Extraordinary...

Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that's what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions. Sooner or later we'll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what's coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad.
2 Corinthians 5:9 (MSG)

This is your life, are you who you want to be

This is your life, are you who you want to be
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed it would be 
When the world was younger and you had everything to lose 

I was in my car today and heard this song on the radio. It’s an older song by Switchfoot and has always been one of my favorites. But for some reason tonight, it got me to thinking…

Am I who I want to be?
What do I want to be?
And how do I become what I want to be? 
(I know…again with the three questions.)

I’m reading a book by John Bevere called Extraordinary. In this book he points out that the opposite of extraordinary is…normal. Don’t most of us hope that we would just have a normal life? I know I have said that myself… "If things would just get back to normal!” But God has planned for us to live lives that are above and beyond normal. God intends for our lives to be extraordinary. He promises us a life with a future and full of hope. The Bible tells us that Jesus came that we would have “life, and that life abundantly”.

So, this is your life...
Are you who you want to be?

In his book, John Bevere goes on to say, "We can't do anything to make God love us any more than He already loves us...or to make Him love us any less. However...we are responsible for how pleased God is with us. His pleasure in us is based on our choices in life." 2 Corinthians 5:9

So, if I can’t do anything to make God love me more and I can’t do anything to make God love me less, what can I do? I want to live my life in a way that brings Him joy. I want to make choices that please Him. I’m not entirely sure what all that means. I know the basics…

Love God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength.
Love others as I love myself.
Obey God in everything I say and do.
Serve God, and by serving Him…serve others.

So, on this journey that I am on, I have turned down another road. It's actually the same road I have been traveling. The same road that is teaching me more about God's  character and attributes.   The same road that is  teaching me more about myself. But we've made a turn in the road. (I say we, because I do not travel this road alone.) And down this road are more opportunities, more adventures, more obstacles, and more chances to please Him. And I hope...I pray...that along the way I will learn how to live  a life that is....

Extraordinary!