Joy that Evades All Reason

Series: Living Like There's No Tomorrow

I think that many people assume that the words "happy" and "joy" are synonymous. In the realm of spirituality, I believe that they are two very different things.

When I think of these terms, I think about my life on a day-to-day basis. I work as an Assistant Director in Gardner Residence Hall at Abilene Christian University. My role is to provide spiritual and emotional encouragement for freshman female residents and for their RAs. Often, this means staying up until 2 or 3 am just listening. Or being a shoulder to cry on. Or having some hard conversations. Most of the time, it feels like I go to bed when everyone else is done with me. I feel like I have no control over my own life.

The weeks when I have extra-late nights or days that are crammed full until the wee hours of the morning, I find myself wishing for the weekend. When girls are talking to me, though I'm listening, there is always the dull pounding of the continuous thought in the back of my mind: "Just make it to the weekend. Just make it to the weekend..."

When I find myself wishing time away in this manner, I realize that I am lacking in joy. Do I feel happy with my job, the classes I'm taking, my relationships, my family, my brothers and sisters in Christ? Yep. Sometimes I dwell in temporary anger, frustration, stress, or fear, but these feelings ebb and flow with the happenings of my day. They do not silence or change the rhythm of the reverberating thought..."Just make it to the weekend..." When I feel no lack of satisfaction with the things that are in my life but still feel an unexplainable emptiness, I know that my joy is not complete.

I believe that joy is not a feeling. Happiness is a feeling to me because it's fleeting. It comes and goes, and I don't believe that it is an emotion that is constantly crucial to us as a people of faith. God created other emotions and He didn't say that we weren't allowed to experience and express them in a healthy way.

Joy, however, is different. Happiness and unadulterated anger cannot express themselves at the same time, but joy is something that one is capable of maintaining in the midst of any emotion. I like how Paul talks about it in I Peter 1: "You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to be distressed by various trials so that the genuineness of your faith--more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire--may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. You love Him, though you have not seen Him. And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

Paul says it is inexpressible. If I am happy, I can always give a reason why. There is not always a worldly explanation for joy. I'll use this cliche analogy: the woman with cancer who knows she is dying, but still emanates peace, serenity, and contentment. Surely she isn't happy all the time? She couldn't be--there is too much pain that comes with illness. But people wonder why she maintains a peaceful aura. It's that inexpressible joy of which Paul speaks. It is so evident in people of faith, but often undefinable.

I live in a world where I wholeheartedly believe that there will be another weekend to which to look forward. When I stop and think about it, I realize that another weekend is not guaranteed. If Jesus decided to stop in on a Wednesday, I would be very disappointed in myself because He'd be catching me on a day for which I am not completely thankful. Sure, I live that day with the intention of glorifying Him in all that I do, but I do it because it's what I do. I would much rather tackle the struggles of a day and allow myself to dwell--fully--in them. Every time I wish away the seconds, I reap less from an immediate experience.

The next time it's 2 am and a self-conscious freshman girl is sitting on my floor crying, I am going to absolutely bask in the magnificence of it. God is in control of time and this universe. I don't believe that He doles out seconds and minutes so He can cater to futility. I believe that as long as He keeps time rolling, it is something in which we are called to find meaning. You will not find me wishing away the seconds anymore. Instead, you will find me rejoicing in times of exhaustion, stress, excitement, heartache, and boredom because He wouldn't leave us here without a holy, joy-filled purpose.

God,
Thank you for giving us joy--something that we know is capable of weathering the storms of day-to-day living. May our thankfulness for each moment only increase. We know that time is something ordained by You, and we will trust that you will not keep us here cycling through time without a purpose. We love you and thank you for taking control when we are incapable of controlling anything at all.
Through Jesus, Amen.

Erin E. Daugherty
Abilene Christian University

It Happened On the Road to Somewhere

Series: Living Like There's No Tomorrow

Can you remember the last time you had a “life-changing” moment? You know the kind. It’s one of those “aha” moments. Everything stops for a moment. Maybe longer. Whatever else is true about the moment, one thing is for certain: You know something big is happening in your life.

