May My Life Be Overflowing With Praise

The other day, the Lord kept giving me the words “may my life be overflowing.”  Just out of nowhere that phrase kept repeating and repeating, and I didn’t really know what it meant.  “May my life be overflowing with WHAT, Jesus???” I asked.  I didn’t know.  I assumed that it was a reminder to live a life overflowing with joy that comes from salvation, or something along those lines, but I wasn’t totally sure.  I wrote it down in my journal anyways, trusting that it would mean something. 

“May my life be overflowing.”

The next morning, I was listening to a song by Plumb called “Exhale.”  There is a line in the bridge that says, “We breathe in your grace and exhale.  Oh God we do not exist for us, but to share Your grace and love and exhale.”  “Breathe in your grace”—I love that.  Those words stuck with me, along with some others, and the phrase, “Breathe in grace, exhale praise” became the phrase of that day.  Breathe in grace, exhale praise.  Breathe in grace, exhale praise.  Breathe in grace, exhale praise.

“Breathe in grace, exhale praise.”

It took me a couple days to put the two together, but when it clicked, it CLICKED.  Because it was everything that Jesus had been teaching me.  I’ve been reading through the New Testament this past semester and am currently finishing up in Matthew (ending at the beginning is the way to go, right???).  The thing that the Lord keeps pointing out to me over and over again, in the Gospels especially, is that when Jesus heals someone (as He does literally all the time), the natural and immediate response is praising God.  Praise from the one who has been healed, and praise from the people who witness it.  Then this praise turns into them going and telling people what has happened.  We see this happen over and over and over and over.  This was something the Lord kept pointing out to me this semester.

And then that lesson was reinforced yesterday at church.  My church’s pastor was preaching about Luke 5:17-26, where Jesus heals the paralyzed man, and he made the comment that when people were healed, they told people.  Even when Jesus told them not to go around spreading the news—“THEY COULDN’T SHUT UP.”

It all comes together.  “May my life be overflowing.”  “Breathe in grace, exhale praise.” Lessons from the Gospels.

I wasn’t too far off when I originally thought that it was God telling me to have a life overflowing with joy from salvation, but He took me deeper in the last week.  When I am healed, as I have been by His blood, my response should be immediate praise, where I just can’t shut up about it.  Then it’s all about living in that.  That healing—that grace.  When I live there, I will be breathing in healing—grace—and exhaling praise.  Then my life will be overflowing—overflowing with praise. 

 Breathe in grace, exhale praise, overflow.

Dear Mr. Preacher Man

Dear Mr. Preacher Man by the Bowman statue,

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16-17) This is what the Bible says about God and the people on campus/at the University of Kentucky. God loves the world. That means the people. Those humans you are screaming a message of condemnation at? Yeah, God loves them. So if you are claiming to be carrying out His message/mission/ministry/whatever you wish to call it...you'd be loving them. Last time I checked, I don't talk to people I love like you're talking to the people on this campus.


Now, I believe in a heaven and a hell, and I believe that you have to admit to God you are a sinner, repent from that sin, believe in Jesus and all he has done to save you, and confess your faith to be saved. But I also believe that Jesus came to earth with a whole lot of love. I mean, when he took the sins of every man on the cross and died the death I deserve, I'm pretty sure He loved me. And all the students at the University of Kentucky. And, yes, even you, Mr. Preacher Man. I also believe that God lets us choose. And I think that's a beautiful thing, but also a sad thing sometimes. And it's why I don't go around yelling and screaming at everyone that they are "going to hell," because that's putting zero hope in their hearts. They aren't going to go look for that God.


Truthfully, I look around and see a lot of lost people, just like you you apparently do, Mr. Preacher Man. However, here in the last two days that you've been on campus, I'm seeing a lot more lost people who don't want anything to do with Jesus. Well, I do. I want so much more of Jesus. I want Him to overwhelm this campus and this city and this nation and the individual hearts of the wonderful students here at UK. Because I think that when Jesus really shows up--when someone really does His ministry--there is love. Love abounding.


Lastly, to my fellow UK students...Christian or not, I want you to know that you are loved. You are loved by me, but more importantly by the one who set the sky in place. I'm not going to try to make you believe that. I could say I don't care if you do, but that's a lie. I care. I hope you do. Because the story of what Jesus did for me is one that no one can take away from me...he literally took my broken world and made it whole. And I believe he can do the same for you and every other person on this planet. But when you're seeing the people sharing all that hate, I don't blame you for wanting no part in it. But from me (and a whole lot of other loving Christians) to you--I love you, and I am sorry for the hate shown by some people who claim it is from God...for God so loved. I just felt the need to say something because it would break my heart to see someone turn away from the God who loves them because they see hate. So, I love you. Regardless of who you are or what you do. I love you. And so does Jesus. And He is waiting for you with open arms to take you home and into a life more beautiful than you could ever dream. Take hope, for He has overcome the world.