Our life as adventure

I've been enjoying Erwin McManus's Chasing Daylight: Seize the Power of Every Moment. Although it's my third time reading this book, it still inspires me in the same way. McManus writes that life is an adventure which "comes at great risk and at significant cost. And life as God intends for you to live is nothing less than an adventure."

This book is hitting home so well for me right now as I'm gradually hoping to become more fully engaged in Living Room work again. A while back it was thought that I should avoid all big stressors and try to keep myself safe from excessive mood problems. But my new medication is working. I have regained the stability I lost. Thank you, God, for medicine! No need to continue playing it too too safe.

And I prayed, "Lord, what kind of life would I have playing it safe all the time? Life is and adventure and I'll need to live it, even if it means getting overwhelmed once in a while. God, I need to trust you again, as I trusted you from the beginnings of Living Room.

Yes I trusted, but You know how I faltered a lot too, Lord. There was a lot of fear. But You never failed to bring me back to the realization that I don't have to do the work alone. In fact, it's mostly You doing the work. All I have to do is to be a foot soldier for You. I just do what I'm told, taking advantage of opportunities that you provide, responding to those delicious urges to write - those urges that I know come from You. I want to be a voice for You, Lord."

Erwin McManus also wrote the following: "This is about stepping up and making sure life counts. It's about volunteering when God is asking, 'Who will go on my behalf?' I'm talking about our silent abdication of responsibility, our choice to move to the backdrop when someone is needed on the forefront."

Yes, Lord, to keep playing it safe now that I'm more stable would indeed be abdicating my responsility.

I know that our God is very much present in all of Living Room's work. Through it Christians living with mood disorders are finding safe places to openly be themselves, dealing with their emotional problems with the help of God, in an accepting and loving environment. It is a worthy adventure.

I can't talk

Hi everyone. Over the past week I've had a doozy of a cold. And now, starting yesterday, I completely lost my voice. All I can do is whisper. What a strange feeling to try and say something to my husband and have almost nothing come out. When I want to tell him anything in the least involved, I email him. Weird, eh? I hope I get over this soon because this is really slowing me down.

While I've been sickly I've worked on making Spanish bookmarks for a mission team from our church to take with them. My goal is to make 500 with 15 or so different designs. A lot of work, but I know they're well appreciated, so it feels good to make them.

But what I really want to get going on is working to help more Living Room groups get going. I want to explain Living Room to church representatives, getting them enthused about the ministry. I have some ideas, but first I need a voice so that I can discuss them with my team. How frustrating when you really want to move ahead but things get in the way! Ah well! I need to have patience, don't I?

...And yet, I always feel a sense of urgency when there are things that I see need to be done. I've been reading Chasing Daylight by Erwin McManus, previously published as Seizing Your Divine Moment. McManus writes about the importance of passion. On the back cover the book is described as

"a call to live a life of blazing urgency. We have but one life. We are given one opportunity to pursue our dreams and fulfill our divine purpose. Every moment counts, and we must engage them with fierceness and zeal. Put an end to passive observation, paralyzed by the need for perfect opportunity, and start seizing the raw, untapped potential of your life with God."

That sounds like the recipe for a life of adventure, doesn't it? And that's what Living Room has given me - a life of adventure. I thank God for the journey. I thank Him for the privilege.