Why It's Never Too Late to Pursue Your Calling
By Valerie West
4.5 min read
"It's never too late to be what you might have been." George Eliot
Do you have a dream of planting a church or ministry? Are you feeling apprehensive about pursuing the call and mandate God has placed on you? Maybe you have a passion for helping others, but you're feeling a little too "mature" to start something new, something beyond anything you've ever tried before. Pastor, if this is you, you are in great company!
In today’s blog, we will look at 9 people who prove it’s never too late to start—and what we can learn from them.
4 Senior Citizens Who Made History
Let’s take a look at 4 people who defied odds to achieve groundbreaking feats:
1. Gladys Burril ran her first marathon in 2004 as an 86-year-old. Burrill eventually completed five Honolulu Marathons out of seven attempts, with her last one setting the Guinness World Record for the oldest woman to complete a marathon. At 92 years old, she finished the run on December 12, 2010, in 9 hours, 53 minutes, and 16 seconds.*
2. The oldest person to be awarded a doctorate is Emeritus Professor Dr. Heinz Wenderoth (Germany), who was awarded the degree of Doctor of Science by the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University of Hannover on September 29, 2008, at the age of 97. The subject of his dissertation was "Cell Biological Studies in the Morphology and Physiology of primitive marine Placozoons Trichoplax Adhaerens."*
3. Retired Lt. Col. James C. Warren is a former navigator of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American military aviators in the United States armed forces. At the age of 87, he became the oldest person in the world to receive his pilot's license.*
4. Kansas-born Nola Ochs took her first college course at Fort Hays State University in 1930 — but didn't complete her degree until 2007, at the age of 95, becoming the nation's oldest college graduate. After raising four sons and becoming a grandmother to 13 and great-grandmother to 15, Ochs started taking a few classes at her local community college to keep herself busy. Before she knew it, she was just 30 hours shy of a bachelor's degree, and she decided to re-enroll at FHSU. But graduating with a 3.7 GPA — alongside her 21-year-old granddaughter! — wasn't quite enough: Ochs then decided to get her master's degree in liberal studies, which she received from FHSU in May 2010 at the age of 98. " **
John Barrymore said, "A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams." The above-mentioned "senior citizens" certainly did not allow themselves to get old by living in regret. They lived life to the absolute fullest, all of them starting a new career, hobby, and/or activity in their later years that pushed them to become everything they were supposed to be and do more than they ever could've imagined.
It's Not too Late to Become Ordained
One of the biggest misconceptions people called to ministry today believe is that they must go to seminary to become ordained. Sadly, this misunderstanding stops many men and women from answering the call because they do not have the means and time to attend ministry school. However, the truth is - you can become ordained through the very church you plant! And at StartCHURCH, we want to help you do just that. We will help you launch the vision that's been in your heart for years - and become legally ordained in the process! To learn more about your next steps, call us today at 877-494-4655 and check out our Equipped to Ordain video course! Read more at our recent blog here: Ordained Without Seminary.
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5 Mature Biblical Leaders As Our Example
According to the power at work within me, God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above everything I can ask, infinitely beyond my highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, and dreams. - Ephesians 3:20
Let's talk about a few Biblical leaders and what they accomplished:
1. Perhaps King Benjamin's greatest sermon was given when he was very elderly and nigh unto death. He was truly an instrument in the hands of the Lord as he was able to lead and establish peace among his people.
2. Noah worked on the ark for 120 years! Need I say more?
3. At age 75, Abraham turned away from idols and followed God for the next 100 years, oh and remember his wife, Sarah? Yeah, they had a baby at 100 and 90 years old respectively, God didn't think they were too old to parent and fulfilled His promise to them!
4. Joshua was between the age of 30-40 when he and Caleb spied out the Promised Land, meaning he was somewhere around 68-78 when he entered into it! And Caleb, well, here was a man so consumed with a vision he was ready to take land and fight battles at 85 years of age!
5. Prophetess Anna, who was "very old" as she had been widowed for 84 years, stayed in the temple night and day, fasting and praying for the redemption of Jerusalem. Remember the story? When Mary and Joseph talked with Simeon, she was there and began praising God and telling everyone about Jesus. We might say she was the first evangelist!
Betty Friedan said, "Ageing is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength."
I love this statement because it applies to every season in our lives. As we grow and mature into adulthood, those experiences strengthen us to face our future! Some may think you have to be in your 20's or 30's to begin something new, but God does not put an age limit on the dreams He has placed within you. If God gave you the dream, He will also give you the ability to conceive it, and you can trust in His timing to complete it!
It's Time to Answer the Call
Our world needs the counsel and influence of those who have walked through trials, joys, and sorrows of life! We all need to hear of your successes and how you have risen above heartache, pain, or disappointment, having become stronger for experiencing them. With age comes wisdom, and we are instructed to teach others through the lessons we have learned.
Pastor, if you are ready to start the vision God has given you, you don't have to do this alone! StartCHURCH was established to take the administrative burden of planting a church or ministry off your shoulders. Please give one of our Ministry Planting Strategists a call at 770-638-3444. We wish to partner with you for the life of your ministry and will walk with you through each step of establishing the vision God has called you to.
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Resources:
*Team, L. (2014, August 1). 25 Oldest People To Accomplish Amazing Feats. List25. https://list25.com/25-oldest-people-to-accomplish-amazing-feats/
**Geer, K. K. (2015, June 1). 11 Super Seniors We Admire | Everyday Health. EverydayHealth.Com. https://www.everydayhealth.com/senior-health-pictures/10-super-seniors-we-admire.aspx