It is possible to be so driven that you don’t “have time” to praise and enjoy.

It is possible to be so driven that in your passion to initiate or in your pursuit of the next BHAG (Big Harry Audacious Goal – thanks to Jim Collins) you miss what is right in front of you… gifts from God.

Today, in reading from Ephesians, I kept noticing St. Paul give praise to God for a variety of gifts/blessings. I was prompted to take time to praise and enjoy… to “stop and smell the roses”.

I praise God for:

• Salvation. Bottom line… God has saved me from a self-centered, destructive existence and has given me a new life. While I’m not the man I want to be yet, I’m certainly not the man I used to be and that is a complete credit to my Savior and God, Jesus Christ.

• Purpose. My God created me and carved out a niche in history for me… a place to serve, a role to fill, a mission to accomplish (He did this for all of us – click here to read the verse that makes this point). I know what I’m here to do but only as a result of being in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

• The Holy Spirit of God who lives in me. St. Paul says, “When you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit….” (Ephesians 1:13). The Holy Spirit of God lives in us who believe in Jesus and have surrendered our lives to Him! What an incredible gift from God! His Spirit encourages, empowers, confronts, loves, and teaches us as we follow our Leader, Jesus! Just the other night I spoke roughly to “The Ladies”. As I was laying in bed, the Spirit of God began to push on me letting me know that I had acted mean and not like my Leader (Jesus). I got up, went into “The Ladies” room, and spent time with each one of them asking them to forgive me and then just loving on them. I’m grateful to God for bumping me when I get stupid. I’m a better dad because the Spirit of God lives in me… as far as that goes, I’m a better man.

• My family. Man, there’s nothing better than being loved by a house of ladies! To be “Husband” to Sherri and “Daddy” to “The Ladies” is an role I fill with pride, gratitude, and a spirit of humility. I understand I don’t deserve this gift and I need so much help to properly undertake my responsibility and YET through the love and teaching of my Leader and His Spirit in me I am doing it. Thank you Lord for the gift of my family.

• The people in my life. From family and friends to mentors and even to antagonists, God has encircled my life with the gift of people. Some of you are teaching me. Some of you are learning from me. Some of you are supporting me/us. Some of you are trying to forget me. Some of you have just met me. Some of you are coming with me. The bottom line is that without you I would not be who I am. I am grateful to God for you and count my life better because of the gift of you that God has graced my life with.

• The future. The best is yet to come. I’m deeply grateful to my Leader, Jesus Christ, for leading me and all of us into a brighter future. Our confidence lies in the fact that He is coming back for us as soon as He gets “the house ready” (click here to read it in His words). Hey, there’s so much I don’t know, but I’m betting my life on the fact that Jesus is coming back and those who have trusted in Him as the way to God will get to spend FOREVER with Him in a perfect environment! That’s a gift worth celebrating! Beyond the eternal implications, I’m so excited about the near future! I believe that God is setting us up to connect people to Jesus in exciting and creative ways. I can’t wait to get started! I love the life change that happens when people discover Jesus… and that’s my near future!

And I could go on and on, but for now I just want to say,

“Lord, you make me happy. Thank you for loving on me. Thank you for putting so much good in my life. Thank you for trusting me to serve in your church. Thank you for putting such great people in my life. Thank you for my family. Thank you for living inside of me. Thank you for the promise that the best is yet to come. May this day be lived out in a spirit of gratefulness. Amen.”