Thoughts on Becoming Thirty

One of my good friends has a theory on thirty. When she turned 30 she claimed that she had not entered her 30s, she was just on the brink of them. When she turned 31, she said that she had not yet entered her 30s because 30s denotes more than 1 and since she was only 31, she wasn’t really in her 30s. This year when she turned 32 she gave up. She asked me if I was going to follow in her theory and I kindly declined. I feel good to be entering this new decade. My 20s were interesting but I think that I will enjoy my 30s even more. Onward and upward.

I thought that in honor of this occasion I would jot down some milestones of these past 10 years…good, bad and ugly.

Graduated college

Worked a regular job for 7 years (meaning 40+ hours a week)
Reach Out Ministries- 1 year
World Relief, with refugees- 1 year
Mission to the World, with 2 year missionaries- 4 years
Army Education Center- 1 year

Spoke in Chapel at Asbury
Taught a seminar at PWOC Annual Training Conference
Had an article published

Lived in 3 different states, and 1 different country
Beginning with post-college years, my first move was to Atlanta. Since that move I have moved 8 more times (not including the upcoming one back to Atlanta), 3 of those moves were with Dave.

Visited 41 states (in my whole life I have only missed 3, Alaska, Vermont and Oklahoma)
Traveled in 23 Countries

Owned a VW, Mercedes-Benz and BMW…I have purposely excluded the years of these cars.

Got married
Became an Aunt
Had a baby

Been involved in 4 different churches:
EVFree, Newbury Park, CA
First Alliance, Lexington, KY
Intown Community Church, Atlanta, Georgia
Good Samaritan 0930 Protestant Chapel Service, Baumholder, Germany

Mixed into all those things have been lots of difficult experiences. Over the last 10 years I have grown up and am beginning to see the many flaws in my personality. I see my daily struggle with sin, things I have done and things I have left undone. I have hurt people with my words and actions and my lack of compassion. I see that often I desire control more than peace. I like things my way and want to be right at all times.

I hope these next 10 years will be filled with many more adventures, but also a lot of growing up. I hope that I will diligently seek the Lord, and that He will refine those areas in my life that are in desperate need of work. I hope that I will learn how to show compassion to those in need, and maybe even to those that I don’t think are deserving of compassion. I hope that during these next 10 years I will grow in my awareness of my own sin and my need daily for the saving work of Christ.