More people are feeling overwhelmed and anxious than ever before. That’s why I am so excited to be a coach. I know of no greater privilege than to walk alongside people who want to live the abundant life. Life to its fullest, as God intended. Life that is not controlled or consumed by the many pressures and worries of life. Instead, a life of love, joy and peace. 

The greatest model of this is Jesus Himself. And He has invited us to “come, follow Me.” Are you ready to follow in His footsteps? 

I am unapologetically Jesus-centered in the way I coach. My core premise is that the closer we walk with Jesus, the deeper our relationship with Him; and the more we become like Him, the more alive we will become--and the more abundant our lives will be.

Jesus knew His purpose. To preach the gospel to the poor; to heal the brokenhearted; to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind; to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord (Luke 4:18-19). His purpose on earth determined everything He did. His purpose was not self-defined. It was His Father’s purpose. He was so in-tune with His Father’s purpose for His life that, near the end of His life He was able to say, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4). 

Jesus knew His purpose, and He aligned His daily life with that purpose. I can imagine no greater reward at the end of life than to sense that same deep-rooted settledness that I have lived my life in a way that brought glory to God here on earth, and that I have finished the work that my Father gave me to do. 

I deeply believe that God has a unique purpose for each person. The imprint that your Heavenly Father wants your life to leave on earth that will bring Him more glory. In order to live out of that purpose, we have to know what that purpose is, which flows out of living and walking with Him. He often uses others who know us well to help us see and walk the path that He has for us. And then we get it in writing so that we can continually filter everything we do through that purpose. Getting this sense of clarity is one of the most freeing things that can happen to you. It gives you a sense of where to invest your limited time, energy and resources. And it connects you even deeper with your loving Creator, who knows you even better than you do, and who is calling you into a life of purposeful living. 

Jesus did life with people. He called 12 disciples and had His inner circle, Peter, James, and John. He didn’t just relate to people. He did live with people. Walking the same dusty trails, together. Sleeping out under the stars, together. Facing the angry crowds, together. Experiencing the amazing, supernatural healings and miracles, together. Preaching the truth of the Kingdom, together.

His disciples were then sent out to do as He did. And they changed the world. But even then, they weren’t sent out alone. They were given The Helper, the Holy Spirit. He now lives within us and is speaking to us today. Leading and guiding us into all truth. 

Life together with God and with people is how we were created to live. 

But we can’t know and do life with everyone. In a world that is more interconnected than at any other time in history, it is also easier to spread ourselves out across more relationships than ever before. And the further and wider we spread ourselves, often the shallower our relationships are. 

Jesus didn’t walk the entire earth. His entire ministry was focused on one small country. Although many people heard His public discourses and witnessed His many miracles, only a few really knew Him. And that is where His greatest investment was. 

He spent many hours with a few people. And a few hours with many people. That is Jesus’ model. I am convinced more than ever, that Jesus’ model is the most effective. But yet, it is counterintuitive to our mindset that “bigger is always better”, and “the more the merrier”. 

Knowing who your people are and giving them your best time, energy and resources will multiply your impact into eternity. 

Jesus was able to stay aligned with His purpose and invest deeply into the most important relationships through practices. His core practices include age-old disciplines such as prayer and solitude, fasting and feasting, sabbath rest and tithing. These practices kept Him connected with His Father and the people He had come to serve and love. 

And that is what practices can do in our lives today. As John Mark Comer so aptly puts it, “...habit is a tough sell. But show me a person's habits, and I will show you what they are truly most passionate about, most dedicated to, most willing to suffer for, and most in love with. And I will show you who they will become” (Practicing the Way). 

These practices might be called disciplines, habits, or rhythms. Whatever you call them, they are something that you do consistently in life with an intended outcome. They are not rituals that can so easily become just “checking the box.” They are life-giving actions done over and over again that create space for The Abundant Life. 

More than ever, we need practices in our lives that create space to slow down our breakneck speed, to unplug from the constant barrage of notifications, and step away. To listen to God, meditate on His Word, and get perspective. To connect in person with the people we love and care about most. To prioritize the most important things that rarely seem urgent.