Now That I’m Officially An Old Guy

“How do you continue to hope when so many things go wrong? How can you remain optimistic?”

It was a question at last weekend’s FREEDOM TOUR CLASSIC. I chuckled (maybe not the best response) because I’m not exactly a fount of optimism. Nobody’s ever going to look for me on the Good Ship Lollipop.

Maybe I’m not optimistic about tomorrow, but I’m confident about the future. I believe God keeps His promises – that’s hope.

Which takes me to last time, outliving my doc’s prediction, seeing God’s plan in retrospect.

The chaos following my injury at age 36 was a jumble of depression and loss. I hoped the doc was right. I saw no reason to live beyond age 50.

Looking back, though, I see His hand at work through the lens of Relentless Grace.

• In my 40’s and 50’s, for 20+ years, I was given the gift of service. Teaching and learning from young students healed me in deep, profound ways.
• In my 50’s I re-connected and began to build a remarkable life with Becky.
• In my 50’s I also discovered handcycling and spent a decade preparing for and nurturing a life-altering, God-inspired dream.
• At age 60 the dream emerged. 1500 miles along the Mississippi River, four additional solo tours, and 9 years of The FREEDOM TOUR.

According to the data, I was supposed to be dying. But God had a bigger idea.

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So here I am at the beginning of another decade, another of those “0” years I never thought I’d see. Looking forward, things seems every bit as chaotic and difficult as ever – maybe more so. But I have hope.

I have hope because I believe – even when I can’t see – that God keeps His promises.

With that sort of hope, one can face uncertainty and step toward fear in ways in ways beyond human understanding. It’s actually true:

Hope changes what’s possible.

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So – why all this rumination about getting old and looking back?

I hope I’m not becoming one more old guy rambling about the good old days. I hope my reflections help you to see God at work in your own life.

Relentless Grace is bigger than one more tale of tragedy to triumph. It’s about looking back and seeing those occasions when God showed up in ways we might have missed at the time.

It’s why stories matter, why we must remember and share. Looking back through the lens of faith offers the opportunity to see patterns of God’s faithfulness we couldn’t perceive at the time.

I hope you’ll look through the clutter of your own past. I believe you’ll see stories of Relentless Grace that will encourage you to look forward and face the future with hope.

Hope is confidence in the future based on faith that God keeps His promises. That sort of hope changes everything.

Hope changes what’s possible.

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The story of Relentless Grace would be an encouraging summer read for you or a friend.