Did you ever fall off a jungle gym as a kid and land flat on your back? I remember laying on a leaf covered playground staring blankly at a circle of faces looming over me. It wasn’t until I opened my mouth and gulped air, forcing it into my lungs that my body made the slightest movement and then I could talk.
In our adult life we can experience that same feeling. Whereas, it was seconds as a kid, it could be months or years, as an adult. You might be laid out in divorce court or fist pumping on top of the jungle gym by your latest promotion. Wherever you are, take 10 (really there’s 11) and enjoy a glimpse into the writings of my book, Songs of my soul.
Forgive. Period: Let go of unforgiveness: Everyone has someone they need to forgive, even it’s themselves.
Love with wild abandon: It’s been said that God will allow your heart to be broken until you love with your heart open. My heart breaks to see human suffering. Whether a woman fighting a life-changing diagnosis to the sex trafficked child. You should love without borders.
Embrace your human frailties: You are who and how God created you to be. Take struggle from your vocabulary. As long as it’s there, you will feel defeated. When you mask the vulnerabilities, you’re not fooling anyone. Your weakness is made perfect in His strength. Share that strength.
Show mercy: Sometimes the hardest place to show mercy is to the ones closest to you. No one appreciates a worn out martyr. Serve unselfishly and with love because it’s not sacrifice God requires, it’s mercy in the hard places to someone’s soul.
Give of your time and resources: Build life-giving relationships. You can be a generous giver even if you’re not a millionaire. A friend was once a stranger. Listen with intention. Relationships shouldn’t be to make you a better talker, but a better listener. The stuff you own and buy on loan, hold on to it loosely. There are no hearses with luggage racks.
Be a light to a path of goodness: Make someone’s soul sparkle. Every day is a glorious day when you have breath in your body and when you recognize this, you live and lead without regret.
Practice self-compassion: Jesus had compassion before He even saw the faces of the hurting. You see your face, feel your own skin everyday. Ease up, no one sets the bar but you.
Cultivate joy: You are in charge of your own happiness. You may be in a season of harvest and absolute joy, but my guess is that it followed a season of desolation and pain. What if your capacity for joy was made even greater because of your perseverance through suffering?
Kindness matters: When you show kindness you tell someone they matter. They are not forgotten but seen by you and for the moment, you can be what they need. You grow outside of your selfish wants when you see the world through the eyes of your heart.
Seek peace: Uncover the enemies to your peace. There’s a river of peace with a single destination leading to God. It’s perfect peace that keeps us fixed on Him.
Seek grand adventures: Celebrate every day and be fully present in the moment. You create grand adventures with your mindset. Make self exploration your grandest adventure!