May 19, 2023

A Blessing for Aging ... Trusting and Flourishing

May 19, 2023/ jan

Aging is hard. When we are young, aged people are often “invisible.” Life is so busy for parents of growing families, adults who are building careers, even middle aged people who are young enough to travel and serve. They all have “big, busy lives.”

As we get older, our lives can get smaller. Our capacity shrinks and much of our time, attention, and energies are absorbed by health issues. Life gets hard and can feel hopeless.

August 27, 2021

Urgent Prayer Needed for a Dear Sister

August 27, 2021/ jan

Dear Praying Readers,

There is an urgent need for prayer on behalf of a dear sister in the Lord.

Peggy is almost 90 years young and has experienced the sudden and deep loss of her husband. And this has come in the midst of a long period of personal physical pain. The surgery that was to be her only option to fix the fracture in her hip was scheduled for mid-September. But it has now been cancelled indefinitely because of COVID.

Dearest friends, would you beseech our God on behalf of this dear one whom Jesus loves. Rescue, deliverance, healing in Jesus name.

January 14, 2020

An Encouraging Friend . . . Fruitfulness in the Journey

January 14, 2020/ jan

I had to giggle. . . it sounded like Peggy was basically telling me to “Suck it up, Jan,” despite my vertigo and dizziness.

And the Holy Spirit whispered His encouragement and His own “Suck it up” to me:

If Peggy can keep on painting at 88 years of age, despite her health issues, you can keep on writing!”

Yes, my darling friend Peggy is 88 years old and still painting. So let me share a few of her gems with you:

October 21, 2019

Wondrous Words for We Wobbly Ones

October 21, 2019/ jan

Dear fellow Wobbly Ones,

I was meditating in some of the Psalms the other day, and I thought of you, my faithful readers. Many of you responded in some way to the previous post of “Walking Wobbly in This World.”

The following Psalm blessed me afresh as i read it again as if for the first time.

December 26, 2017

Processing and Praying about Aging

December 26, 2017/ jan

I recently visited an older friend who is in a rehab center. The purpose for his being there is a good one: recovery from repeated infections in order to prepare for other medical procedures. But my friend is fighting it every inch of the way ... Oh how sad. What a waste of the precious few moments left in his valuable life.

But as I have been observing those older than me and listening to the stories of their care-giving loved ones, I have to pause. Oh how I want to age graciously. I want to leave this earth speaking truth and living love.

May 30, 2017

Facing my Mortality ... Reflections on Turning 70

May 30, 2017/ jan

Facing my mortality is good for my soul.

And my "decade-turning birthday" does give me pause, unlike any other. I don't care that they say that 70 is the new 60. Who are the "they" anyway? It's wishful thinking ... just like all the other decade-turning birthdays were. For some reason in our culture, we think we should be above aging!

Yes, there are amazing advances in medical and health sciences that keep pushing the survival rate higher and higher. But what about the "soul's survival rate"? What about the quality of the inner life that transcends the outer?

A Branch in the Vine