THANK YOU, LORD, FOR THIS BIRTHDAY
68 Years Behind Me—and Still More Land to Possess
Well, another birthday is about to end.
The messages have been read. The congratulations have been received. The smiles have been shared. And before August 17, 2026, quietly slips into history, there is something I want to say.
Not to Facebook.
Not to friends.
Not to family.
Not even to those who have so graciously remembered me today.
First and foremost, I want to say it to the One who gave me these 68 years:
THANK YOU, LORD, FOR THIS BIRTHDAY.
Thank You for life.
Thank You for grace.
Thank You for mercy.
Thank You for another year.
And thank You that after 68 years, You are still not finished with me.
I HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH REASON TO BE THANKFUL
Tonight, I am 68 years old.
I am married to a wonderful lady.
God has blessed us with children and grandchildren who mean more to me than words can adequately express.
I have traveled to places many people may never visit.
I have crossed oceans.
Seen different nations and cultures.
Served my country.
Experienced military life from perspectives very few ever will.
Pastored.
Preached.
Written books.
Walked mission fields.
Met people whose lives have permanently touched mine.
Seen prayers answered.
Watched doors open that I could never have opened myself.
And witnessed God do things that, looking back, still cause me to shake my head and say:
“ONLY GOD COULD HAVE DONE THAT.”
No, everything hasn't been easy.
But tonight, I am grateful.
LAST NIGHT, I LOOKED BACK
Before laying my head on my pillow last night, knowing that when I awakened I would be 68, I found myself looking backward.
Not for a few minutes.
I looked across the years.
And do you know what I saw?
UPS AND DOWNS.
There were mountaintops when life seemed almost too good to be true.
And valleys when I wondered how long the darkness would last.
There were moments when I felt as though I could conquer the world.
And moments when simply putting one foot in front of the other was victory enough.
Yet somehow—
I kept walking.
I SAW FAILURES AND SUCCESSES
I have succeeded at some things.
And failed miserably at others.
At 68, there is little value in pretending otherwise.
There were decisions I got right.
There were decisions I would make differently today.
There were opportunities I seized.
And probably some I missed.
There were moments when I demonstrated wisdom.
And moments when I learned wisdom precisely because I hadn't demonstrated it.
But here's something age teaches you:
FAILURE DOESN'T HAVE TO BECOME YOUR FINAL ADDRESS.
God can teach you there.
Correct you there.
Humble you there.
Forgive you there.
Then take your hand and lead you forward.
Some of the lessons that strengthened me most were not learned from what I did right.
They were learned from what I survived after getting something wrong.
I SAW LOSS AND GAIN
Life gives.
Life also takes.
If you live 68 years, you will say hello to many people.
And eventually, you will have to say goodbye to some of them.
You will gain things you prayed for.
Lose things you thought you would always have.
Watch seasons begin.
Watch others end.
Doors open.
Doors close.
People arrive.
People leave.
Dreams change.
Priorities change.
And somewhere along the journey, you begin understanding that nothing in this world was ever promised to remain unchanged forever.
Except God.
The writer of Hebrews tells us:
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” — Hebrews 13:8
That means when everything around us changes—
we still have an Anchor.
I SAW SICKNESS AND HEALTH
There were seasons of strength.
And seasons when this body reminded me that I am human.
There were days when I could go and go and go.
And other days when wisdom said:
“Sit yourself down somewhere.”
At 68, you learn to listen a little more carefully!
But sickness and health both teach something.
Health teaches us to be grateful for what we too easily take for granted.
Sickness reminds us that these bodies are temporary.
Every morning we awaken is another gift.
Every heartbeat is grace.
Every breath is something we did not manufacture ourselves.
So tonight:
Thank You, Lord, for breath.
Thank You for strength.
Thank You for carrying me through the days when strength wasn't there.
AND THEN I NOTICED SOMETHING
As I looked across those 68 years, something became increasingly clear.
Every road had not been smooth.
Every choice had not been perfect.
Every prayer had not been answered the way I wanted.
Every season had not been pleasant.
But somehow, through all those ups and downs, failures and successes, losses and gains, sickness and health—
THE ROAD KEPT LEADING ME CLOSER TO GOD.
That may be what I am most grateful for tonight.
I am not the same Christian I was at 14.
Thank God.
I am not the same man I was at 20.
Or 30.
Or 40.
Or 50.
Or 60.
Every season taught something.
Every valley left something behind.
Every victory taught gratitude.
Every failure taught humility.
Every loss clarified what matters.
Every unanswered question deepened trust.
And every mile brought me to a steadier place in my love for and walk with the Lord.
AT 68, I HAVE NO REGRETS
Now, that statement needs explaining.
“No regrets” does not mean:
“I never made mistakes.”
I did.
It doesn't mean:
“I wouldn't change anything.”
There are things I certainly would have done differently had I possessed today's wisdom yesterday.
It doesn't mean nobody was hurt.
Or that I was never hurt.
It means I refuse to spend the remaining years God gives me chained to years that Jesus has already redeemed.
The past has been placed where it belongs.
UNDER THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.
My sins?
Under the Blood.
My failures?
Under the Blood.
My wrong turns?
Under the Blood.
My shortcomings?
Under the Blood.
My yesterday?
UNDER THE BLOOD.
And if Jesus Christ has forgiven something, I will not spend the rest of my life trying to retrieve it from beneath His grace so I can condemn myself with it again.
THE BLOOD DOESN'T ERASE THE LESSON
This is important.
Grace doesn't mean we forget everything.
Some memories contain valuable lessons.
Some scars remind us where not to walk again.
Some failures teach us how to help another person avoid the same hole.
God can redeem even the chapters we wish had never been written.
Romans 8:28 reminds us:
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God...”
