One of my all time favorite things to talk about is the period when I lived in Europe. For 2 1/2 years, my husband and I lived in the Netherlands on the dime of the United States Air Force. We were young, wild and free, with minimal responsibilities outside of work and grad school. This freedom allowed us to travel to a new country at least once a month. It has been a decade since we made our first flight across the pond. And, while I have traveled to many stateside locales since leaving Europe, few experiences compare to tasting crepes for the first time in Paris or gazing upon Michealangelo's David in Florence. Much has changed since my ex-pat days. I'm now the mother of three crazy boys. I live in the suburbs of Seattle. If I'm lucky, I might travel outside of Washington once a year. My days are spent mostly chauffeuring little boys to soccer practice, making a Costco run, or sorting laundry. In comparison to my days in Europe, that all sounds so B-O-R-I-N-G. Sometimes we look upon our faith journey in the same way. We speak with excitement and nostalgia over the mountaintop experiences. But, the day to day walk with the Lord is mundane. While there is certainly value in the mountaintop experience and the initial work of the Lord in my life, maintaining a discipline of communing with God is what sustains me in the every day. It also reminds me that He is alive, personal, and still at work! Jesus tells us that He came so that we might have life and have it to the full. Some versions describe this as "the abundant life". If all I have to say of my relationship with the Lord is what He did for me years ago, something is amiss. The abundant life isn't something of the past, it's in the here and now. But, now it takes a little more effort on my part to identify this abundance. I have to quiet my spirit long enough to hear His voice. I need to wake up early in the morning to have a moment of solitude. I must create space in my day to worship Him. I'll always speak with wonder over my first encounter with God, but the fact that He continues to speak to me is just as moving. Every day of my life, He draws me closer and deeper to His heart. And, I'm finding that the small moments aren't scarce. In their sum, they are an abundance. About Keri![]() Most days Keri can be found cruising in her Swagger Wagon, reading a good book, or laughing with friends over large cups of coffee. She finds great fulfillment in serving those who might not walk through the doors of a church, but still desperately need the Hope that only God can give. She also enjoys learning about God through unorthodox means, and occasionally blogs about it at Pop Parables. She also gets in touch with her creative side at BringingCraftyBack. Keri lives in the Greater Seattle area with her husband, their three boys, and 2 weiner pups. Want to read more from this contributor? Put her name in the search box at the top.
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8 Comments
Nice metaphor. We need eyes to see that the ordinary days can be mountaintop experiences. I have 3 sisters and we are always excited about something. It's a blessing to have sisters to journey with in our faith. Like now, we are excited about healing gifts and revival. Blessings to you! :^) patsy
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Keri
9/2/2013 01:51:34 am
Patsy...I love that you have your sisters to walk your spiritual journey with and celebrate with one another. <3
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8/26/2013 11:00:59 pm
Thanks for your service to our country; it makes me proud when my tax dollars go to service families.
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Keri
9/2/2013 01:52:39 am
Sandra...oh, you are so welcome. Before I was married, I said I would never marry a military man. So glad God had other things in mind. I think I gained way more than I sacrificed in our service to country. :)
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karen beals
8/27/2013 02:16:41 am
Great post Keri. I was just thinking about this...how my life has become so boring. So last night as I was drifting off to sleep and talking to God I heard that still small voice say, "Be thankful." So I started thinking about the absolute miracles, answers to prayers that I have prayed for years! What was I thinking. My life is not boring I am just so easily bored. I seem to wake up in the morning as if I am starting from scratch. As if I can not remember what God has just done and continues to do. Sometimes miracles seem to take such a long time that we forget that God is performing them way before the results are obvious to us. I am grateful that I have and continue to be a part of someone else's miracle. Someone I love very, very much! After reading this article and thinking more on this subject I have decided to commit to not being bored and not being boring! Thanks, Keri!
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Keri
9/2/2013 01:54:10 am
Karen, YES! You are totally vibing with me here. I think particularly for those of us who have known the Lord for a very long time, it can get boring. That's just NOT okay. He is not boring! He does amazing things. Sometimes, we just have to take the time to recognize them. <3
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Keri
9/2/2013 01:54:41 am
Charlotte...thanks so much for stopping by. Bonjour! :)
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