“Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of womb’” (Luke 1:39-42).

I’m not surprised to hear that Mary traveled “with haste.” She’d been told that Elizabeth, her elderly relative, was also “in the family way” with her own unplanned pregnancy. Mary was thrilled to find someone who would both understand and believe with her. The family of believers would grow to multitudes from “every nation, tribe & tongue,” but at this point, there’s just four or five in the circle of faith preparing for the arrival of God’s Son. These two, connected by blood, were also connected by hope rising from Gabriel’s revelation.

The emotion exploded at the front door of Zacharias’ home along with unquestionable relief for Mary. I see this old woman and young maiden possibly dancing in circles as a prenatal John does his own leaping in the womb. I also imagine tears of joy streaming down Mary’s face as she heard Elizabeth prophesy, “Blessed are you among women.” No wonder Mary stayed in Judea three months to soak up such understanding and affirmation.

This scene reminds me to be an affirming presence to those who are just beginning to walk in the footsteps of faith and to pronounce His blessing over them as they’ve drawn near to God. So listen! This is for YOU…“Blessed are you who believe without seeing” (John 20:29). Now, feel free to dance a bit.

I’m running to catch my train. It’s like a sauna in here – Humid, feverish temperatures attract Subway Mosquitoes, and the smells of Doir perfume mixed with the unique smell of the homeless, permeate the air. It’s been a long day, but I’ve got to keep running. Every second is like someone turning up the heat on a stove. I’m stressed. But I am so looking forward to sitting on that train, that last step before I can walk through my front door, and put this day behind me. This is not how I want to live, but somehow, my adrenalin glands have put me on survival mode. Honestly, I know better.

«Savoir vivre» is a loose translation of “the art of living” in French. Even on days like this in Paris, with its heart attack life style, there is still a shadow of savoir vivre. It can be observed as colleagues greet each other, as neighbors discuss with a shopkeeper, or someone bumps into a postal worker on their way out. There is still stress and sleep deprivation from the hours that drive any first world economy, but look closer, and you’ll see how this culture keeps things relational.

A relational outlook is an open door to enjoying life. In the West, we have dismissed most of the human interactions that fill our days and have replaced them with a consumerist attitude. The consumer looks for what he needs and wants. He politely smiles to the merchant but leaves immediately once the transaction is complete. It’s efficient, but it’s not joyful. It seems like there’s something missing. Knowing that our bodies were designed by God for a purpose—Is there a purpose or a theology of enjoyment?

I wasn’t convinced about this until the day I saw it in print. That day happened as I was teaching a Bible study on Ecclesiastes. A reoccurring thought came to the surface that brought me to a secret for redeemed humanity: God would have us enjoy life.

Ecclesiastes 2:24, “Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.”

I believe enjoyment is possible, even in busy times (maybe not running down the halls of the subway system), but an enjoyment that can accompany productivity and help avoid burn-outs. I wanted to list some thoughts I’ve learned from Ecclesiastes.

Enjoy God

Biblical meditation and prayer were never meant as something I must do before leaving the house, like brushing my teeth. Although I am much more presentable afterwards, it’s not the same really. In a time when I was struggling and needed counsel, Pastor Wayne Taylor encouraged me to enjoy God. He was right. He was speaking about intentionally taking time to delight in God’s presence. Though I was in a place of confusion, God never is; and in enjoying Him, even in the car or in public transportation, I receive clarity.

Enjoy my Spouse

Why shouldn’t I enjoy talking to, confiding in, honoring, and listening to the one who I vowed before God to wed until death do us part? The world has made many believe that enjoyment ends at marriage. We’ve made it our goal to disprove that lie! Even in the difficult times, I can and should stop, call her, and see how she’s doing. I can pick up a little ice cream from the store we can enjoy together when the kids are asleep.

Enjoy my Family

We don’t always have time, but should it be an excuse to never find the time? A few minutes here with a child, a story told, a worry confided, a lego space ship built, and my heart is softened. I never regret those moments. Sometimes I do regret taking that call… In the same way, spending time with my kids, calling my parents, and enjoying the family God gave me brings richness to daily living.

Enjoy my Job

A chosen profession is a true blessing, but anything can turn into a drudgery. I am a pastor, and I’ve known too many good people leave the ministry for tragic reasons. Losing sight of what I love to do in pastoring can leave me dry. I know graphic artists who can no longer look at a screen, or doctors who can barely stay focused. They studied long for their job. They love it, but they need a break. Taking time away can help, so can a short term missions trip or a weekend retreat. Sometimes eating lunch away from the office to pray and refocus does wonders. Remembering why you chose this profession or why you are following your life’s call is vital in maintaining that passion you once had.

