LIVE A LIFE OF NO REGRETS!!: Wherever You Are, Be All There. ~Jim Elliot

Quote from "Stepping Heavenward" by Mrs. E. Prentiss

"She says I shall now have one mouth more to fill and two feet the more to shoe, more disturbed nights, more laborious days, and less leisure or visiting, reading, music and drawing.

Well! This is one side of the story, to be sure, but I look at the other.

Here is a sweet, fragrant mouth to kiss; here are two more feet to make music with their pattering about my nursery. Here is a soul to train for God; and the body in which dwells is worthy of all it will cost, since it is the abode of a kingly tenant. I may see less of friends, but I have gained one dearer than them all, to whom, while I minister in Christ's name, I make a willing sacrifice of what little leisure for my own recreation my other dear darlings had left me. Yes, my precious baby, you are welcome to her time, her strength, her health, her tenderest cares, to her lifelong prayers! Oh, how rich I am, how truly, wondrously blest!"

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Wherever You Are, Be All There. ~Jim Elliot

I saw this quote today and it really spoke to my heart. Again, it reminded me I should have named this blog "Attempting to Live a Life of No Regrets." Although, it's still my lofty goal, it's definitely only attainable to attempt it. This quote spoke to me because I desire to make a difference for the Lord in the lives that He puts into mine. I cannot make a difference in the lives of even my own family if my mind is consistently elsewhere. We need to stay focused on the family the Lord blessed us with and the guests the Lord may bring to our door. He may even have opportunities for us at the grocery store, the gas station, the drive thru window, where ever we may be IF we are available to Him to "be all there, wherever we are".

We've all done it. Whether it's a conversation with a child, on the phone, or whomever when you have to ask the other person to repeat what they are trying to tell you because your mind is totally preoccupied with other matters. Don't get me wrong; there is a time to take care of matters uninterrupted but other times we need to give attention to those around us. I'm so thankful we serve a God who is always there for us. May we strive to be there for those He places in our lives and most importantly when we are spending time with Him. May we be purposeful to focus on Him when we read His word. May we focus our attention to Him when we pray (and not what is next on the to do list), Lord help us to be all there, wherever we are!