Living Large... by Valerie Morrow.

If you wake up one day and realize that the life you're living isn't the life you imagined, then you are ready for CHANGE. Realization is the first step on the journey to the full, large life you've always wanted. Next, analyze where you went wrong. The Bible tells us where to look first--inside! The Word of God says...

“Dear, dear Corinthians, I can't tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life.We didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way. I'm speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!” (2 Corinthians 6:11-13, The Message)

Change your MIND!

The most important change, is a change of mind. Your future is birthed out of your mindset. If you program your mind to believe that you are weak, unqualified, unloved, without hope, et cetera, you will make decisions (bad ones) based on your bad mindset.

You do have the ability to take control of those ungodly thoughts--thoughts of lack and insufficiency--and believe you can have a better life. You don't have to settle for small, when God says you can have large. Jesus put it this way...

"A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of." (John 10:10, The Message)

What does it mean to live a small life? A small life is limited and controlled by fear and doubt. A small life wonders what if and is convinced of the worst before anything actually happens.

A large life is open to boundless possibilities of good becoming a reality, even in the darkest of times. A large life says I might as well shoot for the stars and often ends up reaching them.

A large life is not afraid of taking risks. The Apostle Paul gave his all and risked it all (his possessions, his reputation, and his own plans) to follow Christ. The result—countless numbers of people have been and are still being influenced by his writings and his life experiences as one of the early founders of the Christian faith.

But, one of the greatest myths is that a large life is without failure, without struggle. Nothing could be further from the truth. A large life experiences both success and failure…often at the same time!
Let’s look at how the Apostle Paul expresses this great contradiction:

• “Companions as we are in this work with you, we beg you, please don't squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us. God reminds us…
• …People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly... in hard times, tough times, bad times; when we're beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard, working late, working without eating; with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love;
• when we're telling the truth, and when God's showing his power; when we're doing our best setting things right; when we're praised, and when we're blamed; slandered, and honored; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God; terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead; beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die;
•  immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all.” (2 Corinthians 6:1 & 4-10, The Message)

A large life is totally submitted to God and his plan regardless of the cost--personally, financially, socially, emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually. Are you ready to live large? Don’t worry about the cost…it will be worth it!

About the Author: Valerie Morrow was born-again at the tender age of 5, but has been chasing Jesus and the will of God seriously for about 10 years. As a busy (we prefer the word productive) wife, mother, entrepreneur, leader, ministry student and writer, she focuses on being well-balanced, as a necessity in life. Valerie has been a waitress, a secretary, a receptionist, a marketing assistant, an account coordinator, an account manager, a marketing director, a business owner and the "candy lady." She has learned the meaning of being secure in Christ regardless of your position or function in life and loves to share her insights through devotionals, bible studies and "self- improvement" articles from a Biblical perspective. Valerie is the wife of Henry Morrow and the mother of Henry and Charli Kathryn. She is an active member of Without Walls International Church under the leadership of Bishop Randy White in Tampa, Florida..