Pray!

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

--God

(2 Chronicles 7:14, NKJV)

One by One

I'd hoped to feel less overwhelmed after Christmas. But when the New Year arrived, I shifted my focus from "all things Christmas" to improvements I need to make. Lose at least ten pounds. Exercise daily. Stay in closer touch with friends. Declutter drawers and closets and THE BASEMENT. Publish a second book....

The more I considered what I needed to do, the more overwhelmed I felt. (Does that happen to you, too?) But while reading an email on New Year's Day, I saw a simple solution for decreasing overwhelm. Starting today, do ONE thing! For example: meet one exercise goal for today. Call one friend. Declutter one drawer. Write one paragraph for the new book.

By doing one small task today and another one tomorrow and the next day and the next day..., I'll achieve my goals. (You can, too!) Even the ones that seem unreachable.

Live!

Image by Daniel Byram from Pixabay 
Used by permission.

When I saw this image on the Internet, I zoomed in to read what some folks had written on the chalkboard in a bar. Despite the heavy accumulation of chalk dust on the board, I managed to read some of the dreams written in the blanks. "Ride the gondolas in Venice with my husband." "Be happily in love." "Marry Ryan."

But one answer intrigued me far more than any of the others. "Live." I reflected on those four large, red letters. What exactly did he mean? To feel fully alive rather than dead inside? To thrive rather than shrivel up? To feel excited rather than bored? To experience adventures rather than stay in the same old rut? To feel eager rather than dutiful? To dare rather than to hesitate?

Did he realize the disconnect between the life he had and the life he was created to have? The life he could have--and should have? That's what happens when we settle for being anything less than what God created us to be. And we recognize it, as did the person who wrote, "Before I die, I want to live." 

But here's the Good News: We can have an abundant life! How? Believe Him. Receive Him. Experience the life He wants us to enjoy here and throughout eternity.