the book! Survey your treasure. After you read, write a one sentence summary of each chapter. If you use a journaling Bible, write it at the top of the page. Or start a notebook just for chapter summaries. This is a great tool to help you remember what you read. When you start reading the next day, go back and read the summaries from the previous chapters. It will remind you of the context of what you are about to read. Chapter summaries are also a great way to create an outline of the book if you are going to do a deeper study of the book. Seek help from the treasure’s Master. Ready your heart to learn from the Word by asking for help from the Author! Matt Smethhurst encourages us to read humbly, joyfully, desperately, studiously, obediently, expectantly, communally, and Christocentrically. In his book, Before You Open Your Bible: Nine Postures for Approaching God’s Word, he explains how these heart attitudes can reenergize our Bible reading adventure. Celebrate the quest. Treasure-seeking can be exciting, but it can also be hard work. You may get lost; you may not find nuggets of wisdom. Your adventure doesn’t always end in feeling encouraged or inspired. That’s okay! Your feelings are not the indication of the effectiveness of the Word. Regardless of the immediate outcome, you can be assured that God is working in your life through his Word. Spend some time thanking Him for Scripture and how His Word will bear fruit in the days and years to come. The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Psalm 19:7-11 |
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