Sometimes it comes when a child is born – usually the first child. Or, when the last child flies the nest. It can be when we step across the stage and receive a college diploma or slip on a ring and say our marriage vows. Sometimes it’s in the form of a medical report, or sitting in hospital room with a close friend. These “aha” moments can be small. Sometimes they are huge. In a moment of time we move from free spirits to philosophers. Contemplation sneaks up and grabs us. We look at time differently. Our mind, spirit and senses awaken in new ways and process life with greater interest and precision.

About this time last year I had a conversation with someone who had come to the proverbial fork in the road. I guess it was an epiphany of sorts. Here is a rough transcript of what he said.

“I was driving to an out-of-town appointment a few days ago. I had a lot of road ahead of me. There wasn’t much on the radio that interested me. So, I just drove in silence. I thought about all kinds of things: family, job, friends, places I had traveled. For some reason I started thinking about my spiritual life. To be honest, I’ve never really been one of those people who spent a lot of time in contemplation about “life”. I just live it moment by moment. But, for some reason, I began to think about my life in ways that I had never thought about it. Maybe it’s because I’m past forty. I not sure really. I just know that this time the moment of contemplation lingered. In fact it took me down roads in my heart and mind that I’ve never traveled. I knew one day I would eventually journey down those roads. I just thought it would be later in life. And, I guess that’s when it hit me. My life is NOW. It’s happening now – not tomorrow. I realized that for most of my life I sort of “hung around” my faith…around Jesus. But, I never really sat down and said, well…like Isaiah, “here I am…send me!” I felt all manner of emotion. Sadness. Tension. Fear. Hope. It’s unlike anything I have ever experienced. I realized that this road trip was a “turning point” for me. My spiritual stars had come into alignment and my life was being “called by God” to write a very new and different kind of chapter. The crazy thing about it all is that I’ve known most of this stuff all my life. I guess my spirit had finally gotten to a place at which I could see and hear what the Lord has been trying to tell me for years.”

I don’t know about you, but I love that story. It leads my mind to the Apostle Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus recorded in Acts chapter nine. Talk about epiphanies! His life was never the same after that. God may not move in our lives as dramatically as he moved in Paul’s life. But, I think He moves nonetheless. He knocks, calls, nudges, pokes, woos, and "speaks" to us in a variety of ways, much like He did to my friend a year ago, to tune our mind and heart to His frequency. I can’t help but wonder if there is something God might be trying to get me to sit up and pay attention to in my life? How about you? I pray we all have ears to hear. It is a blessed thing indeed when that happens. It’s then that we see our life journey as more than an experience. It becomes a divine journey into the heart and will of God.

O Lord, save us from simply traveling across the earth defined by routines, schedules, and life experiences. May we lean into the dangerous experience of contemplating about faith and life. Tune our ears to your calling. Quiet our fears. Calm our hearts. Help us to give to you our moments in the spirit of wisdom so that you are honored by our lives. Thank you for Jesus who taught us to say, “My meat and my drink are to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His purpose.” May we seek it with every fiber of our being. Amen.

Randy Daugherty
Stephenville, Texas

It must be today!

Series: Living Like There's No Tomorrow


Seven years ago on a dark Saturday night, a sense of urgency came over me. I knew exactly what I must do.

Let me back up. I was raised in the church. As a kid and a teenager, I attended class and worship every weekend and Wednesday night. However, I constantly put off accepting the Lord as my Savior. As I attended college, I strayed and rarely attended church. I went occasionally with my roommates and friends. As I began to date my wife, I again began to attend and participate in church and church activities. But, all I did was participate. I studied and grew closer to the Lord. However, I was stubborn and a procrastinator. I knew that I should be baptized and accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Yet, I always thought tomorrow, next week, or sometime in the future would be better than today. I planned on accepting him on my time. But, that night I got in my old beat up ford truck, and left northern Oklahoma. I arrived in Lubbock, Texas early the next morning. I went to church at the congregation we had been worshiped with for the last two years. I could hardly wait until service was over. I drove all night and knew what I must do. That Sunday seven years ago, I accepted the Lord’s calling, and took him on in baptism.

