I’d like to take a few minutes to do something a bit different today. Usually we talk about discipleship and following Jesus, but today is my 50th birthday and if you’ll allow me to, I’d like to share some reflections with you.50 is an interesting age. I always wanted to live to be 100 years old, so I guess I have reached the halfway mark. I remember think 50 was pretty old. Now I know 50 is not as old as it used to be. Birthdays are a good time to count your blessings.I’ve been so blessed in my life. I have wonderful parents who are still living. They raised me to serve God and I’m so thankful. I have three brothers and two sisters, all who love God.I have a loving wife. This year we celebrate 28 years together. We have three amazing daughters who are all just about grown up now. Though, I faced a health challenge this year, I am grateful to be healthy in body, mind, and spirit.My life has been so enriched by wonderful friendships. I have ministry colleagues who challenge and encourage me.I’m so blessed to have the opportunity to serve as the lead pastor of Pacific Christian Center, here in Santa Maria, California. I absolutely love my church and my city. Everyday I thank God for bringing me here.Several people have asked me, “How does it feel turning 50 years old?” If I feel any sadness in aging it is that I only have one life to serve the Lord. God has been so good to me, sometimes I wish I had another life I could give to God.As I look back, to be honest I do have some regrets. There are times I wish I had been more decisive in my leadership. I wish I had cared less about what people thought about me. I wish I had showed my wife and children more love and had given them more of my time. I certainly wish I had prayed more.But life is a journey and we learn as we go along. As I enter this new season of my life and start the 50’s, there are five things I want to focus on.I want to finish strong the race God has set before me. I want to end my journey as a man of integrity, honesty, faithfulness, and dedication to God.2. I want to remain faithful to my wife and to my children. The love of my wife is more important to me than the love of the world. I would rather be famous in my own home than famous to the world. My most important discipleship is at home. With all of my heart I want my wife, my children and I to go to Heaven together.3. I want to see lost people find faith in Jesus. In this next season I want to do everything I can to lead people to the savior. I want to lead our church to be evangelistic and to see our families, friends, and neighbors find salvation in Jesus.4. I want to invest my life in the next generation. I’m reaching an age where the younger generation sees me as a father figure. I want to disciple, to mentor, to teach, and to train the next generation to follow Christ, to find their purpose, and to make a difference.5. I want my life to bring glory and honor to Jesus. I’m not worthy of his grace and his mercy. He loved me enough to give his life so I could live. I want my every breath to honor Christ. I want my life, my words, my example, my attitude, and all I am to give Him glory.Finally, I just want to say thank you for joining me on this podcast journey. We started this 5 minute thing last August, not really knowing what we are going. God has blessed this work and amazingly over the past eight months the podcast has been downloaded over 75,000 times. I pray this ministry continues to bless you and that it inspires you to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ.

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