It doesn't say everything that happened was good.
It says God is capable of working through all things for good.
There is a tremendous difference.
And after 68 years, I have seen enough to believe Him.
I AM NOT FINISHED
Now, someone may expect a 68th-birthday reflection to conclude with:
“I've had a good run.”
Not quite.
I have had a good run.
But I'm still running.
There are still people who need Jesus.
Still books inside me.
Still sermons to preach.
Still prayers to pray.
Still people to encourage.
Still missionaries to support.
Still families to help.
Still churches to plant.
Still ministry work to build.
Still nations to reach.
Still places God hasn't shown me yet.
Still doors that haven't opened.
Still assignments I haven't received.
Still dreams that have not become reality.
And so, while tonight is a wonderful time to look backward with gratitude—
MY EYES ARE STILL LOOKING FORWARD.
THERE IS STILL MUCH LAND TO POSSESS
In Joshua 13:1, God spoke to Joshua late in his life:
“Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.”
I smile when I read that tonight.
Joshua was getting older.
But God wasn't talking to him as though his usefulness had expired.
There was still territory.
Still purpose.
Still work.
Still something ahead.
THERE REMAINETH YET VERY MUCH LAND TO BE POSSESSED.
That speaks to me.
At 68, I don't know exactly how many miles remain.
None of us does.
But I know this:
There are still miles.
And as long as God gives me strength to travel them, I intend to keep moving.
THE PHILIPPINES IS PART OF THAT LAND
When I think about what lies ahead, my heart naturally turns toward the mission field.
There is still Gospel work to do.
Still ministry to build.
Still communities to reach.
Still young people to encourage.
Still families to serve.
Still souls who need to hear that Jesus Christ saves.
The vision God has placed before Pilgrim Outreach Ministries International is not getting smaller because I turned 68.
If anything—
THE BURDEN IS BECOMING CLEARER.
Time teaches you that you cannot do everything.
So you become increasingly concerned with doing what God actually called you to do.
AGE CHANGES THE QUESTION
When you're young, you may ask:
“How much can I accomplish?”
Later, the question becomes:
“How much time do I have?”
But perhaps the better question at any age is:
“LORD, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO WITH THE TIME YOU GIVE ME?”
Whether that is 68 more days, 68 more months, or many more years is in God's hands.
I don't need to know.
I need to remain available.
That is enough.
MY PRAYER IS NOT SIMPLY FOR MORE YEARS
I am grateful for every year.
But merely living longer isn't the goal.
I want useful years.
Fruitful years.
Faithful years.
Years that matter for eternity.
If God gives me strength, let me use it.
If He gives me resources, let me steward them.
If He gives me influence, let me point people toward Jesus.
If He gives me another book, let me write it.
Another sermon, let me preach it.
Another mission field, let me enter it.
Another hurting person, let me help.
Another door—
LORD, GIVE ME COURAGE TO WALK THROUGH IT.
THANK YOU FOR WALKING WITH ME
Tonight I also want to thank everyone who remembered me.
For the birthday greetings.
The prayers.
The encouragement.
The friendship.
The support.
The kindness.
The love shown to my family and to Pilgrim Outreach Ministries International.
Life's journey is richer because we don't walk every mile alone.
Some people walk with us for decades.
Some for a season.
Some appear for only a moment but leave something valuable behind.
To everyone God has allowed to cross my path:
Thank you.
You are part of the story too.
AND TO MY FAMILY...
There are some blessings no title can equal.
Pastor.
Author.
Veteran.
Missionary.
All are meaningful.
But being a husband, father, and grandfather carries a value that cannot be measured by public accomplishment.
I have been blessed with a wonderful wife, children, and grandchildren.
They have seen sides of me the rest of the world never sees.
They have experienced the long days.
The ministry demands.
The writing.
The traveling.
The victories.
And occasionally the old man's stubbornness!
Yet they remain part of the beautiful fabric God has woven through these 68 years.
For them, I am deeply thankful.
SO, HOW DOES A 68-YEAR-OLD MAN END HIS BIRTHDAY?
Not by saying:
“It's almost over.”
But by saying:
“THANK YOU, LORD. WHAT'S NEXT?”
Thank You for yesterday.
Thank You for today.
And if tomorrow morning comes—
thank You for tomorrow.
I cannot change the miles behind me.
I don't need to.
They brought me here.
And by God's grace, here is a good place to be.
Not perfect.
Not finished.
Still learning.
Still growing.
Still praying.
Still believing.
Still dreaming.
Still writing.
Still preaching.
Still loving my family.
Still reaching.
Still going.
And still following Jesus.
NO REGRETS. MORE MILES.
If I had to summarize tonight in four words, perhaps those would be them:
NO REGRETS. MORE MILES.
Yesterday is under the Blood.
Today is covered by grace.
Tomorrow belongs to God.
And there remains very much land to be possessed.
So before this birthday finally closes, let me say it once more:
THANK YOU, LORD, FOR THIS BIRTHDAY.
Thank You for 68 years.
Thank You for every mountain.
Thank You for every valley.
Thank You for every victory.
Thank You for every lesson.
Thank You for my wife.
Thank You for my children.
Thank You for my grandchildren.
Thank You for ministry.
Thank You for the mission.
Thank You for salvation.
Thank You for Jesus.
And thank You that the story has not reached its final page.
The pillow will feel good tonight.
But tomorrow—
THERE ARE STILL MILES TO TRAVEL.
THERE IS STILL LAND TO POSSESS.
THERE ARE STILL SOULS TO REACH.
And if the Lord says,
“James, let's go...”
my answer remains what it has been for many years:
“HERE AM I; SEND ME.”
Pilgrim Outreach Ministries International
Your Feet to the Nations
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