Longevity Secrets from the Life of Bill Pritchett
There were certain things that Dad did on a daily basis. The consistency of small things in his life brought about a great example of a man who followed after God’s own heart. I remember that he did these things with joy and they were so woven into the fiber of his life that it never seemed like a big deal. This is just what he did.
Prayer
My earliest memories were waking up to hear Mom and Dad praying every morning. The part that was most impressive is that it was EVERY morning. For years they prayed at the church at 6 am and noon. They wanted to encourage others to do the same. Sometimes others joined them but many times they were the only ones. This level of consistency was a sermon in itself. It was a personal commitment they did whether or not others joined them.
Bible Reading
Dad was 39 when he was sent to Latin America as a missionary. He worked hard to learn to speak Spanish yet seemed to feel like he was lacking in this area. His solution became to read the Bible out loud for one hour every day. He adapted well to technology and in his latter years would listen to the Bible reading plan on his iPad.
Rest
Rest is a place of trust in the Lord to take care of those things that you cannot control.Click To TweetWe grew up in Latin America where a siesta was part of the daily culture. Dad loved to teach in Hebrews and would joke about how hard he was working to enter into rest. True rest is more than closing your eyes and falling asleep. When you relax into His presence you can begin to live in obedience and experience miracles.
Longevity Secret #3:
Be consistent about your spiritual disciplines. Do small things in a big way – every day.
This post is part of the Write 31 Days 2019 challenge. Click here to find more longevity secrets.
Author, speaker, corporate trainer, ordained minister and Hope Catalyst, Karen Sebastian enjoys sharing her rich life experiences with others – engaging them in adventurous discoveries of the beauty of hope in a dark, cloudy world. Her books will inspire you to embrace hope no matter what you are going through. As a caregiver and widow she took brave steps forward to fulfill God’s calling on her life. She has now remarried and enjoys her new hubby and spending time with their children and grandchildren. To increase hope and improve relationships with yourself and those that you love, check out her Facebook page – The Power of Hope.
It was 10 years ago that the Lord gave me the word “rest”. Up until now, I didn’t grasp that what He meant by rest was not just physically resting, but what you wrote – “Rest is a place of trust in the Lord to take care of those things that you cannot control.” I realize that I haven’t fully relinquished control to the Lord. I have been stressing, needing things to happen “now” instead of resting and giving the control to God and having Him work on His plan for my life in His timing. Thank you for sharing this. It has encouraged me so much.
Oh Pam, thank you so much for that encouragement. I had gotten away from writing and have been wondering if I made a mistake by jumping back into it with such a big challenge of writing every day. You have encouraged me also. Love you so much! Let’s get together soon. You may have to come my way but would love to see you soon.
Karen
What a beautiful heritage of trust and faith from your father! Thank you for sharing that blessing here. It’s so important to remember all the ways that God was faithful to those who have gone on before us. He is still faithful for us here.
Amen. Thanks for stopping by! Yes, God continues to teach us in faithfulness and courage.
I love the stories you are sharing about your dad. What a legacy!
I am enjoying the journey. I am also listening to recorded sermons. Amazing legacy for sure!