Prior to that decision I had lived according to my terms. I decided everything. I calculated, planned, and organized my life. But, that night a sense of urgency came over me. I knew there was no tomorrow unless I accepted Our Lord and Savior in baptism. I know that many of you reading this have had or will have this same feeling. A feeling that cannot wait to proclaim to everyone; Jesus is our Lord and Savior. He died on the cross for our sins. He rose from the dead. He will come back again!

We must be willing to live our daily life with this same intensity and urgency. We all need to have a heightened awareness of God’s plan for us as He reveals opportunities for us to serve him. Sometimes I am passive about these opportunities and I shouldn’t be. Are you? It isn’t for us to decide the outcome of each experience. We simply must decide to make the decision and trust that our Father’s plan is fulfilled. We must choose to live our life with zeal and a sense of urgency for helping others find Christ as their Savior! There is not a tomorrow. We must seize the day!

Matthew 24:42-44 reads:
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

As Mathew describes, we do not know when the Lord will come back. We must be ready today! We must spread his word and hope to bring the good news today to His kingdom. There might not be a tomorrow. For some, there will not be a second chance. Seize every opportunity to spread His word like a light in this dark world.

Father, thank you for sending your son to be our Savior. Help us, Lord, to live each day with a greater zeal for you and the growth of your kingdom. Allow us to regain the sense of urgency and soften our hearts so that we are receptive to your plan for us. Please help us to never take tomorrow for granted. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Adam Tittor
Cleburne, Texas

Wide Awake

Series: Living Like There's No Tomorrow


A few days ago I heard a song by Tim McGraw entitled “Live Like You Were Dy’n”. It’s a very moving song. The chorus is probably the part that most people remember. It resembles the “Bucket List” that Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman put together in the movie by that name. Verse two in the song takes the sentiment of the song and puts it down where we live:

He said I was finally the husband, that most the time I wasn't
And I became a friend, a friend would like to have
And all of a sudden goin' fishin, wasn't such an imposition
And I went three times that year I lost my dad
Well I finally read the good book, and I took a good long hard look
At what I'd do if I could do it all again

I don’t think anybody can listen to that song and not be moved to think about life and how we live it. It rouses something within us. It reminds me that life is uncertain, fragile, unpredictable and short. I don’t think it’s morbid to think about such things. In fact we need reminders like that. I think they keep us “awake” on several levels.

I occasionally reflect on Paul’s statement, “For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself.” The premise of his statement is basically "life is bigger than our personal needs." An addendum to that is that we need to live in the consciousness of that truth. Each day presents us with another opportunity to live “awake” to the fact that we are the Lord's possession placed on the earth for His service. Point? Life is about a lot more than “going and doing”. It’s about having our spiritual senses attuned to what really matters in life.

As the song concludes it asks us to reflect on how we use our life:
What could you do with it?
What did I do with it?
What would I do with it?

Great questions. Life questions. I need to answer those questions everyday. If Paul’s words get into our hearts I think we bring to life an “us” that is awake and focused on what really counts. And, we live like today is all we’re promised.

Gracious Father, thank you for every moment of life you give us. May our senses become more keenly aware of the opportunities we are presented each day to be "Christ" in someone's life. Remove from our hearts those thoughts and impulses that diminish our awareness of your calling. Awaken our spirits O Lord to the presence of your Spirit. Thank you for Jesus who shows us what life is all about. Amen

Randy Daugherty
Stephenville, Texas

Holy Adventury

Series: Living Like There's No Tomorrow


How do we live like there is no tomorrow? Do we get so caught up in the world that we can't or won't take time to dwell with God?

