Something Beautiful

"Take up your cross and follow me," Jesus said. This picture was clear to all who heard Him. They knew where anyone carrying a cross was going. They were going to die, a slow, painful death on a tree. Jesus was telling them that this was the way to follow Him, that if they really wanted to follow Him that was the way He was going.  It seems only appropriate to write about this on Good Friday. For many years I haven't understood why it was called "Good" Friday. I mean, I understood in my mind. It is good because God ransomed us. It is good because He provided the way of salvation. It is good because He overcame death and sin and all of the brokenness of the world, and He made a way for us to do that too.  But even as I have said these things over to myself, I didn't really understand how it could be good. How could it be good that this perfect, sinless, good man was wrongly accused, slandered, mocked, derided, unjustly convicted, beated, a

Abundant life. Filled up, overflowing, uncontainable life. Rich, full, irrepressible life. Bubbling up, spilling out, abundant life . That's what I want. Life filled with the fullness of who He is. Life that is contagious. Life that is eternal. Life that is lived.  I have lived many, many years on the sidelines of life. I'm an adventurous person, but I'm also a practical person. I often allow my analytical side to overpower and control my creative, adventurous side. I have been content to do this, content with my idea of life. Content to live in perceived safety. The problem with that is that my idea of life, well, it isn't really life. It isn't abundant. It's "safe," but it is also less. Why do I settle for having less than abundant life when that is the life that Jesus came to give me, to give us?  The thing about abundant life is that it is messy and complicated and risky . Abundant life cannot be lived without living from the heart, which mean