what’s next?
Live Life ended last week. Or did it?
We’ve talked to a few IFES students and recent graduates who participated in the Lenten challenge, and we’re excited that they are seeing the past six weeks not as an end in themselves, but as the beginning of specific life changes.
Each week has been special in its own way for Audrey Emonides from Martinique. ‘Live Life has been a good experience (and it still is!). It has not always been easy to keep up with all the activities, but it's so nice to take the time to stop, just to hear God speaking to us. The first week, on fasting, I was challenged to not say any hurtful words. The second, for prayer, I started a journal in which I noted snippets of my conversations with God. And for the week about giving, I drew illustrations for sermons at my church during Sunday worship, and then shared them with others.’
Marite Firstova (LKSB Latvia) writes, ‘Live Life hasn't revealed anything extremely new to me, but it has given me support - exactly at the time I decided to change my usual way of life. Exploring little stories and creative ideas throughout the world, I'm filled with joy because the greatness of our God is inconceivable.
‘Live Life also helped me with discipline. I've never fasted, prayed, given so regularly and I feel really blessed through this experience. Next year I'd like to create a group and enjoy Live Life in a community!’
Polina Butkiene from Lithuania especially liked the week that focused on prayer. ‘For me it was inspiring to see how to use photos for prayer. I recently started learning how to take pictures with a better camera, so this topic is very interesting and challenging for me now. Then one photographer on Live Life reminded me about taking a prayer walk. I haven’t started one yet but will do it soon.’
I'm still far from living a full life, but now I'm a little bit closer. I’ve found time to live it.
‘Jesus lived his life to its fullness,’ writes Jessica Grant from Brazil. ‘He loved, he taught, he gave himself completely. He even gave us his life, aiming to gift us with an entire new perspective about what is a complete, full life. But, even after meeting him and putting our old life in his hands to be renewed, we often still live life in a rush: tasks and other things take our eyes from the only target that matters.
'By starting with fasting, I found out that I don’t give time to my mind to rest. I work in front of the computer, I rest in front of its screen watching movies. I decided to stop and appreciate free time. That opened space for prayer, which is something that slowly opens our hearts to God's voice and, to me, refocused Live Life's next weeks into his perspective.
'Trying to live life to its fullest in this Lent period was a reencounter with the right perspective; a refocus of my running towards the right prize, the life Jesus gave us, Easter's real meaning.
'I'm still far from living a full life, but now I'm a little bit closer. I’ve found time to live it.’
How will you make time to truly live the life Jesus intends? Leave a comment so that we all can learn and be encouraged.
