Enjoying Soul-Soothing Sensualities

MESMERISED BY FIRE, captivated by trickling water, a healing massage, or allured emotionally by the cathartic sound of a Zambian choir singing gospel songs—natural sensualities beat ‘processed entertainment’ any time.

My first really nice car was fitted with B.F. Goodrich Radial T/A tyres.

The sound of those tyres on the road was like driving through a symphonic tunnel. No matter how bad my day had gone just jumping behind the wheel felt good; I would drive down the road and enjoy the sound of those tyres on the road—it was such an invigorating and calming influence over my life back then.

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Our Western way creates problems for the senses; we quickly lose control, ending up in dependencies beyond both our will and means. What the soul really yearns for is to be soothed.

Soul-soothing is a blessing of God; it fights those dependencies—and wins!

þ Why would we drink alcohol when we have dozens of better tasting non-alcoholic drinks to taste and enjoy? Besides, there’s no better feeling than being sober.

þ Why do people smoke cigarettes when the smell of fresh air is infinitely better—and so many aromas of fragrance are available to savour?

þ Why would people be the slightest bit interested in fast processed food when the natural alternative tastes better and is so much more salubrious? Great is the achievement to feel hungry before a meal or to stop eating before feeling overly full.

þ Why watch or read pornographic material when there is edifying, fascinating, and wondrous things with which to treat the eyes? There are treats for the eyes everywhere if we have eyes to see.

þ Sound is an interesting one. How soothing the sounds of Zambian worship and the trickling water feature. Or, the gentle metronomic harmonics of nature’s music—the patter of rain on a roof; the breaking of thunder; even the crackle of a fire. Sound can be either beautiful therapy or driving us to distraction in the form of noise.

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The beauty of the natural appeals to our sensuality; little of it is needed to soothe the soul.

We enjoy learning about such stimuli, and each time we experience it we can thank God for such simplicity of joy.

Soul-soothing sensualities are nothing to feel guilty about. On the contrary, our five senses combine to realise blessing, and the Lord provides ample feedstock to ensure our sensuality performs its part in receiving such joyous abundance.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

Attaining to God’s Perfect Virtue

Ever seeking the knowledge of one virtue that summarises perfect virtuosity, that search ends in a quality many don’t want to talk about. If a good person won’t want to call themselves wise, much less will they want to call themselves humble.

To attribute wisdom to ourselves is saying we are not often foolish. But to attribute humility is saying we’re not often prideful. Whilst folly and pride may not characterise us, the latter is more likely to be problematic.

We may call humility the perfect virtue, for it is perfectly elusive but for the purity of a heart after God. The moment we clamour for humility, pride is acquired instead. So, instead of focusing on humility, we focus on its many facets; all those that are practically describable; those that add up in sum to virtuosity; those we can build our characters around.

Below is an acrostic to H.U.M.I.L.I.T.Y.:

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Honest – foremost, the perfect virtue is devoted to truth. To such an honest one, the truth matters more than popularity or pain or pleasure or precedence. This, in many ways, is choosing against the self and learning that God’s ways are best—even by the faith that cannot see why at such early, unblessed stages. One cannot be humble until they have committed a ruthless covenant to abide in the truth always. One sneaking lie reveals a vice more home in pride than any other deadly sin.

Ubiquitous – captured in some senses above, consistency is the main vibe of the humble. One of the fears of the godly is the insidious rise, at a sudden moment, of the selfish flesh. We might be characterised as being humble, but it is the times we aren’t that most of us dread; for embarrassment, flailing credibility, eventually self-pity—the worst of all. The goal of virtuosity is that it might be, more and more, omnipresent in and through us.

Meek – this is the quality of enduring injury with patience and without resentment. Some sources link it with some sort of pathetic submission. There is nothing pathetic about being virtuously meek. It is moderation of temperament: the ability to assimilate the diversity of given situations, weighing options, before considered decisions are made and enacted with mental toughness.

Intuitive – that manner of instinct and insight and intuition that goes forward of perception, meets the truth en route, understands and accepts it without much thought, then informs the perceptive process. Intuition is a free channel, unencumbered by the barriers of distraction. For it to work, a memorandum of understanding is needed at the level of our psyches. Dissonance squashes intuition; whereas tranquillity of spirit frees it like a bird.

