statistics

I realised the following yesterday:-

• I became a Christian when I was 17, so next year when I am 34 I will have been a Christian for half of my life
• The following year I will have been in this church for half of my life
• I have lived in Kettering for 8 years, which is half of the time I have spent in the church and a quarter of my life.
• I have been living in community for just over a third of my life
  
• I have been celibate for about a third of my life.

So whats so amazing about that?
Well, I thought it was worth recording 'cos God is into Numbers- there is a whole book of the Bible devoted to them (!).

Also, I guess it says that God is faithful to keep us, and it testifies to the long term power of commitment. I made some of my commitments at a relatively young age (baptised age 18, community age 21, celibacy age 23). I can now say that it was not all "something you grow out of" but more "something you grow into".

I believe the choices I have made have been foundations in my life and will bear fruit long into the future. It provokes me to look hard at the choices I make now and make sure I am still keeping true to the path I have started on, to make sure that having come this far I do not knock myself down by making bad or weak choices.

I have always said that I do not want to get to 40 or 50 and lose the plot 'cos I have not sorted out my issues along the way. Making the right choices is one way to make sure that does not happen.