Live a life that can only be explained by the words: “Only God”

Do you remember being a teenager and seeing a pretty girl with a guy and the first thought that came to your mind was, “How the heck did he get her?” Or as you started growing up you see what some people do with their lives and you ask, “How did that person become so successful?” “How do they get to travel everywhere?” “How did they make so much money?” “How did they get a husband or wife like that?”

I’ve made it a habit in life to ask How. When I meet people that I view as successful, I always ask them how they did it.  “How did you…find such an awesome spouse? Make so much money? Become so successful? Raise such a good family?”

The answer I get 99% of the time: I pursued a relationship with God and listened to Him.

The most successful people I know and have met, give God all the credit for where they are in their life. They don’t give God credit because it’s “the thing to do or say” they give God credit because that is the only answer that can explain the life they get to live.

People that knew me in high school ask me, “How did you get such an awesome fiancé? How have you gotten away from drinking, drugs, etc.? How have you gotten to travel to some pretty cool places?” My answer: I started pursuing God with everything in me.

A lot of times, that answer is too simple for people. It puzzles them. They want specifics. They want to believe it was something else. Sooner or later though, they will have to choose whether or not they want to try out this whole God thing.

If they’ll choose to pursue God genuinely, they’ll find Him, and their lives will never be the same. If they choose not to pursue God, they’ll miss out on the best life they could be living.

Start pursuing God with everything in you today. If you don’t know what that looks like, ask someone who does. Give your plans, goals, dreams, and your life to Him. Trust me, He has Bigger and better plans, dreams, and goals for your life than anything you could come up with on your own.

If you’ll pursue God, one day people will come to you and say,”How did you….” and the only possible answer you can give will be: God.

On Wednesday I turned 26! Life is going way too fast! I thought I’d just share a few reflections from my life at 26!

At 26 My Priorities are Changing - I just got engaged, started a new job, and I am helping plant a church and lead a youth ministry. My priorities must be clear and focused, if  not, I’ll burn out and make everyone around me miserable!

At 26 I’m Becoming More Focused - I am pursuing fewer things, but pursuing those things with more focus.

At 26 I’m Recognizing the Importance of Family - Every year family becomes more and more important to me. Next to God, family is the most important thing in my life. I’m making that a priority.

At 26, I’m More in Love with Laura than I’ve ever Been – We’ve been dating for nearly 10 years, and I love her more than I ever have.

At 26, I’m excited to Lead – I’ve never led at the level I get to lead in my life right now. I get to lead my future spouse, I get to lead a youth ministry, I get to lead 1,000+ volunteers at my new job! I’m excited to learn what it takes to lead at this level so I can go to another one in a few years!

At 26, I’m Trying to Turn it All Over to God - I don’t want it to be 60% Bubba and 40% God. I feel as though I’ve spent most of my twenties trying to pave my own way. I’m done with that. I want it to be all God and none of me!

At 26 I’m Maturing – I’ve heard that maturity is the ability to have a dollar and not spend it, to have something to say and not say it, to want to do something and not to it, and to want something to eat and not eat it! In other words, maturity is the ability to take on responsibility. It’s becoming easier and easier for me to mature as I set priorities.

At 26 I’m Realizing That I Need to Choose the Friendships I want to Fight For - I can’t be close friends with everyone, although I’d love to be. I need to choose which friendships I’m willing to fight for and put everything I can into them.

At 26 I’m Realizing I Can Only Pour into a Few - I can’t spend intimate time investing in everyone I want to. I must become purposeful about who I spend my time and energy investing in, but if I do my job, I’ll invest in those who invest in others!

At 26 a Healthy Life Style is Important - Exercise and Eating right have become extremely important to me.

At 26, The Possibilities are Endless – At 26, I’m dreaming bigger than I’ve ever dreamed. I’m realizing that the entire world is open to me and I can go anywhere and do anything! This is only the beginning!

What are some reflections you’ve had at your current age? What are you learning about life?

I’m always amazed by what God can do in one person’s life. When I think of what He has done in my life, the places He’s taken me, the people he has allowed me to be around, the things He has enabled and allowed me to do, where He has taken me from . . . it is unbelievable.

One of my favorite verses over the past year has been Psalm 113:7-8: He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people!

God said He’ll lift you from garbage heaps and bring you into a place where you’re hanging out with royalty, not just people the world looks up to, but people that God is using in huge ways all over the world! That always reminds me of an All Access/Backstage experience. When you go back stage in a concert, you get an experience that few other people get in their lives.

Here is what I’ve found through serving God: When you follow God’s plan for your life, it is like having a VIP Back Stage All Access Pass to the Greatest Life you can Live.

You’ll go places that no one else has gone, you’ll be around people you never dreamed you get the opportunity of being around, you’ll do the impossible.

And the best part… God has a unique backstage pass for everyone on the planet! They are available to anyone who will put Him first.

So what are you waiting for? Go after God with everything you’ve got. Stop trying to create your own VIP/All Access experience in life. The best life you could create on your own fails in comparison to the life that God has planned for you. Let God take you backstage in life it’s better than anything you’ll ever experience on your own.