Starting the Day off Right
I have found that starting the day off right helps me stay “on purpose” throughout the day. Conversely, if I start my morning responding to urgencies, distracted, or disoriented, the rest of the day is usually shot.
Here are a few things I have found to be helpful:
1) I try and wake up each morning…thankful. My best mornings are those when I can lay there for a few moments giving thanks to Father for simple things. Having eyes that can see His beautiful world, being able to go on a run, having heat and hot water, having an amazing wife, etc. Optimally, I want to do this before my feet hit the ground.
2) Next, I try to ask God, “what do you have for me today? Is there someone I should call? Is there someone I should be praying for? Is there anything I am pursuing that I should let go of? Is there something or someone I should pursue? Is there anything you want to speak to me?” I don’t always ask the same questions. The idea here is simple….I’m just trying to invite Him into my day and life. The point is conversation not getting an answer.
3) I have to do something for my heart. For me, I like to have some coffee and read some good stuff. Then maybe go on a run or workout. If time allows, I also love to listen to some music or spend some time in nature. It’s whatever unplugs me from the Matrix for a little while.
What does your typical morning look like?
How do you start the day off right?
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Scars, Wounds, and the desire to Live
I recently had a conversation with friends about the healing and redemption of emotional wounds. It was a deep and rich conversation. But one of the hang-ups we kept having was, “if you experience healing of a wound, why is it still painful?” and “why do you still have scars?”
Here is part of what I shared from a doctor’s perspective. Maybe it will benefit you.
“The human body has an “innate” desire to live and to survive. When it gets wounded it goes through a series of intelligently designed maneuvers. It sends white blood cells to fight off infection, platelets to stop the bleeding, and then microphages to clean and repair damaged tissue. After the Acute Response Phase is finished, the area of wounding becomes a scar, an adhesion, or an altered manifestation of structure and function (i.e. a limp). The draw back is that scar tissue is never as flexible or strong and is often more sensitive after healing. But the body’s not concerned about the downside of this “altered functionality” because it’s core desire is to LIVE. It knows that LIVING healed is better than dying scar free.”
And it’s no different with emotional wounding. Just because we experience healing doesn’t mean we won’t walk with a limp. It doesn’t mean we won’t still have sensitivity in that area. And like our body’s scars, we shouldn’t be overly concerned about this downside to healing.
Why?
Because living healed is better than dying scar free.
Thoughts?
What’s your experience with wounds, scars, and healing?
Mystery is an Invitation
“One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity…Never lose a holy curiosity” -Albert Einstein
Don’t let anyone fool you. If someone claims to know fully and completely what their calling is, trust me…they don’t.
See the reality is our life and calling is draped in mystery. And God uses that mystery as an invitation to walk more deeply with Him.
Think about it. If God said, “this is who you are, this is why you are here, this is what you are to do, and this is where you are to do it”. We would get our instructions and we would walk away from Him. We would. In fact, I’ve done that.
But thankfully God says, “I love you too much. I really just want to be with you. So I’m not going to give you everything at once. I am going to give you a little more and a little more as we journey together.”
That’s a huge nugget for anyone pursuing their calling. It’s not just about finding clarity about what to do and then doing it. It’s about a journey, a mysterious adventure, and a relationship too.
Thoughts?
How do you handle the mystery in your life?
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When you stumble…fall forward!
Notice I didn’t say if…but when.
Have you ever heard someone you admire say, “On my way to success I never blew it”? On the contrary, most often a successful journey is littered with failures, misjudgments, and setbacks. In fact, those stumbles often make up the catalyst that leads to an eventual breakthrough.
For example, I recently experienced a set back. I wanted to move the ball forward, but it went backwards instead. As I started to unpack the reason behind the failure, I actually began to laugh about it and gain excitement about how I would tackle the same situation in the future. I no longer felt like I blew it but instead felt one step closer to success.
What about you? Are you good at stumbling forward?
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Settled
Something is taking place in me this side of 40. I am becoming more settled.
I am not chasing down every rabbit trail. I am not swinging for the fence every time. I am not swayed by the thoughts of others as much anymore. And I definitely feel more solid in the Way I am pursuing Life, God, and the hearts of others.
But how do I continue to walk that out?
How do I continue to pursue growth knowing that every limb on the tree doesn’t need to be pruned?
How do I make sure I don’t start shrinking my world just a little in effort to control it and play it safe?
It seems to me being settled is two-sided. On the one hand, we should become more consistent, more solid, and more rooted over time. But by the same token, becoming settled can also lead to rigidity, stagnation, and possibly resignation.
Thoughts?
How do you navigate becoming settled in your life?
