Life After 23

So get this.  I'm reading in Deuteronomy for my devotional this morning, and I come across some food for thought that really has nothing to do with the devotional article's focus.  But there I am, with this cool new interpretation of Scripture that, honestly, I probably should have gotten before now. Anyway, the kicker for me this morning is Deut. 6:25, which says in the NLT, "For we will be counted as righteous when we obey all the commands the Lord our God has given us."  (For some context, Moses is addressing the nation of Israel with a final charge before he dies and the people enter the Promised Land.  More on that in the next post.)  Right off the bat, I think, "Oh, well this just describes the first part of the picture - the one where generations of Israelites (and a few converts) tried and failed miserably to earn salvation through works. This doesn't apply anymore."  After all, a good portion of Moses' entire charge is rules and regul...

In a couple of months, I will leave age 23 behind forever.  I realize that I am still young, but for the first time in my life, I am not happy about reaching my next birthday.  When I was a kid, I couldn't imagine myself not wanting to get older.  Now, I can't imagine wanting my age to increase. For as long as I can remember, I have had well-established dreams and goals for my life.  By the time I hit middle school, I had a plan.  I would go to a small university, preferably one like Camp bell University, and major in something government related.  Hopefully a fellow I wanted to date would come along during that time.  I would graduate with honors and use that education to make a difference in the lives of the unborn and their mothers facing crisis pregnancies.  Marriage would follow on the heels of college, preferably to a man modeled after my childhood best friend.  While I continued to work with ministry to the unborn, my husband and I w...