Love for all – the perfect virtue could not be complete without the motive behind virtuosity—that pure heart is love. Everything good starts from love. Because humility is, at source, an end result of the deeper good heart, love is the essential quality driving every self-effacing thought, word, and act. Love for all depends wholly on truth; that every problem can be fixed, every opportunity can be capitalised upon, and every person dealt with appropriately by the facts of, and will to, love.

Inoffensive – perhaps with allowance for overlap, humility would not be complete without a note from inoffensiveness. Sure, it is part of meekness. But it deserves recognition alone. Pride, the opposite of humility, leaps to the folly of defence, when such a defence is generally (though, not always) a waste of time and effort. Finding ourselves unable to be offended is a vast portion of God’s select wisdom (Proverbs 19:11), but only through God’s grace can we do it. An effective defence can only be predicated within emotional balance.

Taciturn – like the quality of the meek, those who are taciturn are maligned unnecessarily because this quality is quite an essence of humility. It is those quietly reserved, weighing things in patient wisdom, that answer best. They have restraint of tongue (James 3:1-12) and not because they are wary of what is right to say. They genuinely want to answer to the glory of God.

Yield to God – the humble yield to God in two ways; they submit and they give God a yield, or a product or tithe, of themselves. Those that do these two things, devoting their entire lives to such portents, hold themselves to close account before themselves, trusted others, and the Lord their God.

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Humility is an elusive quality to define. It does not come natural and, for most, will never be natural. But as we become aware of our situational pride, and rally against even tiny nuances of dishonesty, we have the capacity, one moment at a time, to be humble—by the grace present and sufficient in God.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

Two Ways to Peace

To all the seasons in life there is a purpose in enduring. That purpose is achieved in one of two things and, when correctly deployed, it brings peace. The first is wisdom; the second, to overcome.

The Way of Wisdom

The way of wisdom is first because it assumes a status quo—not everybody is found challenged, or suffering, at all times. Suffering comes to most regularly enough, and to a few more than their fair share. All taste it. Yet, suffering, in the main, barring the desperately poor, is not the consistent scourge for most people.

Pictured for us, via the wisdom of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and New Testament James, wisdom is the practice of attaining peace through patience, prudence, diligence, an active faith, and in sum, spiritual investment.

When life runs swimmingly—and for the most part it does—wisdom enhances the quality of our lives by helping us grow through relatively dry times.

Peace is a spiritual outcome. Achieving such contentedness during level, uneventful times is about growth; pushing ourselves in healthy ways so we augment the best of life results. When life flows well growth is not so easy, but peace is dependent on it, and wisdom insists upon it.

The Way of Overcoming

Infrequently, times of trial perplex us. Against the flow of our feelings, though, comes the state of peace through a method of overcoming. So much of the gospel of God is devoted to such truth.

The way of overcoming is the means to peace for all other situations where wisdom is thwarted. As there are times for wisdom, so there are also times for overcoming. Overcoming, of itself, can be seen as a nuance of wisdom, certainly from the aspect of hindsight.

This way to peace is grounded in the reality that God identifies, acutely, with any level or manifestation of our suffering. And still, the power of God is resplendent most poignantly via modes of such spiritual poverty.

Peace is known, miraculously it seems, in the heat of the suffering moment, for the hope God infuses through us for a future we hope for, but cannot yet see.

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Two ways exist making life best. Two ways encompass every life situation, challenge, and problem. Two ways provides options. There are two ways to peace: wisdom and overcoming.

The Lord has provided a way through every situation. Whether it is by wisdom or overcoming, we have a way to grow or to struggle well—there are two ways to peace.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

The Power of Belief for Good and Harm

Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” ~John 8:34-36 (NRSV).

This little section in the gospel of John (8:31-38) could be titled, “The truth sets free—this is how disciples are known—they discern and follow the truth.”

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I had a man once try and convince me that electricians, because they are exposed to live electricity, are predisposed to mental illness. His belief was the electricity does funny things to the human mind. His logic had taken one case, perhaps two, together with a misheard research report on the radio news, and extrapolated that out to apply to all electricians. Could you imagine this guy’s approach to the next electrician he would meet, perhaps at a party or at a sporting event?

Like this man, however, we all hold a certain portion of untrue beliefs.

