How to Have Abundant Full Life
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For the past year, most of the blog posts you see here have been “umbrellaed,” (like that made-up word?) under one topic:
making the most of each day we live for the Lord.
Most of you know that our family is a busy one, with 7 kiddos, including one with special needs. Not only does she have “extra” needs, but she also has been given a number to her life span- a result of the disease of MPS, mucopolysacchridoses.
While Taylor is 17 and in fair health for her age, given the disease, each day we live our lives with open hands. She is fragile and we recognize that God has a plan for her life and our lives far greater than we can fathom.
Life is a celebration. And whether we live 10-15 years average or to age 80, God’s plan for our daily living is abundant and full.
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10 ESV
Today as I spoke at the Mom 2 Mom ministry at Humble First Baptist Church in Houston, TX, the message of the past year here on the blog blended together into one core message I really wanted to pass on to you today.
Can I ask you to pause for a moment and with clear mind, read Ecclesiaste 3:1-11 ?
This well-known passage is clearly giving instruction that life is a celebration. We celebrate seasons, we celebrate time, and we celebrate tasks. If we peer through the tunnel of life perspective, we can see our life as a whole, flowing with different seasons, through various times, and with daily tasks.
Once we’ve realized that the privilege of daily breath is to be celebrated, we can better appreciate the current season of life. Whether it is finding the way through college or being a first-time mom, whether embracing the beautiful years of being grandparents, or taking that first “real” job…no matter the season, we can celebrate it as beauty in the journey of life.
If we further look through the tunnel of life perspective, time marks our path. After life and its seasons, time takes its toll. Two very important points about time on which we should frequently reflect are:
- We can’t control the quantity of time we have.
- We can control the quality of time we spend.
Everyone gets the same number of hours in a day. Only God knows the day each of us will know longer be on earth. We simply can’t control the amount of time we receive on earth.
But we can invest and strive for the highest quality of time we spend. How? How do we truly invest our time wisely on a daily basis?
By celebrating tasks. You know, the daily chore list. The daily to-do list. The work God has given us to do. Say what?
Every daily task is a divinely orchestrated opportunity to enjoy life.
God wants to take this perspective funnel and throughout our lives, our seasons, our time, and our tasks, He wants to draw us closer to Him. He wants to be included as we go about our daily living.
If I never communicated with my husband about our daily living, the dishes, the laundry, the logistics of praise rehearsals and band concerts and sports practices, then he would not feel included in our family. If he never shared his thoughts or dreams with me, then I would not feel a part of him.
God wants a relationship. One that beats with the pulse of knowing we have been saved by the blood of Jesus. One that discusses the logistics of the day, our problems and worries, our daily grind. And the relationship doesn’t stop with the daily routine of general conversation- He wants to draw us close. To be intimate and fully recognize the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of us.
The extraordinary potential in everyday living rests in
God’s desire to have a personal relationship with us.
(yesterday’s graphic)
So how do we take this celebration of life and implement the joy, choosing to embrace the seasons, times, and tasks HE has graciously given to us?
Whether we eat or drink or whatever we do, do all to the glory of God. I Cor. 10:31
THIS is the life-long pursuit. The journey of this blog. The journey of every Christian:
abundant full life.
But it doesn’t come by filling up the calendar to the brim, with no margin. It doesn’t come by holding to a strict quiet time routine without creative room to breathe. It comes by having ongoing conversations with the Creator of the universe throughout the day. It comes by saturating our lives with Scripture. It comes by listening to His heart speak to ours.
Abundant, full living comes through our relationship with the Almighty Most High God.
Relationships cannot be boxed and sold nor manufactured and shipped.
Relationships are fostered and nurtured to grow and thrive and bloom.
To give you a few ideas of where I’ve started and continue to pursue that growing, nurturing relationship with my Savior, here is a list of posts that target this very topic- this ongoing journey of pursuing more of Jesus and less of me, this celebration of the gift of life here on earth, as well the life to come in Heaven, this celebration of life and seasons and time and tasks…
Through God’s Word:
7 Ways to Saturate Your Life with Scripture
6 Ways to Help You with Bible Memory Verses
Through Prayer:
5 Ways to Keep a Prayer Journal
Prayer Journal Printables and Gift Ideas
CHAT: Prayer Journaling for Anyone- adults, teens, children
Through Thanksgiving:
JOY Journals- How to Teach Your Child to Journal Thankfulness
Through Worship:
7 Praise Songs to Stop Negative Internal Chatter
10 Praise Songs to Start Your Day
20 Hymns Every Christian Should Know
Through Devotional Resources:
Devotional Apps That Will Make You Sip Your Latte Longer
4 Free Online Devotionals You Will Love
Devotionals So Good Your Chocolate Will Seem Sweeter
7 Devotionals Your Kids Will Love
Fabulous Free Resources for Children
5 Totally Awesome Bible Apps for Kids
My mission continues to be to inspire you to live out extraordinary faith in Christ by providing everyday real life solutions. My prayer is that maybe just one of the above posts is how God is fostering your relationship with Him today. My hope is that you will continue to pursue the abundant full life and I’d be so privileged if you would continue to do that right here with me!
What thoughts do you have on how to have abundant full life in Christ? I’d so love to hear from you today!
Bloggers- love to have you linking up to Whimsical Wednesday! What are you doing to encourage abundant full life? Tell us about your encouraging post today!
