Pressing in...

Ok, I've had a lot of time to think and to pray and to struggle with myself and with God over the past couple of months. It's time to stop worrying about when and if my family finds out about my beliefs. It's time to press into life, into my faith, into my relationships with God and people. I had a great conversation with an amazing friend not too long ago. We talked about how to change the way we feel inside, in our hearts, when we know what is right in our heads. I was thinking I had to pretend to be something I'm not and that's not real, it's not how I really feel on the inside. She gave me this great quote, which has kind of inadvertently become my new years resolution - my new life resolution..."We do not think ourselves into a new way of living. We live ourselves into new ways of thinking. Without action and lifestyle decisions, without concrete practices, words are dangerous and largely illusory." Wow. So basically, you just have to press in and do things, that you may not necessarily want to do or feel like doing, but if you do these things, then eventually the way you think, and even feel, will change too. This applies to so many areas of life. It applies to relationships with spouses, kids, friends...it applies to living generously, it applies to spiritual disciplines...to praying, seeking God's will...to everything! Still, that's not always so easy. It's hard to press in when we don't want to...when we're feeling down, defeated, beaten, broken. It's hard to press in when we don't feel we're getting anything in return. That friendship that feels so one-sided, the marriage that feels like it's hopeless, that spiritual struggle that doesn't seem to have a happy ending no matter what path you choose. How do you press into those things? Well, it just so happens that the same friend I had that conversation with told me about this great book she was reading. So I downloaded it on my Nook, and read it...and I'm sure I'll read it again at least a few more times in this next year...it's called "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp - talk about a game changer. Gratitude. That's how we press in. More specifically, as Ann puts it, "eucharisteo." Here's what Ann says of eucharisteo... "Eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, charis. But it also holds its derivative, the Greek word chara, meaning "joy." So, in a nutshell, be thankful, give grace, gratitude...and experience joy. I challenge everyone reading this post right now to read this book. If it doesn't change your life, change your perspective on life at least...and on God...and if practicing "eucharisteo" doesn't change your heart - the way you think, the way you feel - then either you have already been doing this your whole life and you don't need to change...or you're not human. Ok maybe a little harsh. Just read the book. You'll see! It's not easy to change your entire focus from what you don't have to what you do have...but I guarantee it's worth trying. Live yourself into a new way of thinking. Press in.