Starting My Journey at 65

My Christian journey began at 65 years old, a point in life when many believe change is unlikely.  Looking back, I realize how much of my life I spent searching without understanding what I was looking for.  The great poet/songwriter Bob Dylan’s lyrics in “Slow Train” capture that feeling well: “Sometimes I feel so low-down and disgusted, wondering what’s happening to my companions.”   Those words mirror the questions I asked myself.  Were my companions lost or found?  Did they, like me, feel the slow, steady pull of something greater?

Chasing Earthly Principles

Faith always seemed like an abstract idea—something others embraced but that didn’t apply to me.  I focused on career success, personal comfort, and maintaining control, chasing what Dylan calls “earthly principles.”  The line, “Have they counted the cost it’ll take to bring down all their earthly principles?” resonates deeply.  I’d spent decades investing in things that ultimately crumbled, leaving me to face what truly mattered.  Counting the cost wasn’t poetic; it was a painful reckoning.

A Slow Train Pulling Me Toward Faith

Dylan’s “Slow Train” perfectly describes my path to Christianity.  My conversion wasn’t a lightning-bolt moment.  Instead, it felt like a slow awakening to the emptiness in my life.  Initially, I resisted.  At 65, wasn’t I too old to change?  But the train kept coming, and I realized I had a choice: get on board or let it pass.

Despair Turned Into Hope

Dylan’s lyrics capture a mix of despair and hope.  While the song acknowledges the world’s brokenness, it hints at redemption.  When I began exploring Christianity, I felt overwhelmed by my shortcomings.  Could someone like me, with decades of mistakes, ever be worthy of God’s love?  It felt impossible.  But Romans 8:31-39 changed everything: “If God is for us, who can be against us?”  That truth reminded me that God’s grace, not my worthiness, defined my relationship with Him.  Slowly, the feelings of despair lifted, replaced by hope.

Reflecting on Companions Left Behind

I often think about the companions I’ve had over the years.  Like Dylan asks, “Are they lost or are they found?”  Some have found peace in their faith, while others remain entangled in the same earthly principles that once trapped me.  I pray for them often, hoping they hear the train before it’s too late.

Challenges and Blessings of Late-Life Faith

Coming to faith later in life brings unique challenges and blessings.  Decades of experiences offered me moments that now seem like breadcrumbs leading to God.  At the same time, I had to unlearn deeply ingrained habits and attitudes.  Admitting how wrong I’d been humbled me, but it also set me free.  Abandoning earthly principles, as Dylan suggests, was hard but necessary.

Anchored in Faith

Today, my faith anchors me.  Life isn’t perfect, and I still don’t have all the answers, but I have a purpose and hope I never knew before.  When those old “low-down and disgusted” feelings resurface, I remember God’s promises and the choice I made to get on that slow train.  I’ll never regret that decision.

It’s Never Too Late

If you feel like you’ve missed your chance, let me assure you: it’s never too late.  Whether you’re 25 or 65, the train is still coming, and the invitation remains.  It may feel slow, but it’s steady, pulling you toward something greater than this world can offer.

So stop and listen.  What’s that sound in the distance?  Maybe it’s the train you’ve been waiting for.  Don’t let it pass you by.