The Boomers as we call them fondly are ripe for another explosion of “Jesus Movement” level passion for the Redeemer.  I don’t need to relist the stats about the boomer generation for you, dear readers, for you to join me in the hope that the boomer generation will be ignited for Christ all the more in these days.  Retirement has become less possible due to boomers’ loss of capital in The Great Recession, and many boomers are looking at second/third careers as not the end of the world.  With this comes many boomers being interested in the market and work world again in new ways.  Books such as The New Retirementality by Mitch Anthony and many more are being written and read and enjoyed with a fresh enthusiasm.  I’ve come to enjoy my conversations with my clients in fresh ways, seeing an optimistic enjoying of a second wind so-to-speak for people in their 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, and even 80’s.  And, it’s not just work for work’s sake.  Many I speak with share a vision for influence of my generation, something I deeply admire and enjoy and benefit from myself.  I greatly admire a boomer who can take the time to encourage me and point me toward Jesus, showing how they are themselves still learning and growing and being softened and overwhelmed with  the grace of God as shown to us in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Dear reader, please consider your season of life and enjoy the generations ahead and behind you.  Consider how you can jump into a pattern of honoring those older and younger both physically and spiritually.  May we see an era among believers in Christ where we are benefiting from a cross-pollination so-to-speak of love for and experience of the presence of the Living God.

As i read this morning in Joshua about Caleb being 85 as he states that he is as strong as when he was 40!  Caleb talks hopefully and confidently about going in to the land he is given to slay the greatest and most notorious giants of his day.  This excites me, when I see boomers for instance, taking on the call on their lives to live all in and all there under the lead of Jesus, running hard to finish the race well.

This morning I enjoyed reading about the Africans who won the Boston Marathon for over-all men’s and women’s divisions.  Similar to physical running and the lead Africa is taking and tends to take in this internationally, revival and discipleship is taking off at an incredible pace in parts of Africa and Asia.  May we as believers in the US and other parts of the “developed” world realize what true development looks like.  The most important race, the most important growth, is happening in hearts across the globe.  We believers of all nationalities humanly speaking have the opportunity to reproduce the grace of God to those God has planned for us to touch.  May spiritual children be born to us and raised by us in the joy of our great Redeemer!  May the joy of Jesus and passion to run well in this life fully committed be more and more our ultimate purpose, all of us who trust in this Christ for redemption, hope, and eternal purpose!

I would like to challenge my parents’ generation to lead the way in their communities, to take men and women like my wife and me under their care rationally.  Invite us over for meals.  Take us out to coffee.  Take us camping or on a couple’s retreat.  Offer to watch our children so we can work on our marriage.  Disciple us in the joy and courage of our faith and love and grace given to us at the cross.  Show us your hearts.  Don’t be embarrassed by your imperfections.  Confess where you struggle and your fears and insecurities, and you’ll likely hear about ours more and more.

Love you, my spiritual aunts and uncles in the Lord!

In the joy of our Redeemer,

– Torrey