Did You Know That God Keeps People Over 60 Alive For A Reason?

 I came across this sermon (click here but I've posted it in full, down below) given by the late Billy Graham, in which he explains why God keeps people over 60 alive for a specific reason. I didn't know that living over 60 was a gift. I thought it was natural. After all, Moses lived 90 years (according to the Bible). I didn't know that the reason why I am still alive at 74 was a direct doctrine from God Almighty. He does it so that I can pass down my life experiences to the younger generations. The difficulties I have experienced over the years was for a purpose. With God's help I was able to get through many hardships and adversities so that I could advise, through example, the way out to others. 

I realize that all of us are going through a cost-of-living crisis. I've been through the Stock Market Crash of 1987 (I lost $5,000 in investments) I've been through the Dot Com disaster of 2001-2001 (I lost my business and almost my home). It was during this latter economic upheaval I learned most of my successful financial lessons. I've been through an almost foreclosure, a complete liquidation of all my savings, had my car repossessed (that was the BIGEST learning lesson of all time!!!) I know what it is like to have absolutely NO money whatsoever. That's when you put up a sign on your front lawn and have an instant garage sale. You start selling so many things the kids think they're next.

By the time the Housing Collapse of 2008 came along, my husband and I were so adept at living through economic disasters that we felt absolutely no financial pain. Granted hubby's work was sporadic in 2008 but we live so close to the edge that because we had no extras, no debt and no credit cards we eked by. There was food on the table, a roof over our heads, gasoline in the vehicle gas tanks and a decent amount of money in the bank. Fast forward to today and I will admit, I've NEVER seen it this hard in my 74 years of life on planet earth. But we are surviving and we are still successful.

My husband and I downsized in 2001-2002. We sold our family home of 16 years and was able to accumulate enough equity to buy land (3.5 acres in a remote rural area) and erect a smallish (1134 sq ft on 1st floor) modular home without a mortgage. In 2002 our basic expenses were $2500 a month. Today, our monthly bills still cover the same expenses (we don't do the lifestyle creep) but due to the increases in utilities, home, car and health insurance, our monthly expenses rose to between $3700 and $3900 a month. Despite the both of us being retired, on fixed incomes (Social Security since age 62, one pension and two investment income streams) one of the main reasons why we can still afford our lifestyle is that my husband occasionally works. He's self-employed. Work is sporadic but we save most of his income for when the times get tough. Our greatest challenges right now are groceries and property taxes.

The only other thing I can think of that God would want me to share and lead by example would be my cancer diagnosis. For women, over the age of 70, cancer can be a difficult journey. Every single cancer survivor I have met all have one thing in common: they want to share their journey with other women in the hope of helping others get through this vile disease. Some doctors advise NO treatment to patients over the age of 75 but that is incorrect thinking. 

The medical industry undermines many of us older folks. They don't realize how strong and resilient we are. Seventy, IMHO is still young. That's why I started this blog. We can still have plenty at seventy. We have at least another 10 to 15 years of good living left for us and we intend to use our time wisely. So, we fight for it. I have cancer and my husband has heart problems. (the two biggest killers are cancer and heart disease) He just underwent an ablation to address his aFIB. He also had a Watchman (sort of a pacemaker) inserted alongside his heart so that he can get off the prescribed blood thinners. Blood thinners are a threat to his continual working years. 

I do find it amazing that I am still alive at age 74. Life truly can be a long journey. My husband is six years younger than me (68). I thought he would be taking care of me in my old age because he is younger. Turns out, we take care of each other. LOL! I'm in remission and feeling terrific. My husband now needs me to care for him as he recovers from his own surgery. He's managing to get some semblance of his life back together. I'm doing all the caretaking, cooking and the cleaning. We take turns! 

I hope I can help even just one person. If I can accomplish just that simple feat, perhaps all of my life's challenges will have been worth it. We learn from each other. We must be kind to each other. We need to help each other. Jeremiah 30-17: "I will give you back your health and heal your wounds." That was God's promise to me when I first got ill back in December 2023. The Lord has NEVER failed me. I Believe.