Rich Living
Many times we find ourselves “wanting” for more . . . and we are not exactly sure what it is that we “want” but we know there is a void we are trying to fill.
There is a secret to rich living . . . or living richly.
It is when we embrace who we are, where we are, and focus on a life of generosity rather than self-serving and entitlement.
Over the next 12 days, let’s explore together some secrets to “rich living.” As a jumping off point, we will be using the e-book Simple Generosity (you can download the entire e-book for free here). Simple Generosity is a book compiled by 29 leaders in ministry from across the nation! I had an opportunity to be one of the authors and it was a really cool experience to be able to write with some of the great leaders of faith in today’s culture!
Each day we will be taking an excerpt from the book, and in 400 words or less, I’ll share some thoughts, and then we can explore what God is calling us to do in our lives so that we can all explore Rich Living.
Loss of Words Brings Unknown Power
Far too often we spend our time talking our way through life rather than observing and listening.
Rev. Amy Coles shares of a time when she attended a silent retreat for three days at Church of the Savior’s Dayspring Retreat Center in Maryland.
Everything was in total and complete silence, other than daily worship. EVEN sharing the meals. Read Amy’s words describing the experience . . .
“Now I was no novice in the kitchen, and had even spent a fair amount of time in a church kitchen, but I have to admit I was a bit skeptical that without words, we would get the meal on the table. I was wrong. While there were no words, there were smiles and gestures. Whether the job was chopping cabbage for the slaw or making the oats and brown sugar topping for the apple crisp, others jumped in to help with a generosity that communicated far more than anything which could have been said. Instead of the small talk that often permeates the space in a group gathering, the satisfaction of working together to set the table enabled us to welcome others warmly to the meal.
How liberating it was when I wasn’t so preoccupied with what I would say, or how I would respond, that I could truly “listen” to the soul, the essence of another!”
Freedom and rich living comes when we do not HAVE to have something to say. We are free to listen, observe, and truly experience the present moment. Living in the here and now – that is rich living.
- When are some times in your day you can find to be silent rather than thinking you need to speak?
- What essence of others are you able to experience that busyness and talking detracts from?
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