Life to the Fullest

 

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”          John 10:10 NIV

These are Jesus’ words in a parable that teaches how He is the Good Shepherd. In other translations, the word “full” is replaced with “abundant, rich, and satisfying.”  Isn’t it awesome that our Savior wants to do more for us than simply provide the bare necessities? He went to the cross to save us from our sins, but His love for us didn’t stop there. He wants us to live an abundant life!  As I reflected on times when I’ve felt that my life was rich and satisfying, I found that it took some work on my part.  Below are a few things we can do to invite Jesus in and make room for His abundant blessings.

*Be Fully Present

Unfortunately, electronics have become a major distraction in our generation. I hate how I have let my phone steal my time in the past. Choosing to take my eyes off my screen and be fully present with those around me pays huge dividends. Purposing to give that time back to my kids and husband is one of the best decisions I can make.  When I am fully present with my family and friends, the Lord opens my eyes to their hearts.

*Be Fully Open

Do you leave room in your schedule for God to move?  We live in a fast-paced society, and we tend to measure the success of our day by how many items we check off our never-ending To Do List.  What would happen if you slowed things down, forgot about your personal agenda, and asked God to lead you through your day?  I can tell you from experience that starting my day with this mindset changes everything! 

One morning after praying this very prayer, I felt a tug at my heart to reach out to an acquaintance that I knew was struggling with anxiety. She hadn’t been out of her house in months.  I wanted her to know she wasn’t alone, so I simply placed a note and some flowers at her door.  Within 15 minutes, we were chatting on the phone, and she was spilling her heart out to me.  That phone call led to lunch, and that lunch led to a budding friendship.  She still tells me that my small act of kindness gave her the courage she needed to get back out and seek professional help.  I’m so thankful I chose to open my schedule and obey that still small voice.  God wants to use you as a vessel for His kingdom, but you must make yourself open and available. 

*Be Fully Immersed 

We cannot live out God’s Truth if we don’t know God’s Word.  We are the luckiest generation because the Bible is available at our fingertips.  We can choose our translation, click Play, and listen anywhere, any time. Immerse yourself in praise and worship music, too.  The more we praise Him, the more we remember His faithfulness, and the more we have hope for tomorrow.

I pray that you will experience the abundant life God has for you today!

Marco..... Polo!

How often do you send a text, make a phone call, or Marco Polo your best friend? (Marco Polo is a fun app where you start a conversation through video messages.)

Lately, I have found myself texting, calling, and “Marco-ing” my friends more often than ever before. I have some amazing women of God in my life, and we use these tools on our phones to build each other up, encourage one another, check on each other, laugh together, and sometimes even shed some tears together. Friendship is powerful, and living in community with like-minded followers of Christ is paramount to my spiritual well-being.

I’m so quick to grab my phone sometimes that I forget about someone else who is longing for me to communicate with Him. God is watching and waiting and ready to listen. When you feel that gentle tug in your heart, Jesus is calling. When you’re driving to and fro - and you see a beautiful sunrise or sunset of colors that take your breath away- Jesus is calling. When you are in the middle of one of life’s storms, and all you feel is confusion or pain, Jesus is calling.

How often do you answer the call? He is longing for us to stop, sit, bow, and pour out our hearts to Him. And He would love nothing more than for you to do the dialing! So my question today is this:

Do you have Jesus on Speed Dial? Do you cry out to him as if you were playing the familiar game of Marco Polo?

“Marco! Here I am Lord! Are you there? Do you hear me? Where are you? I need you!”

Prayer is so powerful. There is nothing else like it. I have been part of a Moms in Prayer group at my children’s school for 4 years, and I have learned so much about prayer. I’ve learned how to use scripture to pray, and I’ve learned to be bold in my prayers. I’ve seen God answer prayers, and I can testify that His promises never fail. Even when our selfish requests and earthly desires are not met, God is working. Surviving life’s curveballs takes faith, trust, and consistent, persistent PRAYER.

