Once upon a time – and not too long ago – you and I were little kids!   If you close your eyes you might remember your favorite playground and even see the monkey bars!  Do you remember the sound of laughing kids?  What wonderful moments when everything felt so perfect. . .

Now fast forward to your life as an adult and if you’re like me, there are too many times when negative thoughts try to overwhelm me.   Sometimes I find myself rehearsing “all the day’s wrongs” or my mind spins around some fear or offense.  Occasionally, these thoughts jam themselves into my dreams so I can’t sleep.  I’ve even carried some fears and offenses into the next day, week or year as if the endless-loops of injustice rewind and replay over – then over again.

How did the liar convince so many of us that it is “normal” to suffer from offense, fear, broken relationships or addictions?   Why are anger, unforgiveness and selfishness so common?  What happened to our perfect childhood playgrounds and how did our lives get so messy?  Was the thief so sneaky that we never saw him coming, or do we sigh and say, “that’s just life.”

Jesus described the liar as “the thief that comes to steal, kill and destroy” but try to picture Jesus as his face quickly turned into a huge smile. . . The Commander of the universe probably raised his hands to deliver his climactic note, “But I came that you would have life and have it abundantly!” ^{John 10:10}

Ah – Abundantly!  Living with Jesus abundance means having a fullness of life, not measured in terms of fun and wealth but in terms of living fulfilled.  Fulfilled with a deep abiding joy and peace that is made better with God as our source.

We know our cell phones leak power even when they aren’t in use.  In the same way, when we are overflowing with the abundance of Jesus living in us, our smiles and personalities will “leak” God’s love wherever we go.  You feel, live and breathe it – and so do the people around you!  They will want what you have.

Jesus’ abundance is heaven on earth living.   Yes – it is where everyone wants what you have, and you are thrilled when they find it too!   The more who have it, the more abundant it gets.

Abiding joy and peace with God. . . There is more than enough to go around.