What Jesus is telling us is, if we root out that false belief we will no longer be slave to that portion of sin. We will no longer have untrue predisposed viewpoints that interrupt our rapport with people. Our prejudices will be sorted. We will take people at face value, loving them for who they are and how they present.

Accountable for What We Believe

If we’re given the capacity to see, hear, and perceive the truth, the Lord expects us to honour that truth by believing it. There is a requirement to diligently note such truth and apply it by challenging our false beliefs.

This is mainly manifest in the watchful observance of opinion, for opinion is where false belief runs rampant. We are free to form opinions, but those same opinions can enslave us to sin if they are bounded in any form of falsity.

In the context of Jesus’ above truth we choose to be an outlier to the extent of our false belief, just as we choose to be a core part of the family—to be true disciples—when we take on views that are checked in truth.

By an alliance with the truth we prove our humility in obeying God; by rejecting truth we prove our pride against God.

Remaining Ever Aware

As sinful creatures, we are given to false belief in a flash. In conversation, to please people, we smile and nod and generate positive gestures, facial expressions, and encouraging body language—to love people. Validating false belief in others, though, by approving everything they say, leads us to a slippery slide.

Remaining ever aware of what we hear and see, and therefore sense, is vital.

The only protection against the adoption of false beliefs is ongoing vigilance—checking everything we hear and see and perceive for signs of truth.

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Just as the truth will set us free, lies will bind us. False beliefs are the biggest danger to living the power of the Christian existence. Our task: expose and purge; in the light of Jesus’ truth.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

Prayerfully Converting Weakness into Strength

“As my life was ebbing away, I remembered the LORD; and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.” ~Jonah 2:7 (NRSV).

From a practical viewpoint, the mystique of prayer is absolved in the fact that it amends many of our frightening deficiencies, purely for the cause of vulnerability. Such vulnerability creates intimacy in our relationship with the Holy Spirit.

In other words, God makes it attainable that we might, perhaps for the first time, relate truly with ourselves in oneness.

There are at least four ways we can convert weakness into strength. But first we must acknowledge that such strength is not devoid of God, but provisional upon God’s power. We only ever derive God’s strength from our weakness.

God Wants to Use Our Failures

Times when our worlds crashed into the abyss we felt as if there were no God to save us. But God, of course, had a better plan. The Lord was to use our failures to lead us out of trouble and to lead others to him through our testimony.

If other people can see how those failures have turned out for good in your life, how will they not be inspired of hope to turn to God in theirs?

If we prayerfully turn to the Lord, sharing our weakness in prayer, as honestly as we can, we will be given the strength of confidence to climb out of that abyss.

Be Honest About Feelings

One of the truly great things about having a relationship with God is we’re afforded the ability to be honest, truly vulnerable, without feeling embarrassed. The God of all creation knows there are weaker people than you, and there are stronger people, too.

But feelings are not about strength at all, unless we talk about the courage to share. That takes strength. The truth is when we’re honest about our feelings something wondrous occurs within us, like a weight is lifted off our shoulders; our spirits feel lighter and our gait quickens with joy.

Admit Frustrations

Anger will be the end of us if we’ll let it, for its destructive power has sent many to premature death, preceded prison sentences, broken marriages and severed ties etc. It only takes one mismanaged moment—potentially a lifetime of regret and remorse ensues. Anger has usually been preceded by unmanaged frustration.

Prayer is a pressure release valve. It gives us the capacity to ‘count to 10’, even as the moments of annoyance arrive thick and fast in the moment. Prayer, instead of flaming reaction, is the answer. It turns regrettable weakness into inimitable strength.

Reflective prayer also amends frustration as we open our hearts, later, when we have time on our hands.

Don’t Be Ashamed of Fears

Everyone fears some things. It corresponds, therefore, not to be ashamed of these fears. Certainly some fears are designed to help us live longer, better quality lives. But other fears tend to be barriers to the abundant life.

God designed us with fears so we would more gladly rely on his power in order to get through. We do this by admitting them, not being ashamed of how God created us, and asking for his help.

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When we understand that vulnerability creates intimacy through prayer, we turn our failures, feelings, frustrations, and fears into formidable capability, because of the strength of God. Share with God honestly, authentically, sincerely; courageously.

As we prayerfully convert weakness into strength, we use and therefore see God’s power at work. We can readily thank God, like Jonah did, and see once again the enormous value of prayer for the abundant life.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

The Covenant of Hard Work

“There is nothing better for mortals than to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in their toil.” ~Ecclesiastes 2:24 (NRSV).

