60 Years of Grace
Christ at the Centre of the Journey
A Different Kind of Week
This week is a little different.
For the past eight weeks, we have been exploring the health of our relationships — connection, communication, marriage, conflict, trust, forgiveness, reconciliation and restoration.
But this week, I would like to pause.
Not because the journey has changed, but because there is one relationship that gives meaning to all the others.
Our relationship with God.
I have turned 60.
And as I reach this milestone, I find myself looking back over the journey.
Sixty years is a long time.
There have been seasons of joy and seasons of difficulty. Moments of confidence and moments of uncertainty. Opportunities that opened and others that did not. Achievements that brought satisfaction and experiences that brought humility.
There have been relationships that have shaped me, people who have encouraged me, people who have challenged me, and people whose influence I may never fully appreciate.
There have been moments when I thought I understood where life was going — and moments when I had absolutely no idea.
But when I look back carefully, I see something that has remained constant.
Christ.
And that is what I want this birthday to be about.
Not primarily what I have achieved.
Not the number of years.
Not even the things I have been privileged to accomplish.
But what Christ has done through me, in me and for me.
Looking Back With Gratitude
When we are young, we often measure life by what lies ahead.
We think about what we will become.
What we will achieve.
Where we will go.
Who we will become.
As the years pass, however, something changes.
We begin to understand that life is not simply about accumulation.
It is about stewardship.
What did we do with what God entrusted to us?
Who did we become along the way?
Whose lives did we touch?
What did we learn through our successes?
What did our difficulties teach us?
And perhaps most importantly:
Did we recognise God in the journey?
At 60, I find myself asking these questions more intentionally.
And my overwhelming response is gratitude.
I See Grace
Looking back, I can see that there were many moments when I did not understand what God was doing.
Some doors opened.
Some remained closed.
Some opportunities appeared at exactly the right time.
Others seemed to disappear when I thought they were certain.
There were moments of strength and moments when I realised just how dependent I really was.
And yet, through all these seasons, God remained faithful.
Sometimes His presence was obvious.
Sometimes it was only visible when I looked back.
There were moments when I thought I was walking alone, only to discover later that He had been carrying me.
This is one of the greatest lessons the passing of time has taught me:
Grace is often easier to recognise in retrospect.
We may not always understand the journey while we are travelling it.
But looking backwards, we sometimes see the fingerprints of God everywhere.
More Than Achievement
I have been blessed to experience different worlds throughout my life — sport, healthcare, education, family, faith and service.
Each has taught me something.
Sport taught me discipline.
It taught me that potential means very little without consistent effort.
It taught me that setbacks do not have to define us.
It taught me the importance of preparation, resilience and teamwork.
Healthcare taught me compassion.
It taught me that behind every diagnosis is a person.
Behind every prescription is a human being.
Behind every clinical decision is often someone who is frightened, uncertain or simply hoping that someone will listen.
Family has taught me patience, commitment, forgiveness and the beauty of walking through life with people.
And faith has taught me something deeper:
None of these things ultimately belong to me.
They are gifts.
Opportunities to steward.
Opportunities to serve.
Opportunities to glorify God.
The Danger of Taking Credit
Perhaps one of the greatest temptations as we journey through life is to look at what we have accomplished and believe that we did it all ourselves.
We worked hard.
We persevered.
We made sacrifices.
We made good decisions.
And yes, those things matter.
But who gave us the strength?
Who gave us the opportunities?
Who placed people along the journey?
Who sustained us through the seasons we could not have navigated alone?
For me, the answer is clear.
God.
That does not diminish human effort.
It puts it into perspective.
I can be grateful for discipline without worshipping achievement.
I can appreciate success without allowing success to define me.
I can acknowledge the work I have done while still recognising the One who gave me the ability, opportunity and strength to do it.
Therefore, as I celebrate 60 years, I want to be careful about where the glory goes.
It belongs to God.
What 60 Has Taught Me About Health
There is also something deeply appropriate about reaching 60 while writing a series called Preventive Health in Everyday Living.
