Newsflash: Your life is NOT SUPPOSED TO look like Pinterest or Instagram or Facebook.
Your life assignment as a Christ-follower, should you choose to accept Him, is to walk in love and freedom in the abundant life offered you.
To thrive.
What is abundance? What is freedom? What does it look like to thrive?
What these ideas look like in your life will not be seen in another’s life as a cookie cutter. Your journey is unique to you even when you engage in the same practices at the same time as others, the outcomes will look different.
And that’s exactly how He designed it. God is a God of creativity. Sameness is dull and boring. Remember, He’s the author of the duck-billed platypus and spiny crustaceans. Pine trees and dandelions. He wants you to be YOU as He wired you, not a copy of someone else.
So let’s play the game Imagine If
…money was not an issue, if energy was available regularly, if you work at your dream job, live in your dream house, married to the dream guy, what would your life be like? Would you travel more? Write the great American novel? Speak five languages fluently? Garden?
Would all those things equate thriving in your life?
If not, what will your life look like when you are thriving?
Give yourself permission to imagine you are rolling along and all is well even for one day. What would that look like?
Action step: Write out your ideal example of what it will look like for you to thrive in your life. Don’t self-edit with the thought “this can’t ever happen”. Imagination is the gift God has given us to connect with Him since “faith is the evidence of things not seen”. Give yourself permission to imagine outside the box of your current reality. What would thriving look like for you?
Hi there! I'm Lisa. I am a native California girl married to my best friend, Colin; we currently live and work in the Silicon Valley. I am privileged to be mom to two fantastic grown sons and mom-in-law to a wonderful daughter.
2 comments
Join the conversationAnn E. Lorenzen - November 25, 2019
I feel and know that I am thriving when IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER:
Sum Tertius—I am third—God first, the Other second, and my Self third.
I choose a smile with a Joy-filled and grateful “Aha!” to greet my day while offering my Self and Day to The Lord.
My listening is profound, elegantly eager and compassionate—and I listen waaaaay more than I speak.
My mindfulness outweighs and overrides my busyness.
I schedule and dedicate serious stretches of time and energy daily to deploying my gifts (spiritual and physical) and sharing them as inspired/directed by The Holy Spirit.
I dedicate and schedule daily times to honor and love my body and its systems by exercising.
I have completed the first Study Guide for Beautiful Feet Books and am sent out to promote it.
I spend time daily with—and deeply appreciate—Kindred, Seeking Souls.
I enjoy more than 1 episode of hearty, whole-body, eyes-watering laughter.
I find myself moving and/or dancing around to some piece(s) of music.
I renew my Passport and schedule my next trip to Ireland and the British Isles.
Tim Cook’s office responds to my request for help in acquiring an iMac package so that I may DO THE WORK THAT I AM CALLED TO DO (before my eyesight gives out and before I age another year:-))
I am invited to speak at the Wild & Free Conference about my Curriculum/Book.
I am invited to be a TED presenter.
I am invited to bring a Friend to Oprah’s for tea and conversation:-)
My familial relationships are Joy-full, ease-full and Grace-filled.
God introduces me to His Idea of my most Blessed and Delightful Guy.
I bring home—at long last—my most perfect Dawg:-)
I am settled in Williamsburg, preparing to attend William & Mary for my degree in Philosophy w/a concentration in Theology.
My articles on Faith and Catechesis are published regularly in the most appropriate publications.
This is probably not an exhaustive list but it is a great start and attainable with a disciplined approach—Thank you for asking this of me, Lisa!
Lisa Lewis - November 25, 2019
This is a beautiful list Ann! The items on it inspire me and hopefully will inspire others as well. Thanks so much for taking time to write it out and then share it here; I love being able to pray over the details although you and I both know the joy is in the camaraderie with Holy Spirit not the words of prayer themselves! Love you Big Sis!
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