God created this great big beautiful world, then he plopped you right in the middle of it with the intentions of you enjoying all he has made. The colors of the sky tell you of his love. The majesty of the mountains speak of his power. And here we are, his prized creation, his greatest masterpiece, with an invitation to have the adventure of a lifetime.

I assure you our God is not boring. He is not some gray haired wizard sitting on a throne with a stern face and clinched fist. He is daring and he is adventurous. He is creative and he is passionate. And today he says ‘my girl, get out there and enjoy all I have made for you.’

In some of my Daddy’s final moments of life, the veil between heaven and earth grew so very thin and he was able to see what awaited him in eternity. At one point he began laughing deep belly laughs and he said ‘Jesus is so funny! Everyone is so happy here.’

Have we forgotten that Jesus is funny and full of joy? Have we forgotten to follow him means to be full of joy as well? Have we forgotten that our totally NOT boring God has set us in the middle of all his beauty and told us to NOT BE BORING either.

Hmmmm, where’s that scripture?

In Matthew 5 Jesus tells us we are the salt of the earth. Salt brings out the best in food. We are to bring out the best in everything and everyone. And honey, you can’t do that by being boring! No one finds themselves inspired by boring dullness. Are you living your life in such a way that says ‘hey, I’ve got something special … you might want to know what it is!’ Really, that’s what we’re here to do. We’re here to show Jesus in such a way that attracts others.

Will you forever be that girl who gets ridiculously excited over a bright colored sky? Will you forever be that girl who says yes to life’s offerings and tastes it at it’s fullest? Will you forever be that girl who is so grateful for the gift of a new day of life you actually welcome the alarm so you can wake up and live it?

You can be.

I’m here in the Rocky Mountains hosting the BIG Life Colorado Retreat. First to arrive yesterday was Rachael, a 20 year old podcast listener. She arrived alone and I felt her shaking when she hugged me. Knowing she had driven by herself on this long roadtrip, I assumed she must have been raised an adventurer. To my surprise she told me she had never done anything. No adventures. No travels. Nothing. This was totally outside of her comfort zone, but here she was in our retreat house with perfect strangers, seeking her adventure. She had gone ziplining, rock climbing and repelling all by herself along the way.

I gotta be honest, I was kind of amazed by that. Here’s a girl who has never done any of these big and exciting things and she decided darn it, even if I don’t have anyone to join me, it’s time to live! So here she is going hiking and white water rafting with us today. She’s showing up scared and totally inexperienced and doing it anyway.

I bet there’s something you have a desire to do, but maybe you don’t have anyone to do it with you. Girl, do it alone. Just go.

I bet there’s something you’re terrified of but really want to experience. Honey, do it afraid.

You have been given this one life to live in this amazing world your creator designed, what a shame it would be if you spend your precious days afraid of what’s out there.

When Jesus said in John 10:10 “I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full.”, he meant for both eternity and here and now. He is extending an invitation to live BIG. Will you accept?

Have you resided to a boring life of predictability and pattern? That’s not what you were created for! That’s not what you were given this day of life for. You have been given this day in this lifetime to LIVE. Why not go for it?

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6: 11-13 (MSG): “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. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!”

Your life isn’t little my sister, but maybe you’ve been living it little. If you’ve been letting things hold you back from living openly and expansively, know that God is inviting you in to a BIGGER life today. That’s why you’re hearing this.

Boring is not your color. Predictability does not come in your size. Comfort is not your friend. Your great big amazing, loving, powerful God has an adventure for you and oh how he hopes you will accept.