Milestones

We are about to be grandparents! To say we cannot wait would be an understatement. I think my social media feed is feeling the anticipation as well because I see so many adorable and brilliant items for babies and parents. We didn’t have as many options when I was pregnant, so it’s fun to see all the creative possibilities to make day-to-day life with babies easier and memorable.

One of the cutest things I’ve seen are milestone markers to use when capturing the growth and accomplishments of a baby's first year. Some are used for each month of life. Some are for first events like their first bath, first tooth, first smile, first steps, holidays, etc. Some are for the more humorous realities of having babies. A couple of my personal favorites are, “Today I decided naps are no longer necessary,” or “Today I had my first blowout.” And I don’t think they’re referring to hair. Although I saw one that said, “Crib hair don’t care.” I feel like that could be me any given morning - minus the crib of course. From the moment their lives begin, there are so many milestones for these sweet little ones. Some are cute, some are funny, some not so funny, but all are memorable.

It’s interesting to think about the origin of what a milestone is. They were little stone markers placed along a road to show the distance to various destinations. They were set at one-mile intervals so that anyone traveling could gauge their progress along the way. Over time, the term evolved to show significant achievements or turning points in life. I see milestones as markers of our journey and each one tells a story.

The older I get, the more life I’ve lived to reflect on the milestones I’ve experienced. Some are beautiful. Getting married, that pregnancy test that showed our lives were about to change forever. Having our baby tell us he and his wife were having their own baby.  All memories that play over and over in my mind and each one tends to be its own story.

Some milestones are empowering. Crossing the finish line and receiving a medal for completing my first running event was amazing. It was also my last running event, but that’s another story. Other milestones can mark a painful time in our lives. Receiving an unwanted diagnosis or losing a loved one can mark a moment in time that feels like we take a blow to our hearts. I’ve been there. Even disappointment in a relationship with someone or the loss of what you thought what might have been can be a significant turning point and impact how we approach the rest of our lives. I’m well-aquainted with this too.

Jesus experienced His own milestones. There were countless moments that were pivotal in His short life here on earth, particularly His crucifixion and resurrection. If you think about it, the tomb is a milestone. It’s literally a giant stone! It can also be seen as a metaphor for transformation. It represents Jesus’ resurrection and new life. In that one moment, His sacrifice on the Cross paved the way for so many opportunities in our everyday lives…including our spiritual lives and growth.

One of the obvious milestones we experience in our faith is when we first come to faith in Jesus and ask Him into our hearts. Another is baptism and making a public proclamation of our faith. But there are others that I don’t think we think about that definitely mark our spiritual growth. When we spend time in God’s Word and prayer, we become familiar with His voice which impacts our daily lives and how others see us. Overcoming spiritual struggles or even our internal challenges like anxiety, depression, or the need for control, is definite growth. Along with that it shows maturity in our dependence on God. Serving others is another marker of how we move away from a self-focused mindset and we become more like Jesus.

When I think about the milestones I’ve experienced in my faith, I can see how I’ve grown. I was born into a Christian family. I went to church several times a week for years, but only because it’s just what we did. It wasn’t until I became a mom that I figured out that I needed to make my faith my own. Not something that was expected of me by anyone else, but what I get to experience with Jesus.

Since then I’ve had several ‘firsts’ and my faith continues to deepen as my love for God grows. Think of it like this, our faith fuels our journey and our milestones are our markers along the way.

Not all milestones are easily achieved, and it doesn’t mean we won’t have setbacks. We lose our way. We make choices we regret. But the beautiful thing about spiritual growth is the grace we receive along the way. I love this promise in Hebrews,

“Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 CSB

God is so good. He’s so loving. I’m so thankful we can walk in the confidence of knowing all of His truths. 

What about you? What are some of your milestones that have shaped your faith? Or maybe you’re reading this and you’re new to all of this and you don’t know. It’s OK. Sometimes I have to stop and think about where I’ve been and how far I’ve come, too.

But try to reflect for a minute and take time to embrace your milestones. And moving forward, I want to encourage you to look at them through the lens of your faith. See the beauty. See the accomplishment. But most importantly, see how Jesus is right there with you, every step of the way. Always.