Point to Ponder:
Do you ask for what you need and want in and out of life, and look for surprise and adventure? Or, have you lowered your expectations and just accepted a status quo life?
My dear and passionate friend and iGnite leader, Kathleen Parker, recently shared stories of answered prayers. It’s not unlike us to have candid conversations about God and our faith, but it’s not every day we get to share answered prayer stories. On Monday I saw a clip from the Ellen Show where Ellen interviewed P.Diddy. Ellen told P.Diddy she heard he was scared of clowns and he repeatedly denied the rumor. Within seconds, a creepy clown jumped out of a box and as you might expect, he yelled and leapt up and out of his seat. Everyone burst into laughter, including him. After he gathered himself he said, “You know, I woke up this morning and said I want my life to be full of surprises.” Hummmm…..
While I daily think of things I need and want to ask and pray for, the truth is I am not disciplined in asking and am spiritually lazy. However, I was inspired by both Kathleen’s answered prayer stories and Diddy asking for surprises and getting them I thought it was time I get bold and start asking for more, including a spirit of surprise and adventure, along with what I specially want and need.
Because I believe God has a really interesting and full of surprise sense of humor, after praying and asking Him to open my heart and mind to surprise, adventure and miracles, I woke up at 3:00 a.m on Tuesday morning to a spinning room. At first I was confused, so after sitting up and gathering myself I laid back down to only begin spinning again. I knew exactly what it was. Vertigo!!!! Nooo! Fortunately, I only experienced two days of twirling and sea sickness, which was surprise all right- ugh! But, it was also an opportunity to ask for the surprise of healing. Thankfully, the healing prayer was answered quickly, as I was given movements to do with my head that put the “rock crystals” located in my ear back to where they belonged. How intricate is our body?!
Fast forward to today, January 13. I opened my devotional to read this: Try to view each day as an adventure, carefully planned by your Guide. Instead of staring into the day that is ahead of you, attempting to program it according to your will, be attentive to Me and to all I have prepared for you. Be thankful for this day of life, recognizing that it is a precious and unrepeated gift. Expect each day to contain surprises. Resist your tendency to search for the easiest route through the day. Be willing to follow wherever I lead. No matter how steep or treacherous the path before you, the safest place to be is by My side.
Could this be a sign? Absolutely, which is why I am sharing this with you. Ironically, in our “Jump Into January” email we sent you, we listed 19 ways to make it a happy 2019 (and life). My intent was to make each suggestion a weekly journal focus, but I really didn’t have a plan for when I would emphasis each one. My preferred decision-making method is to wait for my intuition to guide me, or better yet, for God to give me the green light on a topic. Well, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve been given the green light to emphasize our 2019 suggestion #1, which is: Say yes to a life full of adventure and expect to be surprised. Be bold in faith, prayer and ask for what you need and want, including miracles.
Following my vertigo healing I immediately let Kathleen know about my answered prayer. As we communicated back and forth she said, “I love the freedom to ask God for anything, even the little things.” I love this so much and love there is nothing we can’t ask for, including having a renewed child-like spirit of surprise, adventure and faith. So, whether it be little surprises, adventures and miracles or ones that are so massive, seem impossible or even scare you, I encourage you to take one giant and adventurous leap of faith, start asking today, and surprise forward!!
Action Item
Raise your life bar and start asking not only for what you need, but for what you truly want in your life and what you want your life to be.
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