Keep calling out to Him, friends. Keep yelling “Marco!” He will always answer, and He will always listen. And when it’s His turn to do the talking- oh, how beautiful it is to sit and listen! Listening for the Lord takes waiting and watching. If you wait and watch, he will reveal Himself. Sometimes it takes months or years of the same prayer. But friends, He will move and He will answer. His answers sometimes come through Scripture, a word from a friend, or sometimes through music or circumstances. Be alert! The Holy Spirit will guide and direct if you remain in step with Him through daily prayer.

 

“The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them. The Lord protects all those who love him, but he destroys the wicked. I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless his holy name forever and ever.” (Psalm 145:18-21)

No Worries!

Do you ever find yourself texting a friend back and saying "No Worries!"  Maybe they had to cancel a lunch date and this is your response.

We've all done it.  We give our friends grace, because we know how much they have on their plate and we want them to know that it's OK if they drop the ball on something.  (Because I'm over here balancing a full plate too, and I drop the ball DAILY.)

But what happens when you need grace for yourself?  Do you give it freely - to yourself?

When all the "worries of the world" stack up on your plate, what do you do?

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:33)

     These are red-letter words in your Bible, which means they are Jesus’ words.  Not King David, not Paul, not Matthew or Mark.  Jesus himself is preaching, and he is saying “Do not worry.” Close your eyes and imagine that you are face to face with Jesus. He is holding out his hands to you like he is inviting you in for a hug. As he hugs you with the most tender touch, he whispers, “Don’t worry.  I’ve got you.”  But that’s not all he says.  He points you to your Heavenly Father.  And he says, “Seek first his kingdom.” 

    What does it mean to seek first his kingdom?  Start your day with Him, even if it’s a quick one-sentence prayer or listening to worship music on your way to work. Seek His counsel- through scripture- and pray for wisdom before calling a friend.  Go to him in prayer before doing anything else.  And when all the worries of the world become too much, prayer is where we find the peace that passes understanding. 

    Time and time again in my own life, I have tried searching for peace in other things and grasping at other people (loved ones or friends) to help me find it.  I unload my worries on others and then feel bad when I find out that they are dealing with something way more worrisome than my little personal load.  Have you been there?  We are all dealing with something, and there are worries around every corner- for every season of life- no matter how young or old you are. But Jesus says, “Don’t worry. I’ve got you. Just seek Me first."

Prayer:  Father, I praise You and thank You for all the blessings in my life. They are too numerous to count. But, Lord, I also have worries, and they seem insurmountable some days. So today, I lay my worries and burdens down at the foot of Your cross. Holy Spirit, come.  I need your tender embrace today. Hide me under the shadow of Your wings and be my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.

I Used to Hate the Rain

     When I was in middle school, my best friend and I were “office aides.”  We took this job very seriously, and we loved it. At the time, school office personnel needed student helpers for things that can now be done at the click of a button or even on our phones. Our main job was to walk up and down the hallways collecting attendance sheets that teachers hung outside their classroom door. I will never forget the dreaded days when it was raining, and one of us would have to brave a monsoon to run outside and collect attendance from the portable buildings. You might wonder if we had heard of umbrellas – so why the dismay? And the reason can be summed up in two words: humidity and hair.  You see, I have naturally curly hair. Humid days used to haunt me because my hair would literally triple in size. And you know how middle schoolers are: So. Self. Conscious. My world began to crumble when anything slightly embarrassing would happen.

And for this reason, I used to hate the rain.

Now that I’m older, I look back on that time and laugh at myself. At the age of 29, I experienced a (figurative) torrential downpour. I felt like my life and my “normal” was being swept away. The rain wouldn’t let up, the winds picked up, and I felt a lot like Dorothy in the tornado scene from The Wizard of Oz. Through this storm, I set my eyes on Jesus and continued to seek Him.  I knew He wouldn’t give up on me. And I was right. He was with me the whole time, and He delivered me from that trial. Today, I’m here to testify about His healing power through it. And a little rain doesn’t bother me so much anymore.