As a health professional, I have spent many years thinking about health from a clinical perspective.
But life has taught me that health is much bigger than the absence of disease.
Our health includes how we live.
How we think.
How we relate.
How we handle stress.
How we nourish ourselves.
How we move.
How we rest.
How we connect.
And, for those of us who believe, how we relate to God.
The older I become, the more convinced I am that preventive health is not simply about adding years to life.
It is about adding meaning, purpose and quality to the years we have been given.
The Gift of Growing Older
Growing older is sometimes spoken about negatively.
We talk about what we are losing.
Strength.
Speed.
Time.
Opportunities.
But perhaps there is another way to look at it.
Age can bring perspective.
It can teach us what really matters.
At 20, some things feel enormous.
At 40, our priorities may change.
At 60, we may begin to recognise that some of the things we once worried about were never worth the energy.
Growing older can teach us to value people over possessions.
Purpose over popularity.
Character over recognition.
Faith over control.
Presence over busyness.
And gratitude over entitlement.
Age does not automatically make us wise.
But it can give us opportunities to become wiser.
What Does 60 Mean?
So what does 60 mean to me?
It means gratitude.
It means humility.
It means reflection.
It means recognising that the journey has been shaped by many people and, above all, by God.
But it also means responsibility.
Because 60 is not simply a number to celebrate.
It is a reminder that time is precious.
I cannot go back and change the years that have passed.
But I can choose how I use the years that remain.
And that brings me to a question I believe is more important than:
“How many years do I have left?”
Perhaps the better question is:
“What will I do with the years God gives me next?”
The Next Chapter
I do not know what the next chapter will look like.
None of us does.
But I know what I desire.
I want the years ahead to continue to count for something beyond myself.
I want to continue learning.
Continue serving.
Continue encouraging.
Continue writing.
Continue sharing what life, healthcare, sport and faith have taught me.
And above all, I want Christ to remain at the centre.
Because if the first 60 years have taught me anything, it is this:
Purpose is not found simply in how long we live, but in what we allow God to do through the life we have been given.
A Personal Reflection
I have never been particularly comfortable putting myself at the centre of attention.
Perhaps that is why this birthday has caused me to reflect more deeply than I expected.
I do not want this to be a celebration of me.
I want it to be a celebration of God’s faithfulness.
When I think about the people who have walked alongside me, I am grateful.
When I think about the opportunities I have been given, I am grateful.
When I think about the difficult seasons that eventually taught me something valuable, I am grateful.
And when I think about the seasons when I did not know what was happening but continued to move forward by faith, I am especially grateful.
Because sometimes faith is not knowing the destination.
It is trusting the One who knows it.
A Word to Anyone Looking Back
Perhaps you are reading this and looking back over your own life.
Maybe you are 60.
Maybe you are 70, 80 or beyond.
Perhaps you are much younger.
Whatever your age, I want to encourage you not to measure your life only by conventional definitions of success.
Your life has value beyond your achievements.
Your worth is not determined by your career.
Not by your income.
Not by your possessions.
Not by your physical strength.
Not by your mistakes.
Not even by the opinions of other people.
For those who follow Christ, our deepest identity is found in Him.
And even when we look back at things we wish we had done differently, grace reminds us that our past does not have to be the end of our story.
There can still be purpose.
There can still be service.
There can still be growth.
There can still be healing.
There can still be something beautiful ahead.
For Those Who Do Not Share My Faith
I recognise that not everyone reading this shares my Christian faith.
Some may follow another faith.
Some may be uncertain.
Some may not believe in God at all.
I respect that.
My intention is not to impose my faith, but to share honestly the foundation from which I see my own life.
For me, Christ has provided the lens through which I understand purpose, grace, forgiveness, service and hope.
I simply offer this reflection as my testimony.
You may interpret your own journey differently, but I hope we can still share something universal:
the desire to live meaningful lives, to love people well, to learn from our experiences, and to leave something good behind.
Biblical Reflection
“For in Him we live and move and have our being.”
