Throughout the month of Nicaragua the Lord was teaching me what it means to live life and not just live it but live it abundantly in Him just like it says in John that the enemy only comes to kill steal and destroy but Jesus says, “But I have come to give life, and give it abundantly!”
Before heading back to the states for a week I found a beautiful journal in Nicaragua. I bought it not knowing what I’d use it for. One of the girls on my team suggested it be a thankfulness journal used only for thanking the Lord for the blessings he has given me in life. I thought it was a wonderful idea so I started writing in it to the Lord what I’m thankful for.
As I was about to land back in Nicaragua after the week home for my brother’s wedding I was thinking about how selfish I had been in my prayers and that it had focused on just giving requests to the Lord and talking about my issues and not on praising him and giving Him the glory that HE deserves. I wrote down in my phone just before landing in Nicaragua
Put a focus on God and off yourself. Seek Him and study HIS attributes and who HE is and what HE has done in the world and what HE promises to do!
As I was back in Nicaragua I was thinking what can help me put a focus back on the Lord and off myself? I then remembered my journal and felt like it wasn’t supposed to just be a journal of thanksgiving but also one of writing love letters to the Lord and giving praise to HIM.
At debrief the top dog of the World Race, Bill Swan, came to Nicaragua to join me and my squad. He felt the need to encourage us in living life and living it to the full in Christ. It was exactly what the Lord had started to teach me. That next morning I woke up and had a vision:
I had a belt around my neck about to hang myself. I paused the vision and rebuked it in Jesus’ Name having no idea where that thought was coming form but the Lord said, “Let me finish it. Keep watching.” So I allowed myself to keep watching with great hesitant. I saw myself stepping off the stool and me hanging there. A few seconds passed and then someone came and put a stool under my feet. I came back to life, got down, and started running around with a bunch of energy and inexpressible JOY!
I came out of the vision and asked the Lord, “God, what the heck was that?!” I was thinking how hanging is associated with suicide and killing yourself, and metaphorically speaking as the Bible says, “dying to yourself” and your own selfish desires.
Dying to yourself is the first step to having life and life abundantly in Christ! In Galatians Paul writes, I have been crucified with Christ. It is not longer I who live but Christ who lives within me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Also, in the vision after dying to myself and being raised again (in Christ) I had inexpressible JOY. We have a daily choice to die to ourselves and choose JOY, in our good times and bad times.
The journal I was talking about has helped me come to a place of choosing joy because it helps me to focus on the Lord and who He Is, off myself, and seeing all the blessings he has given me that I don’t deserve.
We have countless things to be thankful for and I want to share this life & life abundantly with all who are around me, near and far!
Want to start living a life and life abundantly?! I challenge you to begin putting your selfish desires and wants to death and start writing down letters (or simply communicating however that may be for you) to the Lord, praising him for who He is and thanking Him for what He has given you.
How do we live life and life abundantly?
You don’t need to be traveling to 11 countries in 11 months to experience life abundantly. You don’t need to be hiking up and sledding down a volcano, embracing a nicaraguan child laughing together, loving on a group of kids from a latin country, or even riding in the back of the pickup truck with the crisp, pine scented air blowing through your hair while riding through the Honduran mountainside in route to feed hungry kids, (which are all things I’m thankful for!!!) but you can experience life and life abundantly where you’re at!
Put to death yourselves and choose joy – Jesus – the one TRUE JOY! Open your eyes to the many blessings surrounding you. It might be someone giving you a free drink from Starbucks, it might be traveling down the road being able to see the trees changing color, it might be a coffee date and conversation that was wayoverdue with a dear friend, it might even be as little as a beautiful rainbow over your head. Whatever it is, don’t just let it slide by but acknowledge it for what it is. A gift, a blessing from the Lord and return back to him and give him the thanks He deserves.
As my friend and squad-mate, Lesa, would hashtag #embracethatlife and start making that a reality in your life and truly EMBRACE THAT LIFE the Lord has given you through the death and resurrection of Christ!!
