The response to last weeks post of Go Ahead, Outlive Your Life (Part 1) was amazing! Thank you so much for leaving comments and sharing your thoughts about this book. I love this comment left by Debbie:
Debbie from Finding Hope and Joy
I think even the title of this book touches our hearts deeply. What if we did make a difference? What if we started right where we are? What if we made a commitment to our God first, and then to our families to leave a lasting legacy of faith and hope. What would THAT life look like?
Max begins to unfold the answer to this question in the first few pages of the book. By using masterful story telling and directing the reader to the book of Acts, he gives us a glimpse of THAT life through the eyes of ordinary men and women who lived it. I don’t want to oversimplify the message, but as I was thinking about how to summarize my thoughts on the first few chapters these two words came to me:
Show up.
Show up in your relationship with Christ.
Show up in your family.
Show up in your life.
I love this quote by Lucado in chapter 1, page 3:
You’ve been given your life. No one else has your version. You’ll never bump into yourself on the sidewalk. You’ll never meet anyone who has your exact blend of lineage, loves and longings. Your life will never be lived by anyone else.
See, God does use ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Ask Peter. Ask Paul. Ask anyone who was part of the early church. Ask my friend Beth Guckenberger who is loving on orphans in Mexico. The key is that you show up. Because God has promised He will meet you there. He even goes ahead and prepares the way. And when He shows up with His resurrection power….great things are bound to happen.
Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.
1 Corinthians 1:26-27 NLT
What about you? Max reminds us in chapter 3 that God doesn’t burden us equally. He asks these questions: With whom do you feel most fluent? For whom do you feel the most compassion? And I will add, where do you need to show up? Tell me what your thinking in the comments below! Now, go ahead, Outlive Your Life, I dare you!
Congratulations to G. Scott from England who won a digital copy of this book and Cyndi who won the hard cover version! I pray you will be blessed as you read this amazing book!
This reminds me of what I overheard my husband tell one of our children the other day. “Just be yourself. Everybody else is already taken.” It made me smile.
I was also reminded this week that both Gideon and Saul were in the “least of the clan”, and yet God chose them. The more inadequate I am, the greater He can shine through!
What a great challenge for today. To just show up… for whatever is already on my calendar and whatever else may find it’s way into my day… show up, and then let God shine.
Show up and then let God shine – love that Donetta! And the reminder about Gideon and Saul is right on target too! Thanks so much for leaving a comment and sharing this truth! So glad you stopped by today!
OK – I’m hooked! This book is definitely going on my Christmas wish list.
Just two words – but they stir my spirit to be more mindful each day and make sure tht I do “show up”.