The following article gets a little personal. Some might say a little too personal. But I'm not the only person who feels this way.
I read an article a few months ago.
The author wrote about people who had lost their jobs and were desperate to find work again. It was a beautiful piece, but if I’m honest, it didn’t really mean a lot to me at the time, aside from how beautifully it was written.
But as I come into this New Year initially full of hope for what 2025 might bring, I find myself being perhaps the person this author was writing about.
Because the truth is that I am desperate… and I don’t care who knows it.
I’ll be 55 in April, and I’m desperate to prove that my best years aren’t behind me.
I’m desperate for more work, to have enough to properly look after my family.
I’m desperate to make an impact like I once did.
I’m desperate to work with people who value my experience and talent and skill and wisdom.
I’m desperate to wake up in the morning and NOT feel the panic that comes with desperation. I’m desperate never to put on a brave face again while I wonder what else I need to do to avoid being a failure.
But here’s the thing about desperation: it doesn’t have to be the end of the story. For you and me, this can actually be the beginning of something new.
Desperation has a way of stripping us down, forcing us to confront what truly matters. In truth, it brings us to the point of decision—to give up… OR allow our desperation to drive us toward change with a clarity we might not have otherwise.
My problem is that, even though I want to, I don’t give up easily.
So yes, I’m desperate. But I’m also determined. Determined to turn this season into a stepping stone, not a stumbling block. Determined to prove to myself—and anyone watching—that life at 55 is far from over. There is still work to do, value to add, and purpose to uncover.
This might be one of, if not the hardest chapters I’ve faced, but every great story needs its turning point. Maybe this is mine. And if you’re feeling desperate, maybe it’s yours too.
So here’s to 2025—not just a year of survival but a year of rediscovery, growth, and hope for what God still has planned for us. Because I believe my best years are not behind me—they’re waiting to be written.
They have to be…