Find God’s purpose for your stage of life.

I just passed my 45^th birthday, and I must admit that high number sounds absolutely surreal. Forty seemed like yesterday, but now I’m halfway to the big “5-0” already! Thankfully, age is a relative thing, right? We’re only as old as we feel, which some days might feel for me like even more than forty-five years old!

Regardless, of my age or the age that I may feel, my desire continues to be as the motto says, “Be all there!” I encourage my teenagers to be “all in” as well. We must live our lives without regret because James 1:14 says, “For you are a mist that appears a little time and then vanishes.” Nobody knows how many years the Lord may give him or her, but Psalm 90:10 says, “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.”

I am thankful to work around young people who are vibrant, full of life, and keep me young at heart. This school year, I am teaching computer classes to students in first through sixth grades and ESL classes to students in ninth through eleventh grades. Teaching such a broad range of students requires a significant amount of tailoring to the specific age levels. On top of that, students within a grade level always have varying needs, resulting in the rather complicated challenge.

Because the task of teaching to a broad spectrum is challenging (and in order to keep my sanity), I rely on the tried-and-true curriculum that is provided for both the computer and ESL classes. Using the scope and sequence of the curriculum as my guide, I can break down the lessons into organized weekly goals. Each weekly goal has a bite-size objective and essential question. If we accomplish each weekly objective along the way, by the end of the year, we will have learned a ton! While I don’t have the details of every single lesson planned out overly far ahead, I know the big picture and can proceed relatively stress-free.

I don’t know about you, but many of my previous college professors, administrators, and first bosses are now retirement age—yet another sign of my turning 45! Many of these men and women have a wealth of knowledge and experience stored up in their minds and hearts. As they hit retirement age, they desire to pass the information on to the next generation by writing a book; however, they are overwhelmed by the prospect of where to even begin such an endeavor. The good news may be that they finally have the time to tackle the project though. And, after all, if they had written the book when they were too “green,” they might feel the need to revise it now because of yet more wisdom gained.

The best way for these men and women to begin the task is by brainstorming their ideas and pulling together articles and lessons on specific topics they have developed over the years. This step will be unique to each individual, but once this background/research stage is done, the author can begin to construct an outline or table of contents for his or her book, whittling out material that strays from the desired purpose. These authors need to remember that writing and rewriting is an arduous process that will require a huge time commitment on their part. Writing a book is not for the faint of heart or for mind readers to do on your behalf, but once the final message is compiled and perfected as far as the author is concerned, then the author is ready for an editor to begin chiseling and refining the material further so that nothing detracts from the core message of the heartfelt manuscript. If the author can endure the process, the final product will be a legacy of wisdom to pass on to coming generations.

Thankfully, once the thoughts begin to flow, the process will get easier. Imagine how long a paragraph seems to a first grade student, and while my first grade students think twenty-five is “old,” forty-five might be considered the prime of life in comparison to sixty-five and the looming but blessed years of retirement. Recently, I had some third grade students research two websites to find key things that happened in a year of their choosing. Apparently, something significant with World War I happened in 1917, the year picked by one student, and one of the students asked me if I remembered that???!!! After the student did the math (I’d be 99), I decided to give the class three tries at my age. The answers were unashamedly 40, 51, and 69. (I now know which students will get the A’s vs. the C’s—just kidding, of course!) Nonetheless, each season of life has its unique challenges and opportunities. I pray that you will find God’s purpose in your stage of life and fulfill His purpose willingly and wholeheartedly, realizing that the opportunities pass all too quickly.

So be all there—wherever you are right now. As the saying goes, “Bloom where you are planted.” And if God’s laying it on your heart to write a book, you can do it . . . one chapter at a time . . . just take the first step of brainstorming, followed by the outline, and the adventure will have sprouted wings. Once you land and complete the manuscript, reach out to an editor like me who can help you refine the manuscript before you publish it.