In an all-or-nothing life, people who approach it with an all-or-nothing attitude are favoured. There is hardly a better blessing than the satisfaction of a job well done. All-or-nothing people feel the need to commit themselves fully to a task or project, and the purpose of their lives, or back out without a reservation. There is clear distinction either way.

But there is a catch.

The favouring of all-or-nothing people might sound prejudiced against those middle-of-the-road persons disposed to a more balanced life, one respecting wisdom and the discernment of a correct path, but it isn’t. All-or-nothing people will only be blessed if they also hit that cherished destiny: the middle-of-the-road, peaceable, narrow path. For, there are many extremists who are all-or-nothing people but have little sense of balance.

Perhaps we think this is a discussion at crossed purposes. It’s not. Blends for wisdom are complex. Wisdom might be an easier thing to observe than to describe.

To loan a truism from Muhammad Ali, the good life (wisdom) involves both skill and will—the latter is the commitment of diligence.

The Best of Visions – The Preparedness to Work Hard Because of Love

Exactly what motivates people to work hard? Motivation might be the thing that separates the wise from the unwise, because it goes to the heart of the issue—what resides in our hearts.

What reason do we work for? Is the cause a noble one or a selfish one?

Those who learn to love their work, and do it for love, end up blessed as a result. On the contrary, people who loathe their work, and work generally, have miserable lives.

People investing the most in life make a covenant with themselves, and presumably with God, to work hard and to enjoy the profits of that work: well earned rest and the fruit of their labours.

Agreed beforehand, it is easier to love our work because we have resolved to do so.

Troubleshooting the Cause of Apathy for Work

Notwithstanding covenants to work hard, there come times, for varying reasons, when our resolve to work hard goes AWOL because, for instance, the purpose has evaporated from our work.

These times are a test.

Many times the discomfort experienced is healthy as it forces us to re-evaluate what we should be doing. We may be compelled to search for something new. Sometimes, however, change may not be an option and we must steel ourselves to respond in the self-discipline of moral or stoic diligence.

Overall, though, our attitude towards work should be vibrant; diligence is a marvel for the reputation and even better for others closely connected to us. Is there a better trait than being trustworthy and reliable; being people good at finishing tasks to the appropriate quality?

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There is a final word to be had on working hard.

If we want a job done, best we do it ourselves or have the pleasant influence to make it happen. There is no use scowling about the place for work not done.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

There’s Something Wrong With My Thinking

“I am, by nature, selfish. I think most about me. That’s why humility is a daily struggle, a lesson I must relearn over and over.” ~Rick Warren.

The true colour of my character is assessed by others who like me least, by the mode of judgment—a common human act to attribute justice for what is seen. What I do with that is up to me, and my rapport with, and level of surrender to, God. I am the one with work to do, not them.

Yet, I do not often enough think like this, i.e. to think truthfully.

A recent diary entry:

The last two days’ studies have put into proper context the challenge, single-most, before me. As I have fought through this most recent rut by drawing close to the Lord, he has patiently shown me the error in my ways. I have fallen, for too long, to the subtleties of pride. My daily mantra needs to be centred in humility and, specifically, servanthood. That is, true sacrifice to the moment’s defined needs—others’, not mine.

By Nature, Selfish

This is an annoyingly common predilection, as I consider it personally. Interestingly, it’s when I most notice my annoyance about others’ selfishness that I’m closest to pride.

No matter how much we make a study of humility we will always need to deal with the propensity towards selfishness—our agenda over God’s; a fault at the level of our thinking and the heart beneath. Something is wrong with my thinking that only God, in his mercy, and due my surrender, can fix.

As I’ve reflected on the truth, as God has revealed it, I have started to notice just how much of me is reflected in the things I’ve been doing. Too easily I have veiled service toward my own ends.

The root issue in pride, which is the actual manifestation of selfishness, is insidious; it creeps up and deceives us. Day by day it slinks its way into our minds, burrowing deeply into the fine crevices and seeming fissures of our psyches. We are robbed a cent or two at a time; quickly and deceptively the dollars mount up, however.

The key, therefore, is keeping front of mind the daily struggle.

