A Life Worth Living

In my devotion time this morning, I was reading a passage of scripture I have read many times; however, this time my eyes and thoughts focused on the word "leave". In Genesis 12:1-3, the Lord says to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." How many of us would drop everything, leave our family, our jobs, even our country to follow the call of God? Yet, Abram left, not knowing exactly where he was going, but with a promise that he would be blessed and all the nations of the earth would be blessed through him. I wonder what would have happened if he hadn't left? Certainly, history would have been written differently. If Abram, who later became Abraham, had not stepped out in faith we may not be believers today. The scripture declares that Abraham is the father of us all. His stepping out, his journey of faith established a chain of events that ushered Christ into the world. We are believers because of Abraham's leap of faith.

Well, what does all of this have to do with life coaching? It seems to me that a life that is really worth living is a life of faith. It is a life that dares to step out into the unknown, to take risks, to pursue a call or dream. It's a life that knows how to leave the familiar and comfortable behind.

My niece just started graduate school and it's a big step for her. She has really left the familiar, her home, her state and her friends to embark on a new journey. It's only been a few days and the report I have heard is that it's been tough. I am sure when my sister and brother-in-law helped her move her into a strange apartment, in a strange town, there had to be many tears. No doubt my niece probably thought, "what I have done now?" Boy, do I remember those tears. When my parents drove me from Richmond, Virginia to Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina, I think both of us cried for a week! I had never lived away from home, but college turned out to be one of the better experiences of my life. I am sure it will be for my neice as well.

The truth is, without risks there is really nothing gained. In 1992, Gail Devers ran 100 meters in 10.82 seconds to win the Olympic gold medal for the 100 meter dash. A year prior to this achievement, she could barely walk. In 1990, she was diagnosed with Graves' disease. During her radiation treatments, she received too much radiation and experienced serious side effects. In fact, the doctors told her that if she had walked two more days both of her feet would have been amputated. They immediately modifed her treatment and by March of 1991, she returned to the track. When she entered the Olympic track stadium in 1992, she prayed, "God, help me run the race of my life." God answered her prayer. "If you have a problem and you are about to give up," Devers said, "think of me". "Last year, I couldn't walk. Now, I've got a gold medal for running. The last three years of my life have definitely been a miracle."

Life is an incredible adventure and there are no doubt all kinds of provisions and miracles waiting for us, if we will just "carpe diem" (seize the day). I am constantly amazed and delighted by the women that are, not only my friends, but the women I have the opportunity to life coach. What a privilege to know and walk with them through their journeys! I can think of several women who have taken some courageous steps. They have dared to say "yes", and to step out of their comfort zones into the unknown. As a result, their lives have radically changed. They don't look or act the same. There is a glow in their countenance, and I believe they have a new sense of purpose and passion for life. Some of these women are taking risks to start businesses and others have left the familiar to become involved with or start ministries. They have the left the comfortable and the familiar behind and are going for it!

Others I know are taking on personal challenges to grow, stretch and reach new goals. On a personal level, I recently had the privilege of walking with a dear friend through cancer. She not only walked through cancer with complete grace, surviving radiation, chemo and hair loss; but has gone on to accept new challenges in her life! To the complete amazement of her doctor and friends, she recently ran a 26 mile marathon and is in training right now for a triathalon which involves swimming in the gulf of Mexico! Wow, what will she accomplish next? Not only has cancer not deterred her but, in all likelihood, has probably emboldened her to take new risks and accept new challenges.

Harry Emerson Fosdick said, "It is cynicism and fear that freeze life; it is faith that thaws it out, releases it, sets it free." Maybe you and I don't need to leave our country like Abraham did, but maybe we do need to get off the sideline of life and jump in, take a risk. When we dare to leave the familiar and comfortable behind, I believe we begin to live a life really worth living. When we step out in faith, all kinds of doors and opportunities open to us that we never dreamed possible. We can look back over our lives like Gail Devers and and say, wow, didn't we experience the miraculous!

The Lost Art of Gratitude

I received a card from a friend today that made me cry. It's not the first card I have received from her because this unusual lady likes to reach out and touch with a card. She just seems to know when to send one and the exact thing to say to lift your spirit. In fact, you might say she has a card writing ministry of sorts.