Enjoy my Church

Even if I weren’t the pastor, I’d still go to this church! I love the people. Sure, I’m always being drawn away into this or that drama, but there’s nothing more endearing than letting those who make our church such a great community know that I enjoy them. I think about Psalm 122:1, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’” Going to worship with my brothers and sisters in Christ should reflect the joy of my salvation. Sometimes when I’m not enjoying fellowship with them, it’s because I’m not fellowshipping with them. Being present is not the same thing as conversing with people, being transparent and enjoying them. As we draw near to Jesus, let Him cleanse our heart, fill us up, and then connect with someone. I know a lady who prepares a meal every Sunday to share. She asks the Lord to show her who that person will be during the service. Everyone hopes it will be them because she knows how to enjoy their company.

How about you, what are the different ways you can enjoy life a little bit more?

She was tall and thin, had delicate, freckly skin, and curly, strawberry-blonde hair that was perfectly poofy. Her hair and her sense of style were a perfect fit for back then, the year was 1988. You could always spot her red Toyota RX7 parked in the parking lot of Desert Hot Springs Elementary. Her name was Ms. Nelson, she was my 6th grade teacher, and she was cool!

6th grade was a hard year for me. Well, really being 12 is hard for any kid, especially girls. It’s the age where everything changes physically, emotionally, psychologically, and every other “-ly” you can think of. I started to realize that, despite my parents’ best intentions of instilling confidence in me, I really wasn’t the best at everything. I constantly had to compete against the red head with the perfectly coiffed locks everyday, for first chair in flute, AND for the lead in the school play. And contrary to what we were all told in Kindergarten, everyone is not your friend. I struggled with making friends, being myself, and not sucking my thumb during class. Oh, did I forget to mention the part about me sucking my thumb until I was about 13, yeah, that wasn’t helpful either.

Ms. Nelson was a beacon of sweetness and comfort during this trying time called the 6th grade. She probably didn’t think she did anything all that spectacular. She sure was memorable to me though. Recently, I was looking through some old school work of mine. While I was thumbing through the pages, noticing just how bubbly my writing used to be and how many times I doodled Gumby with a surfboard (the only doodle I knew), I came across some familiar little slips of pale, pink paper. These papers were only a little larger than a post-it note and were probably scraps leftover from printing up notes home to parents.

But, on them were lovely, cursive writing with messages such as, “You are doing a great job…Keep your head up…Smile…I’m proud of you!” They were always finished off with a signature, teacher-styled happy face. These brought back memories of hard days that were brightened ever so slightly by Ms. Nelson’s little, pink notes. The funny thing is, even though I look back so fondly on these little slips of encouragement, I wonder if Ms. Nelson ever thought much of them. To her, maybe she just noticed a sad, young girl, grabbed a scrap of paper, wrote a little encouragement, and thought nothing of it. Quite possibly, she had no idea how much easier those sweet messages made my life as a 6th grader. Evidenced by the fact that I kept all of them, she had a huge impact on me.

What sort of impact are you having today? You don’t have to stand up on a stage, speaking to thousands, to be an encouragement to someone.

I learned from my Mom that if someone comes to your mind, God is putting them on your heart, and you should pray for them. Usually when someone comes to my mind, I like to send them a little text that lets them know I am thinking of them and praying for them. I’ve also been on the receiving end of these texts, and I am just so humbled when I hear that someone is praying for me. There is just something special about knowing that someone who may or may not know what you are going through is bringing your name before God and pleading on your behalf. These little prayers are like Ms. Nelson’s little, pink notes filled with kind words of encouragement, an unexpected little blessing in the middle of an unfortunate day. While she may have thought they were insignificant, I still have them tucked away, and she has a special place in my heart.

“Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body” (Proverbs 16:24).

God has given us a desire to connect with others. We live in a time where our technological connections make it easier than ever before to maintain those ties of friendship! You can send someone a Facebook message, tag them in an encouraging Instagram post, or just send them a text. If you want to take the old-fashioned route (which is my personal favorite), send someone a card. You know, those pieces of paper that you write on with a pen, then send it to their actual house! It’s always nice to find a personal card between the bills and grocery coupons. It really doesn’t matter which method you choose, you have the potential today to inspire, encourage, and spur someone on in their walk with Jesus.

I challenge you to just go for it!