A Daily Struggle Turned into an Opportunity

Too easily we are overwhelmed by the comprehensiveness of such a task: to address our thinking. We can only do it one day at a time. Turning the problem into an opportunity is easy. We can manage this thing day by day as we rely on God and learn and relearn, with studious tenacity, the character trait of humility.

We must always be quick to reconcile the truth: we are naturally selfish and unnaturally humble. We have the capacity to be humble, but only when we give up our agendas for God’s agenda, and only a day at a time. Only one day at a time can we ‘fix’ our thinking—and only through God’s grace.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

From the Mountain to the Valley

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” ~Proverbs 3:5-6 (NRSV).

Recalling now, some seven years ago, how I had reached a point that I thought was a solution to my woes that only ended up as a deeper problem, brings fresh insight.

I couldn’t sleep on a Monday night so I went early into work—about eight hours earlier than start time, to be exact.

I wrote a two hour e-mail to a trusted mentor about a significant challenge I was dealing with (one of the romantic kind), did some work and then slept till daybreak. Later that evening I received his prophetic reply. This is what he had to say:

Just read thoughtfully through your letter and found myself on the edge of a canyon, looking out over the vast unknown of our futures. Below us, the beautiful meandering stream and the forest, to the left and right are challenging rock faces. I sense you are there, waiting with anticipation to stride off down the winding trail and into the hopes and aspirations of the future awaiting you. You cannot see the end, nor even envisage which path will lead to your desired haven. However, you have determined to wait for The Guide, and to be influenced by His insightful directions. You have learned to trust His leadings, that have brought you to this valley and given you a glimpse of your tomorrows. Along the pathway you will be tempted to turn aside, thinking you have arrived at a significant respite. Always seek directions from The Guide, and be prepared to move on to greater revelations. Remember Ezekiel 47, wherever the river flowed there was abundant life, however the swamps and marshes contained death (verse 11). Don’t camp by your disappointments! Be prepared to enter this journey only in the knowledge that the Lord is your guide, and He will lead you by the power of His love, revealed by His Spirit. “‘You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 29:13, 14)

There is so much good prophecy in the above short epistle—and good for further use.

It’s not strange to have come from a mountain experience to the depths of The Valley: one only you recognise, because the Lord has brought you there; for your learning—out of his unfathomable love for you.

As we look around, taking in the imagery, we are fascinated out of our normal world perspective, and we are drawn in to the mystique of the Lord God, and his further purposes for us.

This period is to be known as the period for Waiting; for determining the further steps along God’s path for you. It is a matchlessly unique path!

But what is common about the experience is our dependence on the Spirit’s leading to us get there; from The Valley, where we’ll learn so much about ourselves, to a fresh mountaintop experience, ready for the next thing. And that journey may take years, even a decade or more, but not usually that long.

As we journey, we don’t camp by a disappointments, but we learn through them and accept them, as we climb on to higher revelations. Greater nuances of the path ahead can only be discerned through patience; the receipt of insight from The Guide. Trust only that path.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

Acknowledgement: Mr. Rod Cridge.

Our Ever-Present Help in Time of Need

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble... The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” ~Psalm 46:1, 7 (NRSV).

There is a sharp divide in life. Ever two ways to go, we go deliberately or aimlessly. Sooner or later we do reach purposeless, however. This is when one of the many varieties of evil steps inside, and for a time we feel helpless to stop it.

Just as there are two ways to go—toward the Spirit or away—there are two ways to live: to believe actively in the Presence of God, or dispel what we’ve been taught; that the Lord has somehow vanished.

The devil wants to propagate that latter nonsense.

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The truth is, however, our covenant Lord has saved the uniqueness of his Presence for the very time we need it most.

This Presence of our God—as we practice it—is uniting us with ourselves. It takes the dire awkwardness of our current existence, and despite any pain, makes it somehow bearable.

The best of friends is there for when we need them most. God’s like that. But it gets better. When the Lord appears, as we presently know his Presence, we have precisely what the moment requires.

If you are in trouble, if you seek refuge, and need strength, the Lord is your answer; now, this instant. Cry out to him.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

Feeling When There’s No Feeling Left

“I’m at a place called Vertigo; it’s everything I wish I didn’t know; except you give me something I can feel.” ~U2, Vertigo, 2004.

Vertigo, of an emotional or spiritual variety, produces confusion unto numbness—as a self-protection mechanism for when our world is just too much.

