Are You Living Life Well?

Are you living life well? It’s an important question. Recently Lucinda, a friend of mine, received the devastating news that cancer had taken over her body beyond the possibility of treatment. Her response to the information was, “Well, I have lived well; now I shall die well.”

Wow! I wonder if I will have that same response when my time on earth is coming to an end. How would you answer that question?

It’s challenging to die well if you haven’t lived well, but how does one do that? How do you daily nurture and cultivate “living well” regardless of the circumstances? It’s easy when things are going great, but often they’re not. Certainly, as we age, many things challenge us: our bodies don’t work, our friends die or get sick, or perhaps our children are struggling. How do we live well when our circumstances aren’t well?

“Live Loved”

Lucinda wrote a book describing her preparation for the day when she naturally responded, “I will die well.” Her book is Soul Strong -7 Keys to a Vibrant Life. The first key is “Live Loved” by believing your Heavenly Father loves you—the perfect place to start. When we live in the truth of God’s magnificent love, we can’t help but love others as He has loved us. When we love others, even in trying times, we can live well without fear of the future.

Living loved begins with living attached to and abiding in the vine, Jesus! John 15:9 promises, “just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in my love.” As we abide, we grow in love. As we grow in love we will live without fear.

God Keeps His Promises

Hear the promises of God:

We love because He first loved us. (I John 4:19 NASB)
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. (I John 4:18a NASB)
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never fails. (I Corinthians 13:7-8a NASB)
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. (II Corinthians 4:16 NASB)

When I began writing this, Lucinda was on hospice and described her situation as waiting in “the thin spaces between heaven and earth.” As I completed this, she is no longer in the thin spaces but with her Lord and Savior in her eternal home. She died well. What grace she exhibited as she left the thin space for the abundant space of heaven. There was a simple elegance as she waited for the moment she left her earthly dwelling and moved into the loving arms of her Savior for eternity. Among her family and friends there is a mixture of profound grief and also celebration of her life which was well lived. Even when we know and believe, as Paul said, “to live is Christ and to die is gain,” our human hearts don’t want to let go.

Be Not Afraid

Lucinda was not afraid to die because she lived knowing God loved her. Was she disappointed that the time came suddenly? Probably. She had a loving husband, children, grandchildren, and hundreds of friends who miss her terribly. But our time on earth is brief compared to eternity. Scripture refers to our life as a vapor (James 4:14b). Lucinda left an indelible mark on the lives of all who knew her, and the ripple effect of her life will continue through many generations to follow because she lived well by living loved. She shared her love of life and Jesus with all who knew her.

May it be said of me, “She lived well, and she died well.” May it also be said of you.

Blessings,

See Lucinda Secrest McDowell’s book at these online retailers (NOT affiliate links): Amazon | Barnes & Noble | AbeBooks

Personal Parables Practices

Am I living loved?
What areas of my life do I need to nurture love for myself and for others?
What fears can I give to God today?

Will You Pray With Me?

Heavenly Father, forgive me when I live unloved by choice. You have lavished your love on me, given me your best—your beloved son Jesus. Your love is perfect and complete. Open my eyes and my heart this moment to receive your gift of love. Remind me how fleeting this life is. Help me to be generous in loving others. Amen.

Personal Parables is the blog of Dyann Shepard. Get Dyann’s complementary study in Proverbs and prayer guide, What to Do When You Don’t Feel Good Enough. If you need encouragement to remember the truth about yourself in times of doubt and anxiety, this free 5-day study is for you. Follow Dyann and Personal Parables on Instagram and Facebook. Dyann is available for speaking, guest blogging, and article writing.

Scripture for Meditation

John 3:16 NIV – 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.

Ephesians 2:4-9 NASB – But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.