Wow. 2026 is here, and I am 18 days away from 40. I know Sephora and Ulta are going to hate to see me coming this year because I’m coming for all the anti-aging products—LOL.
But seriously, as I started reflecting on what I want my 40s to be, I realized that no one really talks about the pivotal window after you get baptized. People tend to either fall back into their undisciplined, youthful ways, or they stay on fire for God—reading the Word and nurturing their gifts to evangelize.
To help myself stay on track, I finally did something I had been putting off: I created a dedicated reading and prayer space by getting a couch. I wanted to be more intentional about making room for God to enter and speak with me. So, I plopped down in my new armchair and prayed, asking God to set the atmosphere so I could hear from Him.
Next, I told God that as I enter my 40s, I’ve had a few ideas about what I want to do. While these ideas were Kingdom-building intentions, I realized I never actually checked in with Him to see if they aligned with His agenda for my life. If I’m being honest, that prayer was prompted by doubt—not doubt about whether my plans would fail or succeed, but doubt about whether I had listened closely enough to know if it was His timing for the business venture I envisioned.
I started questioning myself. Maybe my dreams were too big for my reality. Maybe this kind of success was meant for someone without a vocal challenge—someone who could easily pitch ideas to venture capitalists and churches. After I prayed, I waited to hear from God… crickets.
So, I moved on to another way God often speaks to me—through reading. I opened Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life by Charles Swindoll, and the first chapter was titled Consistency.
It became clear that God wasn’t telling me to stop or retreat—He was telling me to move forward, but to do so consistently. Consistency has always been a challenge for me, especially when it comes to many of my “ideas.”
In that chapter, Swindoll referenced 2 Timothy 4:2—to be ready in season and out of season. Wanting a deeper understanding, I decided to read the entire book of 2 Timothy. To my surprise, it was Paul writing to Timothy—encouraging him to rekindle and use his gifts, to walk boldly in his calling, and not to operate in a spirit of fear.
I literally paused and said out loud, “Okay, God, I hear You!”
As I read, it felt as though God was speaking to me through Paul’s words to Timothy. The message was full of encouragement, warnings about what to be mindful of, and a clear call to share my testimony and evangelize. God is such a good Father in that way. He acknowledged the fear, encouraged me, cautioned me—and then gave me instructions.
His directive for me stood out clearly in chapter four: to present myself to God “as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, correctly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
That calling isn’t just for me—it’s for all of us.
So I’ll ask you the same question God posed to my heart: Where are you in that pivotal window?
Fulfill the ministry inside of you.
Rekindle those gifts!
Starving Christians 
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