Forty Three.

It’s hard to think of myself as 43. I don’t mind the getting older, it’s just that 43 sounds like a weird number. I’ve never been good at telling how old people are. I’m worse at it now than I’ve ever been. Probably because I am the youngest child in my family, having grown up with everyone older than I was, I tend to assume that any person I meet is also older than I am.

That’s less and less the case.

Eight years ago I began writing yearly reflections on the eve of my birthday. As I sit here thinking on the past year, it occurs to me that the past several years have blurred into one giant season of my life, and it’s hard to remember what happened in the past year, or what was 2 or 3 years ago. 

For instance. It’s hard to believe I met my wife 5 years ago. On one hand, it doesn’t seem like that long, because it has flown by. On the other hand, it seems like it must be longer—a lot of life has happened since we met, far too much to seem like it would fit into 5 years.

Time plays tricks on your memory. Write things down, kids.

The world in the past year and indeed the past month alone has been filled with so much turmoil, violence, anger, resentment, dishonesty, and evil. It’s an ugly world to look at a lot of the time. You listen to the news, read articles, watch social media insanity, and it’s hard to find much good going on. You learn to keep your kids close, you wife close, to be on guard and be suspicious of everything. You just never can tell with people.

It’s discouraging. And it’s hard to find hope.

If it is a discouraging world to us, who are sinners, imagine how it must have felt to God as He looks down to see His creation ruined by the people who He created.

And yet, this is still the world that Christ came to save. This world of broken people, broken lives, broken promises, broken dreams—it is into this world that Christ came and lived and died and resurrected to save it, while we were yet sinners.

Subtext: While the world was still a mess.

And for we who are Christians, that is enough. If Christ cares enough for this world to save it, then the very least we can do is to broadcast our hope in Him to the world around us. That hope that says that the evil in the world does not have the last word. The hope that believes that Christ overcame death so that we might live eternally with Him. The hope that believes all have worth in the eyes of God. The hope that believes that it is indeed a world worth saving. 

And then getting on with the business of working with God to that end.

I married the most amazing woman, who is all that I ever wanted and so many things I didn’t even know I needed. She is beautiful and strong and smart and funny and kind. She is constantly searching for ways to live out her faith and encouraging me in the same pursuit. 

What I would do without her, I don’t know. She is a constellation in the stars.

 I thank God for her every single day. 

For our part, we have issues we care about—the sanctity of life at every stage, the importance of family, the value of being a part of a faith community. We are constantly on the lookout for new ways to serve Christ by being his people in the world. 

Most importantly, we have 3 kids—three little tomorrows—who we love, who we are raising up to be the kind of people who will make the world better. If the world is dark, then we will make sure to be and to send light into it.

I’m another year older, but I’m not another year more cynical. My wife and I are building a beautiful family, We have great relationships with our own and with each other’s families. We part of an amazing church congregation. We have passions and pursuits that keep us moving forward.

We have each other. 

And we have Christ risen.

Whoever you are and wherever this finds you, know this: The world can seem like a dark place. It can seem broken. It can seem cruel. It can seem old and used up and no good at all. 

But this is the world Christ has saved.

This is the world Christ spoke of when He said, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” That means that Christ holds the victory for those who call on Him.

And this is the world Christ thinks of when He says, “I am making all things new.”

Whatever is going on in the world, Christ is at work. He is at work in and through each of us who proclaim the gospel to a hurting world—and in doing so, we get to be a part of that renewal. That’s good news for the world, and good news for us. 

And so I head into another year with My Great Love, our Little Tomorrows, our amazing families, and Christ ever with me. 

Y’all take care and be good to one another.

Jem. September 25, 2025.

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