Are you tired of running?

The coffee finishes and I stand at the kitchen counter, eyes closed and thanking God for this new day.  I’m thankful every morning my feet hit the floor with true Hope and Love in my heart.  The only sounds are the coffee warming and the gerbils running on their wheel.   With hot coffee releasing a hazelnut aroma with each step, I journey to the other room for a time of worship and devotion before I start today’s blog.  The power of music and song…

I spent over ten years running.  During that time I was convinced I was running to find my sister or to find something to fill the void left from her absence.  I had been deceived by a wolf in sheep’s clothing.  I spent hours, days and years trapped on my own personal gerbil wheel.  Instead of planting my feet on the solid ground and foundation…I kept them slightly lifted off the ground running circles of despair, pain and loss.  Thankfully…Life changed when I started to attend church, learning about God’s love for me and His ever-amazing grace I realized I wasn’t running with or full of hope.  I had been running away from hope. 

I’m thankful I only spent ten years running and not my whole life.  I realized there was “more to this life” thanks to a child and welcomed Jesus in to my heart and life.  Steven Curtis Chapman’s song, “More to This Life” spoke volumes to me this morning.  The first verse was my life, watching people and searching for their hidden joy.  The chorus provides the hope needed to continue: “But there’s more to this life than living and dying, more than just trying to make it through the day; more to this life, more than these eyes alone can see, and there’s more than this life alone can be.”  I made a choice to jump off my gerbil wheel of pointless and purposeless living and jump in to Jesus’ loving arms waiting to catch me. 

I pray you take five minutes today to quiet your heart and listen to God speaking to you through Steven Curtis Chapman:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ndbma-BQJK8

I wake up each day praying, “God, is this the day Heidi will be recovered?  I pray Your will.”  I used to demand He bring her home but that required a lot of wasted energy, so I left that wheel of life behind and chose to lay my burden at His feet, not mine.  Life is too short. 

What are you waiting for?  Is life getting the best of you?  Don’t let it.  I haven’t experienced your pain or loss anymore than I have experienced your joys and celebrations.  Our trials and tribulations may be different yet the emotions involved are similar.  I want to challenge you jump off the gerbil wheel in to Jesus’ arms – He will catch you and heal the hurts you think can’t be healed. 

Then celebrate and enjoy the ride of a lifetime with God…He is bigger and stronger than anything we will phase this side of heaven.  Get off the gerbil wheel of life and enjoy the adventure…

“The Great Adventure” by Steven Curtis Chapman  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVFPjIp6nkk