“We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling short-changed. Quite the contrary – we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!” (Romans 5:3-5 MSG)

These days, I embrace the rain. I love to watch it, listen to it, and maybe even go outside and dance in it now and then. I have confidence that my God will get me through any storm, and I’ve experienced how those storms end up making me stronger. I also recognize that drought is far worse than rain. So in all actuality, we need the rain! It refreshes and renews us when we are completely dried up. It brings trees, plants, and flowers back to life and makes them green again. (Can I get an “AMEN!” from my fellow Texans?) God’s promise- like His beautiful rainbows- reminds us that there’s a purpose under Heaven for every rainstorm. You may not see it now, but God has a plan to use your storm for good.

Puppy Training 101

In October of last year, we lost our beloved Luka- our two-year-old Border Terrier. The shock of his death rocked my world and totally shattered my kids. My son had trouble sleeping, my daughter would break out in random tears, and I could not shake the Replay of images of the horrific event.

It wasn't long before we started researching dog breeds and talking about getting a new puppy.  After we all agreed that a Giant Schnauzer would suit our family well, the research for breeders began.  I thought we would be put on a waitlist and I was prepared to wait for months.  To my surprise, I found a breeder with one male puppy available.  He would be ready for adoption in 3 weeks! We excitedly discussed options for his name, and the kids had fun making his nametag at Petco.  I mentally prepared for all things TRAINING: potty, crate, obedience, etc. 

Sweet little Maximus arrived the Thursday before Spring Break.  He is precious, and he immediately bonded with me while the kids were at school.  He follows me around the house and plops down to lay his head on my feet.  He loves to be close to his new momma.  When he's not able to get to me, he cries.  It's like having a baby all over again.

And it got me thinking.

What a great picture of how we should be with our Heavenly Father.

Wherever He leads, we should follow.  We should plop down at His feet and find our comfort THERE.  And nowhere else.  We should cry out for HIM, and nothing else.  We should long to be with Him, near Him, and we should look to Him for our provisions.  Because only He can provide everything we need.

Yesterday, I read 1 Kings 17 - a story about Elijah.  God ordered him to flee and fast.  God told him that He would provide fresh water from a brook and ravens to supply all his food.  Elijah obeyed, and God followed through with His promise.  What an amazing picture of obedience and sole dependence on God.  Elijah had to trust that God would provide his daily sustenance.  Don't know about you, but in my book, that takes a huge amount of faith.

I've been diving into Psalm 119 (The Message Version) and there's a theme that tends to repeat itself.  I've collected some of the verses that I highlighted throughout this, the longest, chapter in Psalms.  Can you find the pattern?

Train me in the ways of wise living.

Build me up again by your Word.

Grace me with your clear revelation.

I grasp and cling to whatever you tell me;

I'll run the course you lay out for me if you'll just show me how.

Give me an appetite for your words of wisdom.

See how hungry I am for your wise counsel.

I cherish your commandments- relishing every fragment of your counsel.

I set your instructions to music and sing them as I walk on this pilgrim way.

Train me to live by your counsel.

Train me in good common sense.

Train me in your goodness.

Let those who fear you turn to me for evidence of your wise guidance. And let me live whole and holy, soul and body, so I can always walk with my head held high.

So as I continue my Puppy Training today, I am reminded that I am still in training.  And I never want to lose that zeal to seek the Lord and follow His ways and His will for me.  I want to grasp and cling to Him just like my new little puppy is clinging to me today.  

I pray that you never stop seeking His counsel.

Acorns, Acorns, Everywhere

                We recently moved onto two beautiful acres, and we had so many trees that we didn’t know what to do with ourselves.  We took time to research which ones to keep and which ones needed removal before we begin some construction.  We also took time to trim them up, because they had been neglected for way too long.  Now that it’s Fall, a day doesn’t go by when I don’t hear multiple loud “crack!” noises coming from outside.  Acorns fall from these beautiful trees and hit the skylight window, the roof, or the cars with a resounding “thud” each time.  Sometimes it catches me off guard and makes me jump.  I’ve learned to appreciate the sound, but now I am annoyed by the mess on the ground.  Acorns are everywhere.  We can’t walk onto our back patio barefoot without the irritation of stepping on hundreds of acorns in our path. 

