Standing Ready to Be Amazed

Posted on by Michele Morin

The average human being lives approximately 30,000 days — which sounded like a long stretch of time until I did the math and discovered that, as of today, I will have lived 20,005 of mine.  Catherine L. Morgan envisions these Thirty Thousand Days as a journey home, traveling on a rattle trap train toward a sure and certain future of abundance.

In the meantime, however, there is waiting, and there is heartbreak, and no matter how well we try to manage our journey, there is always regret.  This following life, then, is one in which we look boldly at Solomon’s cynical Old Testament pronouncement that “all is vanity” and “a chasing after the wind” — all the while trusting in Jesus’ promise of an abundant life.

Living Well

Offering her own wisdom alongside that of others, Catherine lays down a cobblestone path of words for this journey gleaned from her personal reading of a broad range of authors and thinkers.  She speaks out of the context of experiences gained through inner-city ministry with her family in an impoverished section of the sprawling Denver metro-area.  Far from Chicken Soup for the Soul, her conclusions are a bracing cup of strong tea — no sugar.

If we want to live well within the gift of our thirty-thousand days:

  • We will walk purposefully.
  • We will offer up our hearts to care passionately.
  • We will open our hands to give generously and unclench our grasp from around the things of Earth.
  • We will love deeply because it is commanded — not because it is easy.
  • We will stand firmly in a dangerous faith.

Bold Questions

Pursuing “the things over which Christ presides” is a chasing after light, a darkness fighting strategy if ever there was one.  And this is the gift of viewing our days on this planet as a temporary prelude to a glorious eternity.  Childlike, we will ask questions that promote a bold following:

Why not read Psalm 37 with a reckless abandon?  What would it be like to wholeheartedly trust, dwell, do good, and delight?  Can I even imagine a life without fretting?

What if my present circumstances are a canvas against which the glory of God will be radically put on display?  What if this current set of troubles is “light and momentary” after all?

Am I able to view my marriage — or my singleness — as a mission?  Can I hold my church membership in the same light as a gym membership in which I “expect to sweat, to strain, to run an extra mile?”  Let this thought marinate to adjust your perceptions on community and the local church:

“I am an alien and stranger here in the thick of a great battle.  If I am engaged in this battle, I will need the refuge of the church.  Love will sustain me.  If I do not perceive this need, maybe I am not really engaging the fight.”

Leaning into the truth that I am mightily loved by God, that He delights in my delight, I am emboldened to discover where this great love might lead.  Catherine points out a pattern in the book of Acts that I’m eager to see reproduced in my life and in the lives of those I love:  “The disciples prayed, and then they were amazed.  They prayed, and then they were amazed.”

With thirty thousand days ticking by so quickly in this journey, I stand ready to be amazed.

//

This book was provided by the author in exchange for my review.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Published by Michele Morin

Michele Morin is a Bible teacher, writer, reader, and gardener committed to the truth that women can become confident Christ-followers and students of God's Word. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for thirty-plus years, and together they have four sons, four daughters-in-love, and six adorable grandchildren. Michele loves hot tea and well-crafted sentences, poems that stop her in her tracks, and days at the ocean with the whole family. She laments biblical illiteracy and advocates for the prudent use of “little minutes.” She blogs at Living Our Days, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

43 thoughts on “Standing Ready to Be Amazed”

  2. Michele, so many pieces of this post struck me (stabbed me, jabbed me, poked me…in a needed way!), but maybe this hit the hardest: “Can I even imagine a life without fretting?” Um, not really. Gulp. I feel like I “stand ready” for lots of things every day, but almost never to be amazed. Thank you for the attitude redirect this morning! #EncouragingHearts&Home

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  3. We hold back don’t we? Not fully living my allotted time, I so often find myself cynical like Solomon asking, “What’s the purpose of all of this?” This book sounds like a great reminder for living abundantly.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Oh wow! I’m now a bit depressed after figuring out I have less than 1/3 left of my thirty thousand days … but I still have over 20 years! Thanks for the challenge of thinking what I’m going to do with it ….

