Ever notice how some days make you stop and reflect?  Today is one of those days for me.  You see, 21 years ago today Diane and I entered into a brand new season of life.

On this day in 1991, our older daughter, Sandra, was born.  That fact makes me reflect on the last two decades.  And yes, we’re very, very proud of the young woman she’s become.  Because she hasn’t just arrived at a certain age, she’s also matured in character.

Have you ever thought about your spiritual life like that?  Maybe you can identify your “birthday,” that moment when you understood Jesus’ invitation to follow him.  You know, the “aha!” moment when you realized that he had taken your place, and your punishment, and offered you the free gift of eternal life.  Even if you can’t identify a “birthday,” you probably know the basic time at which you became alive in Christ.  How many “spiritual birthdays” have come and gone since then?  Do you ever stop and reflect about that?  Have you just arrived at a certain age?  Or are you maturing in Christ-like character?

Last Sunday we learned some very practical ways to help us grow in that kind of character.  If you were with us, let me urge you to develop your own training tools.  If you weren’t with us, please take some time to listen to the podcast, and check out the resources on this blog.  And the next time you have a spiritual birthday, or the next time you celebrate any kind of birthday, let that be a reason to stop and reflect on who you’re becoming.

And I hope you’ll be able to join us this weekend as we continue our series, “Just Like Jesus.”

-Pastor Mark

P.S. Have you signed up for your Ignite Weekend project yet?