Who decides how fast you go?

I was recently standing around talking with a group of people. One of them talked about driving during a recent trip. His speedometer stopped working while he drove down an interstate so he had no idea of how fast or slow he was going.

“What did you do?” someone asked.

“I just kept driving,” he said. 

And another person said, “How did you know how fast you were going?”

“Well,” he said, “the truth is that I didn’t. What I did was to just go with the flow of the traffic. However fast they went, that’s how fast I went.”

I stood there thinking to myself, “You let other people decide how fast you’d go.” 

And you know, that’s what a lot of us do with life. You may let other people—at work or home or the Jones family next door—set your pace, determine your actions, choose your sense of right and wrong. Try letting God set your pace as you listen to life and make a life, not just a living.

Is God real to you?

Did you hear about the skydiver whose parachute failed to open? That’s right, Levi Cave went sky-diving for the very first time. His chute malfunctioned and he fell 3,500 feet, hit the ground, and lived.

He was asked about what went through his mind while he was free-falling. He said he prayed. Here’s what he prayed while hurtling through the air toward the ground at about 50 mph: “Okay, God, I trust in you. I believe in you. And I’d love to see my family again.” Cave said he then felt “this big hug, this big warm embrace” which he understood to be God’s arms around him, letting him know everything would be fine; that he would get to see his family again. Cave said he knew then that everything would be fine. And it was. 

How real is God to you? Do you expect God to give you a big hug, a warm embrace when you’re in trouble? Are you ready to ask God to help you, to bless you, when you’re in a tight spot?

Wherever you find yourself today, know God is real as you listen to life.

Do you know that you're special?

Will you take just a second and do something for yourself? Put down what you’re doing—unless you’re driving; just pull over—and think about all the special people in your life. Make a mental list or just randomly run through some faces and think about all the special people in your life.

Now as you think about all of these people, who was the very first person to pop into your mind? In your mind’s eye, see her or his face. Watch a smile emerge on that person’s mouth. Look into those sparkling eyes. 

Now begin to thank God for all of the reasons why this person is special to you. Name the reasons one-by-one. Take it easy as you breathe your thank-you’s. No need to be in a hurry.

Now decide on three of those reasons why this person is special to you and share them with him or her by a phone call, email, or letter.

And know that while you’ve been doing this, so have lots of other people around the world and at least one of them thanked God for you.