Fifty Over 50
Inspirational profiles of people passionately pursuing new purpose later in life
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There is something about our culture today that wants to nudge people out the door or to the sidelines once they reach the half-century mark. But, that's such a waste of wisdom and experience they've accumulated throughout their lives.
Many times, we abandoned things in our youth that really fired us up and gave us a sense of purpose just to embrace more practical jobs out of a sense of duty or necessity when raising a family. Often, that passion still burns within us - even if it's just a smoldering wick.
Turning 50 is the ideal time to rekindle that fire!
As "seasoned citizens," we've done our jobs in raising children, and we've played the corporate game of hustling and striving for little reward or appreciation. Let's face it, we are tired of running on the hamster wheel of life.
We want our lives to count for something and to know with certainty that our brief time on earth really mattered. We know in our hearts that we still have lots of life left to live. In our spirits, we are still as young today as the day we left the security of home to take on a big, bold world.
Unfortunately, when we step off that hamster wheel, we are often unprepared for the next chapter in our lives. Golfing and fishing all day may sound relaxing, and so is meeting friends for lunch. But the lack of meaningful activity often leaves us wondering, "Is there more to life than this?"
The answer is a resounding YES!
This booklet outlines brief profiles of fifty men and women who discovered a renewed sense of purpose after their 50th birthdays. Some of the folks mentioned are well into their 70s, 80s and beyond.
You were created for a specific purpose and instilled with unique traits to help you accomplish that purpose. The challenges that forged your character, the experiences that pushed you to embrace new opportunities, the people who came into and out of your life - everything you've endured so far - has prepared you for this moment.
So, if you're at a stage in life where you wonder if you still have anything meaningful to contribute to the world, rest assured each of these men and women felt the same way. Then, one day, an opportunity presented itself that seemed ideally suited for their unique skills, talent and life experience.
Stepping out on faith to pursue that idea or smoldering desire made all the difference in their lives and to the lives of others. These go-getters found success or fulfillment by following their dreams even when the world was encouraging them to slow down and take it easy.
May their stories inspire you to step out of your comfort zone to embrace the greatness hidden within you. Remember, you were designed for more!
Greg Gerber
A native of Wisconsin, Greg Gerber is a DODO (Dad of Daughters Only). He has three grown daughters and four granddaughters, which means he speaks fluent female. His first grandson arrived in June 2017. He is an award-winning journalist who spent seventeen years covering the recreation vehicle (RV) industry by editing several magazines before venturing out on his own to create the industry's first online daily publication, blog, and podcast. For three years, he traveled across America full-time in a motorhome, visiting all forty-eight continental states and reporting on the industry. Hawaii is the only state he has yet to visit. His life wasn't always sunshine and adventure, though. After his parents divorced when he was eight years old, Greg struggled with poor self-esteem and anger. He was bullied frequently in elementary and middle school to the point of having his arm broken. His father died suddenly when he was nineteen years old, and for much of his life Greg struggled with a weight problem. For years, he wandered aimlessly seeking purpose for his life. He worked more than twenty jobs between his sixteenth and fortieth birthdays, including stints as a restaurant manager, police officer, emergency medical technician, public relations professional, event photographer and writer. He cut his teeth as a journalist while serving in the U.S. Air Force. The one common thread through it all was an obsession with pornography, which began two weeks after his twelfth birthday when a neighbor teen showed him a Playboy magazine. Porn became a welcome escape from the heartbreak, loneliness, and abandonment he felt. By the time he was thirty-three, Greg had accumulated 1,400 men's magazines before his wife discovered the problem. After that, he ditched the paper dolls and his obsession went viral while he accumulated more than four million hidden electronic porn images and 25,000 videos at the lowest point of his life. However, during that time, Greg became a Christian, and God slowly peeled back the layers of hurt, anger, and bitterness for many years until Greg could finally break free of the bondage. Today, he splits his time between Wisconsin and Texas (to be closer to his girls) while working as a speaker and author of faith-based books. He believes in the power of second chances and is passionate about helping others build habit-crushing, mountain-moving faith to defeat the Goliaths in their lives.
More by Greg Gerber
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