    Love the question, “can I even imagine a life without fretting?” In the natural, no; but, I do believe that is His will for us and a life I’m striving to live. I can only do it if I wholeheartedly embrace and live in the Word.

    Thanks, also, for revealing the pattern in acts of disciples praying and then being amazed. So apropo – our class has embarked on the study of Acts. We are in the middle of the 4th chapter.

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    1. Me, too. I’m a fret factory if I don’t stay close to truth. And I loved what Catherine said about that pattern in the book of Acts. I read and re-read that section — Great to hear from you, Jerralea!

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  5. Wow, Michele, I love this. I’ve never heard of this book before, but need to put it on my list. Thanks for sharing. Your writing is always so eloquent. (Even for book reviews!) 🙂 ((hug))

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  9. “Catherine points out a pattern in the book of Acts that I’m eager to see reproduced in my life and in the lives of those I love: ‘The disciples prayed, and then they were amazed. They prayed, and then they were amazed.'” My heart resonates with this, too. Your words always paint an amazing picture that leaves me in wonder. xo

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    1. Thanks, Kelly, for your kind words, and for sharing in this important truth. I want to re-read Acts with a prayerful heart and open hands. It occurs to me that if I’m looking for this pattern, I’ll find it many places in Scripture where there are people of faith with open ears to the voice of God.

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  11. These words really hit home, “Am I able to view my marriage as a mission? Can I hold my church membership in the same light as a gym membership in which I “expect to sweat, to strain, to run an extra mile?” As I reflect on the statements, I realized how easy it is to lose focus on what really matters in life. I look forward to reading the book and learning more about her journey. Thank you for sharing!

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    1. Yes, to me this is the essence of making this 30,000 day journey as meaningful and impactful as possible. Little acts of faith, tiny sacrifices that are really investments in the process of kicking ourselves out of the center of the universe.
      So glad that you read and commented!

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  12. Thanks so much, Michele, for your kind words! I’m so glad you were encouraged. Hope everyone who dips a toe in will feel free to visit me on my blog and comment. Interacting with readers is one of God’s many sweet blessings to me this year. May you all have a hopeful, purposeful 30,000 days!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Catherine, I”m so glad you popped in here, and I hope that you had time to read all the encouraging words that people are saying about your book and your wonderful insights that are both profound and practical. (Why is it always a surprise to me when that happens?)

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  13. This book looks absolutely amazing. I love her voice and the extended metaphor. I love that she draws from her own experiences as well as Scripture and works she’s read and people she’s heard. What a powerful story to come out of one person’s heart!

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  14. This “Can I hold my church membership in the same light as a gym membership in which I “expect to sweat, to strain, to run an extra mile?” was a real eye-opener. Thank you for giving me food for thought.

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  16. Oh my! I’m afraid to calculate my place on the journey. LOL. On a more serious note, this sounds like a “dangerous” book, one that will challenge the reader to get down to work and live out this faith of ours. Dangerous because that kind of truth is hard to ignore. Thanks for sharing, Michele.
    I’m your neighbor at LLMLinkup, but thanks for linking up on Mondays @ Soul Survival this week, too.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yes, maybe she should have a warning on the label: “Caution: This book could challenge your preconceptions and kick you out of the center of your universe.”
      Thanks, Donna, for your voice here in the blogging neighborhood.

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  17. Hi Michelle! I’m visiting today from #MomentsOfHope! Enjoyed your review of this powerful book. Needed the reminder that this life is only the prelude to an eternal life! Blessings!

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  19. This does sound like a stiff drink! But a needed one. Some books are light and fluffy and we can read with one eye closed, but books like these require our full attention for a wake-up call. I’ve already lived around 20,000 days myself (wow, that seems like a lot!). 🙂

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    1. It seemed like a lot to me! Had to mention it at the beginning of my post just to get it out there so I could move on to the important stuff! I hope Catherine will be writing more. She does have a blog which I intend to keep an eye on.

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