extraordinary

1.  Beyond what is usual, ordinary or established.

2.  Exceptional in character, amount, extent, degree; noteworthy, remarkable. 

Every now and then the circumstances of the day remind me that my life is and has been extraordinary. Why do I say such a thing? It's a simple statement of fact. My life is filled with extraordinary friends and an extraordinarily loving family. There have been extraordinary adventures shared with extraordinary students in my youth ministry days. Life has shown me extraordinary highs and extraordinarily painful lows. I have known extraordinary relationships, some filled with extraordinary love and others that have crashed and burned with extraordinarily hot flames. There have been days filled with extraordinary blessings and days that have been extraordinarily weird. There are times when I look in the mirror and feel extraordinarily happy with my life and other days when I find it extraordinary that anyone can love me because I don't really like myself. And then there are the moments when life is just simply extraordinarily confusing and my head swims in seas of doubt and befuddlement. I am guessing- or perhaps just hoping- that I am not alone in these thoughts. Life, for better and for worse, is meant to be extraordinary.

Far too many times we miss the extraordinary in our lives because we are happy being extra ordinary. We prefer safe, calm and consistent to things that are beyond what is usual, ordinary or established. The extra ordinary makes us feel calm,mature and in control. The extraordinary reveals to us that we are not in control, that there is something bigger at work in our world and in our lives. The extraordinary allows to have hope, to believe in the supernatural and to ride the waves of faith and love right along with the waves of doubt and despair. It often leads us to scary and uncomfortable places. It often allows to have thoughts and dreams that seem ridiculous to others. The extraordinary life is not a comfortable one, just as the extra ordinary life is not an abundant one. There is risk in living the extraordinary life.

So how do we survive the roller coaster that is the extraordinary life? We do it by remembering that we have been given an extraordinary grace by an extraordinarily loving God who walks with us daily as we live our lives. It is my firm belief that no matter my own personal faults and failures, no matter my doubts and confusion, every minute spent with Jesus is extraordinary and makes life extraordinarily wonderful. Even when life hurts, Jesus can transform it into something beautiful. So don't settle for extra ordinary, for hum drum or for so-so. You have been given an extraordinary life. Live it!

Because of Jesus,