birthdayA few years ago, I strongly disliked my birthday, but I think I’ve figured out why. Back when Rusty and I were in our thirties, we were in the fiercest part of our unsuccessful procreative battle. With each birthday, I was reminded that we were getting another year closer to not being able to have children. My 35th birthday was bad, and then as we got closer to the big 4-0, I began to feel as if my biological clock was ticking at a violent pace. I dreaded the approaching day when the ticking would be silenced, and Rusty and I would be left childless.

Well, the ticking stopped, and we survived. A hysterectomy brought finality to our attempts to have children much earlier than we had expected, but with that closure, there came a sweet release from the reproductive pressure that accompanied birthdays. [You may not understand this, if you’ve never faced infertility or child-bearing struggles. However, I’d venture to say that most all couples dealing with a fertility hardship “get” exactly what I’m talking about.]

I’m over it now. I’m over the birthday issue. I will continue to get older, unless the Lord Jesus returns or He takes me home. Birthdays aren’t my favorite day of the year, but, at least now, I’ve learned to respond pleasantly to my family’s request to celebrate with a meal, some cake, or such.

What’s the big deal with a birthday, anyway?

In recent years, I’ve adopted a new outlook regarding birthdays. It involves starting a nontraditional custom, that some might view as silly or extreme. It is a bit radical, but I’m all in for it! Here it is …

I propose that spiritual birthdays be celebrated!

Let’s PARTY!

Why haven’t we been doing this? Why has God’s family, born-again believers, not been making a big deal of the biggest deal ever? Why is it that we rent inflatable jumpies, fill offices with balloons and streamers, purchase custom-made cupcakes to celebrate biological birthdays, but we don’t even acknowledge the greatest day of our life – and that being our spiritual birthday?

Really. I’m thankful for June 7th, 1971. That’s the day that God birthed me from my mother’s womb and graciously gave me life. (Note: my life began some 9 months earlier with conception.) I do not take June 7th for granted. I’m so very grateful God gave me life and orchestrated my biological birthday!

But do you want to know the day for which I’m the most thankful?

There’s no doubt. It’s MARCH 30th, 1980! Thirty-six years ago on March 30th, I experienced the greatest day of my life! You see, I was born-again; God gloriously drew me to Himself and saved my Hell-bound soul on that day! Yes, I’m glad to have been born on June 7, 1971, but there would be no reason to celebrate that day if there had not been a spiritual birth for me on March 30, 1980! That’s the facts, Jack! Without God forgiving me and giving me eternal life, there would be no reason for rejoicing on my biological birthday of June 7th.

So, my friend … I’m having my 36th birthday, and I’ve never been more excited!!! It’s going to be a party! Yes, please mark your calendar! It is Wednesday, March 30th, 2016!

On March 30th, I will be celebrating my new life in Christ. I will be thanking the Lord Jesus that the Holy Spirit of God began speaking to my heart when I was just eight-years-old. On March 30th, I will be gratefully reflecting upon the convicting, yet tender, conversation that I had with an old preacher man, Dr. Bob Orr, as he shared God’s Gospel with me. On this most special day, I will be rejoicing over the reality that God loved me enough to send Jesus to die for me. On my favorite day of the year, I will be praising God for saving me when I came to Him with a child’s faith and asked Him to forgive me. On my spiritual birthday, I will be jubilantly thanking God for being my Lord and Savior. You see, my friend, in just a few days, on March 30th, my spiritual birthday, I will be having my spiritual birthday party!! It is truly the greatest day of my life, and it is bash-worthy!!

How about it? Have you ever thought about making your spiritual birthday the big deal that it really is? Maybe consider doing that. Party hats and frothy punch may not be exactly how you like to celebrate, but at least, let me encourage you to make your spiritual birthday a celebratory day of reflection.

Some folks are already doing this. My sweet sister-in-law made chocolate chip pancakes just this morning as her family celebrated my nephew’s spiritual birthday! Some folks can’t recall the exact date of their salvation. If that’s your case, don’t worry about it; just select a date in which to celebrate, perhaps within the season of which you were saved.

On your spiritual birthday, why not take time to reminisce with the Lord about the moment in which you accepted His saving grace? Think back upon that day … the time, the place, any Scriptures that were shared, maybe a song that was sung, perhaps someone who was alongside you. I encourage you. Reflect upon – and in some way, celebrate – the day in which you received the greatest miracle of all, the miracle of new life in Christ.

And oh, my friend, let us not forget that every day is to be a day of rejoicing! May not a single day go by that we don’t thank our loving Father for His saving grace! And let’s keep before us this reality … our spiritual birth is like our biological birth, in that, you and I didn’t have a thing to do with it! Jesus paid it all!

Happy Birthday to me!!

But God commended His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8

Just wondering … how many of you folks read this post because you knew I couldn’t be just 36 (as stated in the title)? Heeeeee! I gotcha!!!