Twenty-Seven

I turned 27 today.

To this I say.

Thank goodness.

Now, don't get me wrong, I know this inevitable march to getting older is going to suck more and more as time goes along. Also, I recognize that nothing has really changed between October 15th and 16th except for a few items checked off the to-do list at work, a few pounds gained from eating cake, and buying a sweet ceramic walnut dish that my wife and I are going to now use as a butter dish.

Yet, I always see birthdays as a chance to do a mental refresh.

Don't get me wrong, there was a lot of great stuff about year 26.

I spent another awesome year being married to my wife. I met a few great people, and deepened my relationships with a bunch more. I got my first chance to work full time in church ministry. I learned a ton in seminary. I got to be introduced to Savannah, Columbus, Indianapolis, Nashville, Hilton Head, Tybee, and the Black Hills. I got to explore the Chattahoochee and the North Georgia Mountains even more. I spent another awesome holiday season with friends and family. I got one step closer to fulfilling career goals, and my call to ministry.

But, in other ways, 26 was tough. My reasons list on that won't be as extensive, but many of you know some of them, some of you know many of them, and few of you will ever know all of them. But, the good often comes with the bad, and a lot of it is just a part of this thing called life. Losing friends, gaining anxiety, and days with depression, frustration, and heartache are a part of the human experience.

But, here is the thing. It is the thing I've learned throughout my 27 years of life, but am still working to gain a foothold on.

People are complex. Life is worth living. This world is beautiful.

But most importantly, the story of Jesus Christ and the love of God is more vast, open, wide, beautiful, wonderful, welcoming, and amazing than we can imagine.

People like to claim an ownership over that love or that story. That love and that story is a part of us. Not through anything we have done, but because of the grace of God given to us through Jesus Christ. Because of that, it belongs not just to any one person or a group of people. Instead, it belongs to all of us. We've just got to be willing to open our eyes, reach up, and reach out.

But it's not simply something to keep to ourselves. The Holy Spirit leads us to let that love run wild through this world, right here, right now. When we live as God created us to live, as Jesus taught us to live, and how the Holy Spirit leads us to live, then we can let it transform our own lives, but also the world and the people around us. That means something here in this world, to speak out for the voiceless, help the needy, and stand up for justice.

Ok, maybe that is a little more than just a "thing."

For me, 27 could be a big one.  Year 27 I'll graduate seminary (Lord willing). Year 27 I'll get my first call (LORD WILLING!). But regardless of what 27 brings, and no matter what year it is for you and what it brings, we can hold fast to the truth that life and love are worth holding onto.