“Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength..” -Nehemiah 8:10

The other day I was on a walk with an older friend and mentor. We got on the subject of money. He makes a pretty descent salary, but lives off very little of it. I was asking him for some wisdom when it comes to the area of finances and all he said was, “Just because you have a lot of money doesn’t mean you need to spend it all and have all these amazing things, there are a lot of different ways to enjoy life.“

That statement spoke to me. As a twenty something who just got engaged, the idea of making money became a lot more important to me than it has ever been, we’re saving for a house, we are saving to pay for a wedding, and saving for the honeymoon! I started become so focused on what I needed to do to provide, make something of myself, and get promoted, all which are great things, but I in that pursuit, I lost some of my joy. I became so focused on that, that I wasn’t able to enjoy life.

The truth is, you can enjoy life in a lot of different ways, many of them having nothing to do with money. Spending time with loved ones and friends is often where our greatest memories are formed which are often our greatest sources of joy.

I’m not saying money isn’t important, it definitely is, and I believe that God wants us all blessed financially.

However, being blessed financially does not guarantee that you will enjoy your life. In fact, anything your pursuing outside of God does not guarantee that you’ll enjoy life. The truth is, when you’re pursuing God, you can enjoy life regardless of what you have or where you are at this stage in your life.

Are you enjoying your life right now? If not, why? What are you so focused on that is taking your joy away? God wants us to enjoy life in every season, regardless of our current circumstances!

Focus on everything God’s blessed you with, enjoy the little things, enjoy the people around you that you love the most. Stop pursuing what you think will help you enjoy life and start enjoying the life you’re already blessed with!

Right now I’m sitting in our hotel room in Fort Lauder-dale, FL! It is ridiculous! In fact, I’m staring at the ocean out of our window! It’s incredible!

Up to this point in my life, God’s been very good to me. I’ve been privileged to get to go to some pretty cool places. Bar Harbor, Maine, Africa, Peru, Costa Rica, New York City, any many others.

What I didn’t tell you was that until I was 19 years old, the only place I had gone out of state was Disney World when I was 7 years old. I never really thought I’d get the opportunity to travel. A lot of my friends growing up got to travel a lot and to a lot of really cool places. I didn’t.

To be honest though, I never once thought I missed out on anything growing up and not having the same opportunities my other friends had. I loved my childhood. I’d argue that I had a better childhood than anyone! I loved every second of it. I just loved life. As a result, I have thousands of wonderful memories of growing up.

So what’s my point? This:

It’s not where you go or what you have that makes you have a rich and awesome life. It’s who you’re with, it’s what you do with what you have, and it’s where you are that matters.

Now that I’ve traveled a bit, my life is no different. I still have to choose to enjoy the journey. I have to choose to make memories. I still love my life just as much as I did when I wasn’t traveling or doing “cool” things.

Make the most of your life right now. Quit wishing you got to go everywhere everyone else does, you had everything everyone else has, etc. None of that really matters.

All that matters is who you’re with and the memories you intentionally choose to make.

If you’ll get that, it won’t matter if you’re in a dessert or Hawaii, you’ll enjoy your life more than you ever have!

Thoughts?

“Let your lives be built on Him . . . then you’ll overflow with thankfulness.” -Col. 2:7

“The blessings of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.” – Proverbs 10:22

Everybody wants to enjoy life. God wants us to enjoy life. I know a lot of people who have the desire to enjoy life, but aren’t. Often we are looking for joy, success, and happiness in all the wrong places. I’ve found that enjoying life comes from:

• Having a relationship with God – this is the foundation and fulfillment of true joy and happiness.

• Having great relationships - There isn’t anything more important in our lives than our relationships with others – cherish and cultivate them.

• Recognizing that changing a life, not drawing a crowd, is true success.

• Creating great experiences and memories – not gaining more material possessions. Create them often.

• Living with High Standards, Integrity, and Character -  I live my life according to the Bible. God created us and He knows the way we should live to enjoy life. He gives it to us in His Word!

• Serving - “A life not lived for others, is hardly a life.” -Mother Theresa

• Giving your life for others – right now I give my life to the students at Revolution – I love all of them so much and it is one of the greatest joys to go through life with them, pour into them, and have them pour into me.

I think Ralph Waldo Emerson sums it up well:

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of earnest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;  to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Are you enjoying life? If not, start doing some of the things I mentioned and watch as joy comes into your life.

What have you found joy and happiness come from?