CATCH THE BREEZE

   Have you been in the doldrums or going through a slump in your life? Maybe you find yourself in a life-draining crisis or, more likely, just numb from going through the day in, day out routine of life. You get up, get the kids up and ready for school, go to work, chauffeur kids around for sports, go home, have dinner, clean up, look over work stuff, pay the bills, and finally collapse, exhausted, into bed so that you can do it all again the next day.
   
   Maybe there's some variety on those days that you throw in some overtime at work or go to a church bible study. But it all blurs together, and sometimes wonder why you do what you do. You're almost afraid to stop and step back and look closely at your life for fear of what you will find. You don't even know if you're happy or if you are doing what you should be doing. You simply exist.
   
   You need to reclaim your life and breathe fresh air into all areas of it. You may feel like you are gasping for air and desperately need CPR. Or maybe you're at the top of your game, doing your best, and like an football player on the sidelines inhaling oxygen, you simply need a breather before you reenter the game.

   Most likely you alternate between the two, some days feeling like you are on the verge of a complete breakdown and other days feeling like you need a short breather. Whatever the case may be, we all long for that sweet sensation of opening a window and allowing a gentle breeze to come across you. No matter where we are on life's seas...in the doldrums, in a hurricane, or in calm waters--you and I need wind in our sail to move forward.

   How do you brave the elements? Well, I am not putting the focus on being a better christian or giving you ideas on how to control your behavior. The internal combustion of personal passion requires something supernatural happening inside of you. It requires God's presence in your life in a real, tangible, feel-it -everyday kind of way. And this means falling in love with Him like never before.

   Do you need breathing lessons? Begin to pay close attention to the source of any cool, refreshing breeze that is currently blowing in your life. When you find this, you'll discover the difference between a person or place that pours life into yo and on that drains you. Try to remember that person or place that last brought you a breath of fresh air. How did the person or place refresh you? Once you are able to recognize the tangible qualities that invigorate you,  you will find it easier to pursue their sources.

 Deuteronomy 30:19
New Living Translation (NLT)
19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!
   

2 Corinthians 1:8-10
New Living Translation (NLT)
8  We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. 9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. 10 And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.