This weekend we watched a fantastic sermon by an Evangelical preacher, Nick Vujicic.  If you’ve not heard of him, or his book Life without Limbs,  do yourself a favor and check him out.  We were introduced to him two-fold: 1)My son’s AMAZING 5th grade teacher gifted him with Nick’s book and 2) at a similar time my husband watched a video of a sermon of his.  The message was simple and true:  the “things” we think that will fill the hole in our lives to bring happiness will NEVER fill the “GOD-shaped” hole in our hearts.  One of the many examples was Nick praying repeatedly in his life for arms and legs.  “If I only had arms and legs, God, THEN I would be happy.”  And then he asked the audience, “YOU have arms and legs.  Are YOU happy?”  The grass is always greener on the other side, isn’t it?

And so, we discussed with the kids the message.  The examples.  The Truth that Christ brings into our lives and the fulfillment we receive when we live out our lives stepping out in faith that the One who brought us out of the darkness WILL bring us to an everlasting joy.  Our time here is fleeting and what awaits us is so far beyond our wildest hopes and dreams.  While we are trekking through this life though, motivating each other to take one more step, encouraging each other on through hardships and difficulty, we spread Christ’s message through our actions, examples and words.  It starts at home and we are to be content in what we are given and to use those gifts to their maximum.  Life comes full circle.  When we are in need, we receive and when we encounter misfortune we do what we can to provide comfort and aid.  If the man with no arms and no legs can overcome depression and live his life for the glory of God, surfing, getting married and bringing 500,000 people to know Jesus, can we not look within and live our own lives maximizing the gifts we have been given?

For me, my own excuses the last few days in response to whatever tasks lie in front of me, have sounded hollow, empty and weak.  Because, He has far more in mind for me than excuses.

Hebrews 3:13

But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

**all photos pulled from the web, from Nick’s website and general Google search!