There's no other way to pursue Christ besides purposefully, intentionally, with thought and determination.

What does that mean for me?

It means setting a time to read God's Word in order to learn from it, apply it to my life, learn from people in it, find a verse to get me through a moment or to remind me that my God is SO MUCH BIGGER than all of this going on. It's constantly learning.

It means breathing with a constant awareness of our Creator who is a part of every moment, every step we take on this journey.

It means looking at my children as creations who are in my care for a time. Perfectly created with a larger purpose, not a product of his sperm and my egg, not a choice WE made . . . but SOULS created by God in His timing, and we're blessed beyond anything I've known that they have our DNA, and we get to know them so completely. It's looking at EVERY child as God's personal creation, perfect and loved. It's hurting for the neglected; it's wanting to scoop up all of the hungry and orphaned and make it all better. It's giving that over to God.

It means depending on God. Trusting God. Going to Him for comfort, for guidance, for His hand on our lives, for His protection, for His direction, for His provision...It means knowing firsthand that He is at work in our lives.

It means making a decision to go to church and be a part of a larger group of people who are all striving to follow Christ.

It means helping at that church in every way possible because I care about God's Church because God cares about it.

It means doing things I don't like to do (getting up early or serving at church every week there's a no-show or parenting alone when my husband leaves the country or is gone for a week at a conference). It's putting our wants and needs last in order that the Church will thrive and lives will be changed by Jesus. It's ironically being super fulfilled doing just the opposite of what sounds fulfilling, not prioritizing ourselves.

It means giving explanations to our kids with God in mind - all the time - it's the reason for them to love each other, it's why we are here (in the house, in this city, in this church, on this vacation) . . . It's making them aware of how God has touched our lives and letting them see it, experience it, and choose for themselves. It's knowing that we can guide a soul, but we can't force a soul. 

It means I pray. I pray - a lot. Maybe not for long amounts of time but often. I pray when I'm worried. I pray when I'm scared. I pray when I'm thankful. I pray when I have questions. I pray when I look at my child and am just in awe.  I pray when people need healing. I pray when I'm tired and need a break. I pray when I'm about to lose it. I pray when I don't have the answers. I pray when I can't do something on my own. I pray over my kids. I pray when I can't sleep. I pray when anything is heavy on my heart. I pray because I rely on God to get me through everything. I pray because He does.

It means having influences in my life that are so God-filled that they ooze it and help fill me up when I'm not oozing! It's seeking out those people and it's being that person for someone else.

It's simple. It's not about me. It's knowing Jesus one-on-one and having that be so real and life-changing that everything else takes a backseat to let that relationship drive my life to wherever He needs it to go.