When things are chaotic we run with the bulls at Pamplona or we scurry for the privacy of shelter. Both these leave us scared of our true feelings. One embraces activity as a cover for denial. The other embraces solitude—even from the self.

This may be because of a moment’s acute grief, overload, or even the heart’s bleeding desire to reconnect with Jesus after a long period of dryness.

Feeling when there’s no feeling left is, however, a pliable response to this astonishing vertigo.

Approaching Change in a New Way

Enabling such a pliable response requires a change in modus operandi.

We can just imagine that the Lord has blessed us by these feelings of vertigo, for we know when there’s no feeling left that God’s felt presence has left also; not the Lord’s Presence, but our perception of it. We don’t feel it.

This is an important clue; a beautifully salient reminder that we have wandered off the reservation located in God’s will—and we all do it. Mostly it’s unintentional. Almost always change overtakes us; we don’t typically anticipate change that well. Who, really, has the vision of a sage?

Approaching change in a new way is centred on being able to trust the randomness in what has sent our feelings awry.

Trusting the Randomness

The seeming madness and confusion of life is simply a test or a temptation—will we prefer Jesus and the simplicity of truth and peace, or will we run the gauntlet?

Preferring Jesus is a move toward feeling when there’s no feeling left.

God hands us tests on silver platters all the time. Satan, though, throws us temptations; underhanded and under the table. Tests are designed to grow us. Temptations are designed to deceive, weaken, and destroy us.

Running that abovementioned gauntlet wants to deny the vertigo—that life is somehow resolvable. How many people burn themselves out, or completely miss their purpose, because they are deceived, weakened, and then ultimately destroyed?

Of course, life without Jesus isn’t resolvable.

Life with Jesus trusts in a mystery—it helps us form belief, feeling, and thought around acceptance of things we can’t change.

The randomness that is both a test and a temptation is designed to help us, if we rally in the truth, but it will hinder us if we continue our own way.

As the song, Vertigo, says—and we imagine Jesus saying this—“Give me what I want [your obedience] and no one gets hurt.” When we rely on God’s insight, and not our own, acknowledging him always, the Lord will make straight our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

L.I.F.E. Creed

CREEDS FORTIFY the living of life; they create for us, focus. Here is a simple L.I.F.E. Creed that enhances our philosophy, values intensity and courage, and views everything in the light of eternity:

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Life is the learning ground and diligence and prudence are the ways there.

Life is what life is all about. That can seem almost too basic. Don’t miss it, however. Life is easier to miss than to hit. Diligence and prudence equal Wisdom in the science of self-mastery; for, who can have good relationships without self-respect?

The blessed life is in actively rejecting selfish tendencies. I must live in a way that treats challenges as opportunities, especially where people are concerned.

Intensity is the byword of the God-loyal person—will I engage today?

In my intensity I’m to make no room for petty complaint. As a flooding tidal surge clears away the effect of stagnation, the intensity of my valour is creaming away any vestige of moral indolence.

Intensity only has room for truth, as a method, and passion, as a vehicle.

Intensity is commitment and passion rolled into one—that’s a resilient loyalty to not only other people, but to the tasks and machinations of life.

Intensity equals unbridled success in the spiritual realm.

Fortune favours the brave; the intrepid endeavour of faith fortified by vision.

Life is, of a sense, a series of bunched opportunities—and in-between, waiting. It takes courage to live this life.

Blessed are the courageous, for they have remained open to vision, and their faith has been vindicated.

Luck is where opportunity meets preparation. Fortune and favour unpeel, exposed to uncommon audacity. I ought to remain at the cutting edge of myself.

Eternity is the purpose and goal. Life signals eternity.

A healthy view of life is a healthy view of eternity. It’s about looking forward, hopefully, to each part of each day, for the living God is with me wherever I go.

As a purpose, eternity is now. It is always relevant, forever captivating; so truthful, it’s a mystery. Yet, it compels and impels me.

As a goal, eternity is what life is all about. To be home is to go home. Finally home, upon my earthly death, I will join the reality beyond reality. It’s worth waiting all my life for.

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Comparative to many, we are rich materially; which means two things. We ought to be fundamentally grateful. Secondly, it highlights we are not necessarily spiritually rich—which is true wealth.

L.I.F.E. Creed is about redeeming the spiritual riches.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.