A Lasting Change

I've always hoped to live life a little fuller. Love a little deeper. Care a little more. And as ordinary as my life may seem, I so wish it not to be the status quo.

I used to get so overwhelmed at the thought of trying to do more, to make things count for the long-haul. So much so, that I couldn't even think of what to do to take the first baby-step in making a difference.

So, I did what I do best. I gave up. And it didn't take too long to realize that, of course, was not the answer. So, then, I tried sorting it out. What could I do to live life a little fuller, to love a little deeper?

I took baby steps. Leetle-beety-baby steps. First, I spent a few more minutes- just minutes- in the Word. I was intentional in my tasks throughout the day. Instead of just going through the motions, I'd pray through them. Praising God for the amount of laundry that was before me, because we are indeed blessed to be able to wear different clothes each day. Thanking Him for the plates we had to eat on, and for the food that was devoured off of them. Counting it a blessing to have such cute little mouths to shovel all of that food into.

When I felt like I was maybe getting the hang of all that, I added in a few more weebly-wobbly steps to my leetle-beety-baby steps. I started changing our family's diet and eating habits ever so slightly. Exchanging this product for a more natural substitute, eliminating these unnecessary additions to our meals. And over time, we've got a little more organic. A little more natural. And a little less processed.

All that got a little easier. So, it was time to make those weebly-wobbly steps a little less so. Next came the little bit harder part. The giving. The doing. The not-so-much-about-us part. So, I looked for ways for us to be more intentional in our spending, and in our time management. I love to bake, so I'd bless friends with little treats here or there. I love kids, so I'd volunteer to watch a few here and there for friends that needed some help or time. We open our home to our church family several times a week for community group.

And even that started getting easier and easier. So, I encourage you today. Live life a little fuller! Start where you can. Let the baby steps get you going. There is no shame in starting small- or even miniscule. Pray for guidance in how you can start loving a little deeper.