To ponder God? To practice His presence? Here are some thoughts from a special cousin of mine:
I am still practicing His constant Presence in my life. It is a matter
of keeping God foremost in my thoughts and attitudes no matter what I
might be doing at any time. Alas, it is practice, practice, practice
without end. – Scott Morris

I love that! To keep God first in your thoughts and practice it! I want to keep an urgency about taking my everyday minutes and happenings and practicing them into what God would have me do with them.

I was talking to a friend of mine last week about how we are both coping with the after effects of cancer. She commented that you just look at life a little differently when you have this experience. After you are feeling better you just want to LIVE! You want to do everything and see everything and put everything into your family and life and make your life count, especially for God. You see more clearly how precious time is and how unimportant worldly, selfish things are.

Just keeping our minds fresh by feeding on God's word and practicing dwelling in His presence is so important. Wake up and dwell with Him in His word and listen and talk to Him. He gives us the strength and motivation to face whatever our day holds.

I am trying to think of everyday as a Holy Adventure! Our preacher put it this way a few weeks ago:
Cows are creatures of habit. They walk on cow paths and just follow each other around. We are like that too. We follow the same paths that everyone else does and we don't take time to think what it would be like to be different. How incredible it would be to think of everyday as a chance to have a Holy Adventure through God!

In Heb. 11:8- Abraham, not knowing where he was going went on a holy adventure with God. Am I going to be an adventurer for God... or fold? Be bold... or be routine? Find my potential... or just be satisfied to be a cow on a path?

Wow...that makes me feel a little afraid. I have dealt with fear my whole life. It is how my adversary stops me cold. But, I have learned to daily - and I do mean daily! - how to lay down my fear. My God is bigger than the boogie man...as our children used to sing. What do I have to fear? I know where I am going. I know who holds me in the palm of His hand. I know the end of the story.

Isaiah 43:1-3 is so powerful and so comforting...
But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

God is not calling us to a small life. He is calling us to daily Holy adventure.
He is calling us to truly live like this world REALLY is not our home.
I think of the old song that I love...This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through.
Which reminds me of a new song that I love just as much.
It is called "Beautiful Letdown" by Switchfoot.
It was a beautiful let down
When I crashed and burned
When I found myself alone unknown and hurt
It was a beautiful let down
The day I knew
That all the riches this world had to offer me
Would never do
I don't belong here
I'm gonna set sight and set sail for the kingdom come
I will carry a cross and a song where I don't belong
But I don't belong
I don't belong here
I don't belong here
Kingdom come
Your kingdom come

Father God, please help us to live each day as a Holy adventure for You and through You. Help us have the eyes to see other people and to love and help them. Help us to practice Your presence in each moment. Help us to see that we don't belong here. We love you dearly.
In Jesus name. Amen.

Amy Walker
Nacodoches, Texas

Willing to Be Different?

Series: Living Like There's No Tomorrow


Her life would be forever changed. What choice would she make? She would face doubts from many, ridicule from most, but her heart belonged to God. Risking the love and security she had known in her young life, she said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." Luke 1:38. Believing God’s Word, delivered by Gabriel, Mary stepped in faith to follow the path God laid out for her. Mary pondered and treasured the things of God in her heart.

Her life could be forever changed. Among hostility, she dared to encounter Jesus, face to feet, she brought Him what she had to give, her costly perfume, her broken heart, her sincere adoration. He knew about her life and her choices. Yet, He loved her and gave her hope for a future. She was not bound in her past-He set her free from the guilt of her sins. He gave her peace for her journey. Did she choose to run the race of faith? (Luke 7:36-50)

What am I willing to risk for Him? Everything I see, touch and know on this earth? Approval of man, earthly belongings, and selfish pride become hurdles for my heart and mind as I run after the LORD and His path for me.

Training the heart to love like Jesus will not be without cost. For: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails” (1 Cor. 13:4-8a). Jesus modeled this love every step He took on earth.

Training the mind to think like Jesus requires heavenly focus. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.” Phil. 4:8 Jesus always thought of others and their needs, then unselfishly acted on their behalf-regardless of His personal cost.

