By Ann Farabee

Psalm 71:5: “For you have been my hope, my confidence since my youth.”

As a 13-year-old, I began attending church and became involved in a youth group. I knew little about God’s word, but there were people at the church who did. I accepted Jesus into my heart, and began my journey toward spiritual understanding.

When I went away to college, I stopped going to church. Spiritually, I was in a season of indifference. But the spiritual seed that had been planted in my heart remained. I had my Bible with me in my dorm room, and sometimes I would take a peek inside the covers of God’s word.

I knew that Jesus was my hope — and had been since my youth — and that my confidence in Him had remained.

Psalm 71:14: “But I will hope continually, and will yet praise you more and more.”

I finished college and began teaching. God began to work in my life. He put the right people in my life at the right time. As years began to pass, I began to realize that I was turning toward Christ and desiring a closer relationship with him. Living for Christ was the desire of my heart. The years were filled with seasons of success and seasons of failure, but my Christian walk was growing stronger every season.

The spiritual seed that had been planted during my youth continued to grow. I had a teaching career, but I also spent those years serving the Lord while being a part of the local church. One day I realized I had begun feasting on his word and was growing and growing and growing.

He became my comforter…my protector…my savior…my provider.

And so much more.

He has been my hope — continually.

How could I help but to praise him more and more?

Isaiah 46:4: “Even when you are old, I will take care of you. Even when your hair turns gray, I will support you. I made you and will continue to care for you.”

I think my hair may now be gray, but I have a magician friend, who makes the gray disappear before I see it. I do admit that I am starting to feel older. The physical is more difficult. The mental is more difficult. But the spiritual — grows sweeter every day. The word of God has come more alive in my spirit. I can open my Bible — and sometimes my heart begins to race as I sense his word coming alive through the power of the Holy Spirit. There is something about the season of gray hair — even though mine is not gray — that is full of the sweet savor of my savior.

God has always been there.

We are never alone.

He made us.

He will continue to care for us.

If God be for us, who can be against us?

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at  annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.