I know I have not written in a while, unfortunately life and family take priority sometimes. I have come to the realization that writing weekly is not always possible and I am ok with that…and I believe God is too! ~ Laurie
Today is the 46th anniversary of my life. Hard to believe I have lived over four and a half decades. God has been so incredibly good to me. I honestly don’t think I realized until just recently how truly blessed I really am. I think for many years I was way to caught up in “ME” to see the blessing in front of me. Many of you don’t know this but I was a very sick baby. I was diagnosed with Spinal Meningitis at a very young age. Medical technology back then was nothing like it is today. The doctors did not give my parents a whole lot of hope. They were told I had a 50/50 chance of survival and if I did survive the chances of permanent brain damage was very great. Here I am today celebrating 46 years, alive and healthy. I have often questioned why God spared my life all those years ago. Why did he not leave me with a damaged mental capacity? It wasn’t until recently that I began to understand, God was not done with me!
For years I was so self absorbed. I put myself and my needs above others. I was living in a world where it was all about me. My focus today is so polar opposite of that, today God comes first. I want to live each day for Him! Since I have shifted my priorities, my life is so much more content. Contentment is a satisfaction with what God has provided. The gratification of putting God first has blessed me beyond measure. When God is first in your life you have a desire to be like more him. To be observant of the needs of others. As John Maxwell said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” I want my friends, family and even strangers to know how much I care. I would like to leave behind a mark as being one who put others first and self last. I want people to know that God spared my life all those years ago because he wasn’t done with me. He wanted grow me to be more like him. He wanted me to bless others just as I have been blessed. Philippians 2:4 says, do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
I say all of this to say, one must realize the blessings in life today, may not be what you thought (or wanted) them to be yesterday. Stop, be thankful, and be content. Bless someone today. I promise the gift you receive from being intentional and serving others, will far exceed your expectations.
Grounded in Grace 