Focusing on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith, conforming heart and mind to His plan is possible because with God all things are possible. One man, focused on Jesus alone, forgetting the wind and waves all around, walked on water (for a step or two anyway)! What adventure does He have for you and me as we focus on Him and serve others who need Him? “Let us lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” Heb. 12:1b

Gracious, Holy Father,
May Your glory and majesty fill our hearts. Thank You, Father, for your Word and Your Spirit. Thank You for the choice You place before us. Give us courage to choose You each moment. Cleanse our hearts and minds, and open them to all You desire of us. Help us to love extravagantly, to serve joyfully those You place in our path. May we ponder and treasure life with You. Thank You, Father, for every blessing and trial You bestow. We rest in Your wisdom. May Your peace guard our hearts and minds as we run after Jesus, our Savior.
In His precious name, Amen.

Mischelle Oliver
Stephenville, Texas

The Dash between the Dates

Series: Living Like There's No Tomorrow

“Living like there is no tomorrow.” I can’t count the numerous times I have heard those 6 words, yet as many times as I have heard them I have never really had much sense to digest them. Is it a matter of being frightened by them or is that I am still on milk in my journey with faith? One of the hardest things that I have had a knock down drag out within my inner being, is that time seems to speed up as I get older; everyday is a path headed somewhere. The fabrics of my/our being continually create our story, each moment creating an impact that far outlives our lives.

Sometimes we are blessed with life until we are grey and wrinkled and it is used up to the fullest. On the other hand, sometimes life is unfair and is yanked from us prematurely. This leads us to question God. Sometimes we receive answers and sometimes we have to get past the “Milk Stage” of our faith and trust his vision that he has made clear to us. Nevertheless, each of us has to come to peace with the fact that we are going to face death (James 4:14.)

Research has been done that everything we think makes a concrete impression on our brains, therefore recording both positive and negative interpretations of who we are as a human being. With a little common sense and reasoning, it is not hard to understand that this is so true. Without scientific research the question still arises, "What would be the title and guts of our stories today?"

To help illustrate my article I have to go back and talk about a little boy that pens and paper can’t describe how special he was to me and others that came in contact with him. As I sit here and right these words I have to pause because of tears, but they are tears of extreme joy because of the lasting legacy he has bestowed upon many. His name is, Caleb Elston. Caleb had many physical and health aliments. The surgeries, the amount of times he was poked and jabbed are too many to count, but amongst all of this you could not keep a good boy down. Caleb was always happy. He always had a smile that would knock you to your knees and the joy that he got from going and getting whoever he could find and going for a walk somewhere was priceless. Even though he could only say a handful of words he expressed his love for everyone just because he was Caleb. Caleb lived each day of his 17 years like there was no tomorrow, partly because he never understood that there would be a tomorrow, but the silver lining of his story was written by each day of his life. He understood the simple things in life that meant the most like staking cups on top of each other or someone, me in particular, getting him on his stomach. I could go on and on about his example, but there is not a enough band width on any computer to talk about how he lived each day “like there was no tomorrow.”

As anyone would do, I tend to take brief moments throughout my life and start questioning myself when I see or hear a story about something or someone who exemplifies the true meaning of "living like there is no tomorrow." How am I/are we adjusting our plans today to serve God? (James 1:22) What are we adding to our so-called band width? Will we share our thoughts, advice and visions with others and those that will come after us when we are gone?

Each and every one of us is an author, whether we know it or not and our life is being mentally taped every day. The guts of our journey portray a message that one of our readers will certainly copy. I know what the dash between the dates of Caleb’s life says as he has gone on to be with Jesus. The question that remains for you and me is what will ours say?"

Jesus, thank you for life! What a precious gift you have given us. Jesus, help us to soak ourselves in Matthew 6:34. Help us to not be live in a guarded fashion but to live our lives for you and others in ways that language can’t explain. Jesus, thank you for this very special day and mold us to carry our towels in service to you and others. AMEN!!!

Landon Kribbs
Springtown, Texas