When Bill Hawks was 64 years old, he accepted a call to be a missionary to Kenya, East Africa, even though accepting that call hadn’t been part of his plan. Having completed a long pastoral ministry, he intended to retire. Upon returning to his home in St. Joseph, Missouri after teaching in a youth conference, however, he discovered a letter in his mailbox from the secretary of his denominational mission board saying missionaries were urgently needed in three areas: Singapore, India and Nairobi, Kenya.

“But, Lord, I’m too far along—too old to go to the mission field,” Bill said. Then he remembered that Moses had been 80 when he was called to active duty and commissioned to lead his people out of slavery. Somehow Bill didn’t feel too old after all and, discovering the positions in Singapore and India were filled, he and his wife Helen were soon on their way to Kenya to establish a Bible college, a challenge that became one of the greatest adventures of their lives.

In his article, “Growing Old Is Not All That Bad” Dr. W. Wilbert Welch wrote, “When is a person old? Actually, age is more an attitude than birthdays. Not long ago at a gathering of senior citizens, a bright eyed lady whispered to me, ‘Today I’m celebrating my 39th birthday for the 39th time!’ No one would have guessed that she was 78. Her age was not a handicap to happiness, but only a mark on her chronological calendar.”

At the time of writing his article on the excitement of aging, Dr. Welch said he had waved farewell to the wonderful seventies and stepped into the enjoyable eighties. He then warned against living with a rearview mirror perspective, saying a backward look prevents us from enjoying the wonderful scenery ahead.

Dr. Welch wasn’t the first to note the danger of constantly looking back and trying to relive yesterdays. But how does one learn to see the past as past, the present pleasant and the future fantastic? Dr. Welch said he kept a list of the Lord’s prescriptions for aging on his desk and a reminder to take them every day:

“Let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:1).

“Let the peace of God rule in your heart” (Colossians 3:14).

“In everything give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Remembering to take these miracle medications daily will increase our faith, eliminate our fears and enable us to face the future with confidence.

Long ago, I decided to rule three words out of my vocabulary: “AT MY AGE.” These life limiters can rob us of adventures and accomplishments, causing the young to feel incapable, because of their lack of experience, and the old to feel its time to

fold their tents, believing they’ve passed their time of peak production.

Each morning I begin my day with the following quote sent to me on an attractive card by a caring friend: “I am only one, but I am one; I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do; and by the grace of God I will do it!”

Notice there are no age limitations in this powerful morning motivator.

Let’s give ourselves to serving God and helping people...today!

Roger Campbell is an author, a columnist and broadcaster who was a pastor for 22 years. He can be reached at rcministry@ameritech.net.