This very special lady came into my life about two years ago, when my husband and I suddenly found ourselves caretaking his mother, who had alzheimers. Little did we know how this experience of caretaking would change our lives in such meaningful ways. When my mother-in-law, Grace, moved in with us, we soon discovered that the demands on our time, energy, and emotional beings were all-consuming. We needed some help and, through an agency, Evie came into our lives. Evie became much more than a hired caretaker to us. She became a friend and companion to a woman who barely knew her name and a dear friend to us as well.

Evie has taught me much about gratitude. A card may seem like a very small thing to send, but its impact can be huge nonetheless. Just a few words of thanks or expressions of kindness mean so much. They really do warm the heart; and in a world where real connection with people seems harder and harder to achieve, oh how we need more people like Evie and definitely more cards!

It seems to me, that as a society, we have lost the graceful art of gratitude. Even Jesus expressed complete surprise at the lack of gratitude in his day. In one of the gospel accounts, Jesus healed ten lepers and only one of the came back to thank Him. He basically asked what happened to the other nine. Didn't He heal them too? Why is it so difficult for us to be grateful? Quite frankly, I believe it is far too easy to get pulled right in to an entitlement mentality that somehow life or someone owes me something. "I deserve this." "You owe me this." "I have my rights, you know." "I am entitled to this." "Who do you think you are?”

It's a sad commentary when such simple expressions of gratitude, even a mere “thank you”, are often too few and far to be found. No doubt the messages we have bought into as a society have not only robbed us of meaningful relationships, but the real simple joys of life.

Gracious and grateful people seem to understand that every day we live is really a gift to be treasured and valued. Gracious and grateful people are able to extend graciousness to others because they themselves understand their own limitations. They know all too well that they are recipients of amazing grace on a daily basis from others and a God who loves and values them.

How about you? Need a little more gratitude in your life? I know I do. Maybe the place for you and I to start is by considering what we do have and what is right with our lives. No matter where we are in life, there is always someone who has it worst than you and I. Come to think of it, it's really difficult to be grateful and depressed at the same time? So what are we waiting for? Thanks Evie for the needed reminder!

Lie: You Can Have It All (MP3)

Moving Past Good Intentions

It has often been said if you want something different in life, then you need to do something different. According to Albert Einstein, the true definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results! So what do you want to change in your life? Most of us really probably do want to make some changes in our lives. We have good intentions, but for one reason or another we keep putting things off. We keep procrastinating. In fact, the line I hear often from clients is, “I know I need to do so and so it’s just a matter of doing it.” I know I have even said that when it comes to that dirty word, “exercise”!

So why don’t you just start? The good news is that anything from exercise, to saving money, to changing your attitude can be accomplished when you make changes in bite-size proportions. How do you eat an elephant? One fork full at a time. If I want to lose weight, the best way to think about is to eat one fork less at a time. What am I willing to do without today? If I want to start a big exercise program, the best way to start is to think about small realistic goals. What am I willing to do? If I will only walk for 10 minutes two to three times a week, then that is great! I have at least begun and it’s more than I did last week. We need to give ourselves permission to start small and to start within our comfort range. Starting is the key factor here! Achieving small goals gives us incentive to reach for larger goals.

The second important thing to move us past good intentions is to realize that there is a “pot of gold”, so to speak, at the end of the rainbow. There is a reward for our efforts! The writer of Proverbs declares, “all hard work leads to a profit.” Any habit, good or bad can be formed in 21 days! I can consistently try something new for 21 days and I am on my way to forming a good habit! Practice does make perfect and repetition is the key to something becoming a habit. Doing it over and over convinces or trains our brains that this is okay behavior. If your habit is to be negative, why not try being positive for 21 days and see what happens?

Finally, it is always easier to have real measurable progress or change when we have someone to be accountable to. Get your friend or spouse involved. Better yet hire a life coach! When you have accountability, you stay focused, on track, and end up reaching your goals much quicker.
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Let me hear from you. Post your comments about what has worked for you in moving past good intentions!