Living Life To The Fullest #live2017

It’s been a bit quiet over here for the last two weeks.

Quiet on the blog, but most certainly not quiet in this life of mine.

Wouldn’t you know, just as soon as I chose my #oneword for 2017, I would have the opportunity to embrace it… and to embrace it grandly.

I’ve been given the great opportunity to LIVE.

Yes, that beautiful four-letter word is my word for this year. I’ve adapted a hashtag #live2017 for it. I’ll be using that often in my social media posts.

Friend, how about you? Have you chosen a word or a certain focus or resolution for 2017? How is it going? How has this year started for you? Has it been a challenge or a lovely reality? Has your year begun in a way you expected it too, or has it started off with a bang?

So far for me, LIVE has been amazingly appropriate in 2017, right out of the shoot. Instead of writing about it in the last two weeks, I lived it.

To update you, I’ll share a little of what I mean.

LIVE has helped me to not take my physical health for granted.

I mentioned in a former post I’m wearing a heart monitor for a month. I get to send this bad boy back in three days. Let me tell you, I don’t think I’ve ever wished time to speed by so fast as much as I did this month. Wearing this thing attached to my body for nearly 744 hours is getting a bit old. But, I’m reminded this thing might be the tool to help me live healthier and stronger. I’ll keep you posted.

LIVE has helped me keep life in perspective.

I also mentioned in that post how I dropped my phone in the toilet that morning. Oh, yes I did. In clean water, thankfully. May I suggest to never put your phone in your back pocket before going into the bathroom. Ever. I learned much about myself while my phone was asleep and drying out in a bag of rice. I humbly and embarrassingly came to the realization how much my life is attached to my phone. If I’m going to truly live out God’s best for me, it isn’t going to happen through my device. Real life happens beyond my phone.

LIVE has helped me be brave.

I was recently tempted to stay comfortable when presented with an opportunity, but my husband gently reminded me, “What’s your word?” If God is calling me to step out of my comfort zone, I’ve learned not to dig my heels in and refuse to budge. I’ll share more on this in the days to come, but for now it feels good (with butterflies in my stomach) to follow God as He continues to lead me on this great adventure.

LIVE has helped me live life to the fullest.

Life isn’t perfect, is it? At least it isn’t around these parts. It can be easy to let life get us down. But, I’m finding encouragement in a simple truth I ran across recently in the Bible study I’m in. Maybe it’ll encourage you too.

My purpose is to give life in all its fullness. John 10:10b

Those are the very words of Jesus. He came to give us life. Life not in only this world, but even more importantly, in the next. When we embrace the true life God has for us, it can be more than we ever imagined. And, when life in this world tries to get us down, we can trust God has us and our lives in the palm of His hand. We can trust His plans for our lives are good, pleasing, and abundant.

Join me in choosing to live life to the fullest. #live2017

Now it’s your turn. I want to hear from you and what’s been going on in your corner of the world. I’m cheering you on and praying for you today, friend!

Bless you!

Julie