Friday, September 18, 2020
Janie Stevens
Grow
GROW: to move forward in a healthy way
Perhaps you’ve heard the saying, “Getting old isn’t for sissies”!
I’ve heard it a lot especially since I’m in my eighties. The word GROW is especially important at my age. Here’s my acrostic:
Get
Real
Own
Wisdom
In James 3:13-18, using The Message translation of The Bible; says,
“ Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk that counts. .........
Real wisdom, God’s wisdom begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor. “
The joy of growth is that there’s always something new to discover, an “aha moment”, maybe not earth shattering but a moment of a new way of seeing things. I’ve experienced this in my relationships.
When I was lIttle child I experienced a very loving family and was a happy child. However, in grade school years I experienced the reality of how kids can tease and take advantage of someone who didn’t know how to take care of themselves. Through these experiences and lots of loving in my family I learned how to respond to the teasing and how to be a friend rather than retaliating. It took time and lots of wise council from adult friends and family. Along the way I had some wonderful friends that counteracted the other experiences. GROWTH!
As I entered High School, I discovered a great friend that I am still in touch with her. During these years I had the amazing privilege of changing schools in the middle of the year each year I was in high school. My mother had some health issues that required her to go to a warmer climate than Indiana where we lived. We were in Florida 2-3 months. As the weather in Indiana improved we went back home. This meant that I had to work hard to keep up with my Indiana High School. As I look back on these times, it was actually a significant opportunity for me to meet and become friends with many teenagers in Florida that were very friendly and inclusive. These were important times for me. It was through my experiences in Florida and Indiana that I became involved with an organization, Young Life. GROWTH!
In college I began to participate in youth ministry with Young Life. After graduation I joined the Young Life staff and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to meet and get to know teenagers in Knoxville, Tennessee. GROWTH upon GROWTH!
Shortly thereafter came Bob, then children, then grandchildren. Talk about GROWTH!!!??
WOW!!