Tomorrow is my 30th birthday.

It’s hard to believe I’ve lived three decades, but I have. Time flies, and yet it feels like I have yet to accomplish so much. But unlike many people who bemoan the fact that the big 3-0 has arrived, I tend to look at things a little differently — in many ways, because of the fact my mom only lived to be 46.

Today, I’m praising God for another day, another year.

And today, I’m also getting contemplative. The holidays and turning another year older tend to have that effect on me. Since I’m turning 30, Tim McGraw’s song “My Next 30 Years” has been playing over and over in my head.

In the song, Tim talks about all the things he’s thankful for, but all the things he is going to focus on for his next 30 years. I considered making a list of “goals” for myself — things like getting healthier, getting published, doing this, doing that. I’m a list-maker so that appeals to me.

But as I really thought about what would make my next 30 years better than the first 30 I’ve had, I realized something.

There is only one thing I really want.

This thing — if I really focus on it — will make my whole life better. And it will have a trickle-down effect into every other area in my life.

What I really want for my next 30 years, for whatever time I have left on this earth, is to love God more.

If my focus can become drawing closer to Him, loving Him, loving His ways, then inevitably I’ll become more like Jesus. I’ll love His people better. I’ll focus less on myself — and more on others. More on being a servant. Which, as a soon-to-be mom (less than 3 or 4 weeks and counting!), is something I know I’ll struggle with!

I’m not sure how I’ll accomplish this. A lot through prayer. A lot through making time with Him a priority.

Guess I have a list to make after all. 🙂

Your Turn: What do you want your next 30 years to look like?