It is mid November as I pen these words and by mid December I will say goodbye to my Magnum Year (44) and welcome in the year of the Colt (.45). At halftime in my life I have been struggling, wrestling and reflecting upon God’s plan from my second half. Joe Lewis wisely said, “We only have one live to live but if we do it right, once is enough.”
I want my one life to be enough.
I want my life to matter.
I want my life to count for God.
As a football coach, halftime is usually spent reflecting on the first half, correcting errors, making adjustments to the opponent, and communicating those adjustments to the team. As I look and the first half of my life I humbly admit it has been a good run, but I do not want the second half to look like the first.
It never does. It never should.
Philippians 1:6 tells me that, “he (Christ) who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” If this is true, and I believe it is, then God is not done with us yet right? So here I am the Sisters Coffee Company in Sisters, Oregon asking the hard questions.
The questions kept coming but the answer came in the most unsuspecting of all places; a coffee cup! Sitting next to the fireplace, asking all these questions I stared at the black color of the paper coffee cup in my hand when I saw it. Written across the bottom outside of the cup was a quote. Like the Bible verses on the bottom of an In ‘N Out Burgers soda cup here was an entire quote written by a man I have never heard of-St. Ireneaus. Around 185 A.D. he penned these words that have changed my life: “The glory of God is man fully alive.”
His words written over 1800 years ago hit me like a punch in the face, especially when I coupled them with my life verse of John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” This led to a different set of questions. These, however had answers. Answers, that would soon begin to change my life. Answers, that have inspired me to pen these words to you.
What makes me fully alive? What brings death?
Who did you mean when you made me God? Am I even close? When am I in my sweet spot?
What is out there for me to do? Am I currently doing it? What is on my heart to do?
Am I being faithful to steward the gifts, heart, abilities, personality and experiences you have given me?
I came to an honest and humbling conclusion that I have been satisfied with living in rut, which someone once said is no different than a grave except for the size of a hole. Is this life to the fullest? Is the being fully alive for Christ? I do not want to be a partially alive egg shell of a man. I want to live! I want to live now!
I choose life.
I choose life with abandon.
I choose risk.
I choose to be fully alive and thus fully glorify the God who breathed His life into my nostrils. I will move forward everyday. I will take more risks. I will laugh more, love more, live more. I will love Shanna and the boys to the best of my ability and even when I fail (and I fail far too often) I will get up, shake the dust off my back side and start tomorrow new, fresh alive!