— Acts 17:28
These words capture something I feel deeply at this stage of my life.
In Him we live.
In Him we move.
In Him we have our being.
Our lives are not self-created stories.
We are part of something much bigger than ourselves.
And for me, reaching 60 is a reminder of that truth.
Whatever strength I have had.
Whatever opportunities I have received.
Whatever influence I may have had.
Whatever remains ahead.
It is all ultimately held within the grace of God.
60 Years — And Still Becoming
Perhaps one of the most encouraging things about reaching 60 is realising that we are still becoming.
We have not arrived.
There is still more to learn.
More people to encourage.
More opportunities to serve.
More mistakes to correct.
More relationships to nurture.
More wisdom to acquire.
More grace to receive.
And, God willing, more lives to touch.
I do not want 60 to become a monument to the past.
I want it to become a foundation for the future.
A Preventive Health Reflection
As we have done throughout this series, perhaps we can turn this reflection inward.
Ask yourself:
- What has the journey of my life taught me?
- What am I grateful for?
- Are there lessons I keep repeating because I have not yet learned them?
- Are there relationships I need to nurture more intentionally?
- Is there someone I need to forgive?
- Is there someone I need to thank?
- Am I taking care of the body and mind God has entrusted to me?
- What gives my life meaning?
- What do I want the next chapter of my life to represent?
- If I were given another decade, what would I want to do differently?
- And perhaps most importantly: What is God inviting me to do with the years ahead?
Gentle Practices for This Week
This week, perhaps:
Give thanks for the journey, including the difficult parts.
Thank someone who has made a difference in your life.
Reconnect with someone who matters to you.
Reflect on one lesson your life has taught you.
Release one regret that you have carried for too long.
Pray about the next chapter of your life.
And if you are blessed to have older people in your life, take time to listen to their stories.
There is wisdom in lived experience.
Closing Reflection
Sixty years have passed.
I cannot claim to know everything those years have taught me.
But I know this:
God has been faithful.
Through the highs and the lows.
Through the victories and the disappointments.
Through the relationships and the separations.
Through the moments I understood and the moments I did not.
He has been there.
And so, as I mark this milestone, I do not want to stand at the centre of the story.
I want Christ to remain there.
I am simply grateful to have been part of what He has been writing.
And as I look towards the years ahead, my prayer is not merely:
“Lord, give me more years.”
My prayer is:
“Lord, make the years You give me count for Your glory.”
Sixty years have passed.
The journey continues.
And by His grace, there is still more to learn, more to serve, more to love, more to give and more to become.
One day,
One relationship,
One act of service,
One step of faith,
One life at a time.
Looking Ahead — Week 10
Our Relationship With God: The Foundation of All Others
Next week, we return fully to the heart of our Relationship Health Series and explore the relationship that, for those who believe, provides the foundation for how we understand ourselves, love others, navigate difficulties and find meaning in life.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Today I simply say: Thank You.
Thank You for the gift of life.
Thank You for every season.
Thank You for every lesson.
Thank You for every person who has walked alongside me.
Thank You for the doors You opened and the doors You closed.
Thank You for the moments of strength and the moments when You taught me to depend upon You.
As I reach this milestone, I recognise that every day has been a gift of grace.
Forgive me for the times I have taken Your blessings for granted.
Forgive me for the times I have tried to walk ahead of You.
And thank You for never abandoning me.
Lord, whatever years remain, let them count for You.
Give me wisdom to use them well.
Give me humility to keep learning.
Give me strength to keep serving.
Give me compassion to keep encouraging.
Give me courage to keep doing what You have called me to do.
And above everything else, keep Christ at the centre.
May my life, my work, my relationships, my writing and my service point beyond me to You.
I do not know how many years remain.
But I know who holds them.
To God be all the glory, honour and praise.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen.
A Final Birthday Thought
60 years of life.
A lifetime of lessons.
A journey of grace.
And still, by God’s mercy, the story continues.
“Not to us, Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness.” — Psalm 115:1.