A Journey from Surviving to Thriving

Meet Elmo.  This friendly little guy is my editor.  My sister in California, Ruth Ann, has been contracted to serve as my “Blog Editor and Administrator”, but apparently she has delegated the editing portion of that responsibility to Elmo and his red pen.  Actually he’s doing a pretty incredible job correcting my prolific grammatical errors.  However, he recently crossed the line by also sending me an unsolicited review comment, “Don, the posts you are writing are getting a bit too serious.  You need to lighten up now and then and have some fun!”   I admit I was a bit irked at first at his rather offensive brashness and am still processing his comment.  But I’m beginning to think and feel, though, that Elmo might have a point about having some fun.  FUN!  I suspect because of my loving, but rather fundamental Christian, upbringing I’ve always unknowingly considered an emphasis on fun as rather superfluous and not part of a normal spiritual journey.  So I’ve wondered, does God really wa

I n Post #8 (Immersed in God’s Word) we considered the great value of regularly spending time with God and his Word and the fact that this practice can be the key to moving from simply surviving to really thriving.   Another powerful way to become immersed in God’s Word is through Scripture memory — to hide God’s words in our hearts such that key scriptures are retained in the front of our brains and on the tip of our tongues ready for use whenever a need and/or opportunity arises. What God says about hiding His Word in our hearts God clearly desires that His words are printed on our minds and our hearts. “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”  (Psalm 119:11, NIV) “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.” (Deuteronomy 6:6, NIV) “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.” (Deuteronomy 11:18, NIV) “I desire to do your will, my God; your law is w

 Several years ago a pastor with whom I was coaching taught me a lesson that today still feeds my soul … and helps me thrive. In the course of our journey together, we’d frequently encourage one another with recent insights from our devotional times alone with God.  I noticed that he usually closed out his journal entry with a “Thx! Your Son, Joe” (not his real name).  Thinking that was pretty neat, I started doing that myself -- “Thx! Your Son, Don”. I think I can say this practice has changed my life.   Knowing that I’m a son of the King of the Universe and being reminded of that fact on a daily basis has been awesome. By remembering that I’m a son of the King, I find that I’m less concerned about the approval of others around me and the worry and frustration that goes with that. After all, I’m affirmed as part of that King’s royal family!  I find too that I’m less less inclined to be enamored by all the trappings of the toys around me (houses, cars, clothes, boats, etc).  These t

One of the most life-giving practices in which I engage on this journey from surviving to thriving is regularly spending intentional time with Jesus and His Word. I could not thrive without it!   I look forward to my morning time alone with the Lord where I visualize Jesus waiting for me at my usual spot.  And when I miss that “appointment”, I feel it on the inside.  It’s not a feeling of guilt — instead it’s more a deep feeling of emptiness and disconnectedness.  I meet with God like this not because “I’m supposed to” or because I’m completing a “program” of some kind, but because I want to meet with Him and feel a deep need for it.  When this doesn’t happen, the day simply does not go right. It’s during this time with the Lord in His Word that I get a sense of being calmly centered in God (at least that’s what I call it).  I get oriented for what lies ahead as I grow more passionate about my relationship with Him.  And I sense a calm peace in knowing that my inner self is being ren

My “go-to” verse in times of greatest frenzy or unsettledness is Isaiah 26:3 (NLT) — “ You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”   For me, there is something extraordinarily special about this verse.   Truly focusing on Jesus helps me to remain calm when my spirit is unsettled, simplifies life when I’m overwhelmed with complexity, gives me a purpose when life begins to fade somewhat, and helps me feel secure when I’m anxious.   He empowers me to thrive! Scripture clearly admonishes us to keep our focus on Jesus. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  (Hebrews 12:1b-2a, NIV) “Therefo