Today, I chose to do something about this little problem.  The kids were at school, the hubby was at work, and I decided to take up some Power Tool Cleaning.  We just invested in a high-tech battery operated blower.  My son had to show me how to use it a few months ago, because I couldn’t stand all the leaves that collected around our main entrance.  Now it was the acorns that were taunting me.  Boy, did I get after it.  I blasted acorns away from our entrance, porch, and driveway.  And I was proud of myself. 

Here’s where the story gets interesting.  The acorns will return.  They will continue falling from the trees all season.  They will get back underfoot as sure as the weeds grow back after pruning and the bugs continue to bite.  Such is life.  What acorns do you have in your life?  What little annoyances?  What stresses?  What hurdles to overcome?  It could be as simple as a really full calendar with chaos as your companion during the busy holiday season that looms ahead.  It could be a really tough season of loss and grief.  I’m in the middle of both of those right now.  Smack dab in the middle.  And I’ve found that I can still put a smile on my face.  I can still show up and dance.  I can still be there for my friends, because they have their own stresses too.  There will be times when life feels neat and clean and tidy, like the feeling I had when I blew all those acorns away today.  There will be times when there is no end in sight.  Acorns, Acorns, Everywhere.  Don’t let those acorns stop you from walking ahead.

Head to Toe

I was teaching 7th grade math at a private Christian school.  One of my sweet students was struggling with anxiety.  How did I know?  This amazing school is a small, tight community.  I had moved up with this group of students after teaching them the previous year in 6th grade.  We had built a rapport, and I had an open door policy.  I wanted to be available for my students with any questions (math or not) when they needed help.  I had also made the effort to partner with their parents.  The momma of this sweet student came to me and let me know of her struggles.  She was helping her daughter learn tools for diffusing an anxiety attack.  She wanted to let me know, and she asked if the student and I could have a secret code, a symbol to let me know she was feeling the anxiety rising.  When I saw the symbol, I would let her leave the classroom to compose herself and use calming strategies.  

During this conversation with the student's mom, I opened up and shared my story.  I, too, had struggled with anxiety, panic attacks, and mental health.  The mom teared up, gave me a hug, and said, "I'm so sorry that you struggle too.  I was so nervous to talk to anyone about this, but the Lord obviously led me to you for a reason.  You understand."  In that moment, I knew.  

I knew that God would use the broken pieces of me to help others.

Then this sweet momma told me about Christy Nockels' album, "Be Held: Lullabies for the Beloved"

I downloaded it that very afternoon.  It has become one of my favorite albums to listen to when I need respite.  When I need calm.  When I need reminders of His love for me.  In fact, I began using the first two songs to wake my children for school in the mornings. 

The first song, "Head to Toe" is all about the Armor of God.  As I listened to it again this morning, one phrase stuck out to me.

"His Word will be the sword you keep.  You're covered head to toe."

So as you step into your day, and maybe give this song (or album) a listen, I pray that God's Word would penetrate your heart.  That it would infiltrate every thought you have and spill out into everything you do and say.  

The only way that can happen is if you are actively reading (or listening to) His Word.  My family has started reading one chapter from the New Testament each evening after dinner (thanks to a little encouragement from our school community!)  We're not perfect.  There are nights that we forget or become busy.  So sometimes we double-up later.  And sometimes, as I watch my kids' body language, it seems as if the words are going in one ear and out the other.  I just remind myself that God is using these moments to pour His Truth into our hearts.  And it's a much better use of our time than Netflix could ever be.

So, back to the song and it's uplifting lyrics.  When we spend time in His Word, it becomes our SWORD.  And I don't know about you, but there are days that I really need a weapon like that on my side.

So, dive in, friends!  Let's ARMOR UP!

Link to listen:

YouTube: Head to Toe (Christy Nockels)