It’s never too late to start. Start now.

I finished my master’s degree as I turned 40.

My mom started a successful business in her late 50s.

My uncle became a U.S. citizen at age 74.

And Joshua? Joshua was 85 years old when he took possession of the Lord’s inheritance. Read it straight from the Bible, in Joshua 14, below:

“Now, then, just as the LORD promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” vv. 10-12 (NIV)

What courage Joshua had! We can start—and finish—like him. The LORD is helping us, too, you know. What is it that has stayed in your heart for years… your “one day” dream? What holds you back? Sometimes we look at all the steps of the whole process and get overwhelmed. We can’t solve right now every problem that might arise, so we stay stuck outside the “land” God put in our heart to take.

As for me and that master’s degree, I finally just… started. I stopped worrying about how long it would take or if I would ever finish. If I never started, I sure wouldn’t finish! I just took the one class that was in front of me. Then I did the next one. One step at a time and suddenly I was stepping across that stage at Regent University for graduation. I learned that sometimes when I’m waiting on God’s timing, He’s just waiting on me to step up to the starting line.

My mother’s starting line was her quilting business. She could have been overwhelmed with whether she could make enough money, or if she’d get all the projects done that she wanted. She didn’t do that though—my mom was not one to let any moss grow beneath her feet. She just started. She made beautiful art through quilting for years and shared the love of Jesus through it. She didn’t get overwhelmed with what she might not achieve… rather she rejoiced in each beautiful project and treasured each precious relationship.

My dad will be 75 this year. We were talking on the phone the other day as he was cleaning out some of my mom’s quilting projects. She moved to heaven a few years ago and he was giving to their friends some projects she didn’t get to finish. He was overwhelmed and weeping, lamenting all she had wanted to do, and didn’t get done. Then there was a perspective shift. We began to rejoice at all she did get to do, all the people she loved, and the joy she brought to our lives. We renewed in our heart that not knowing how much time we have here on earth isn’t a reason to hold back; it’s the reason to start now.

What “start now” is in your heart? I’m praying with you over it!

Father, renew in us the dreams You have placed in our heart. May we have the courage to take the first step, and then see what road You reveal and provision You pour out. In Jesus’ name, amen.