How to Live a Colorful Life

I don’t live in the ‘real world’ most of the time. I’m always dreaming of new places to travel, different themed parties to throw, or unique adventures to do with my friends. I think this yearn to escape the day-to-day routine comes from my love of movies and the vast imagination that sprung out of my childhood.

Movies just made me think my closet was a snow-covered enchanted land and that I could fight like a Power Ranger.

My childhood imagination left me turning my air-conditioning vents into magic portals transporting my toys to foreign lands and pretending that my parent’s shower was a tall tower where evil witches lived. I’ll never forget getting into trouble for burying one of my birthday presents in our back yard. I calmly explained to my mom that I simply wanted to draw a treasure map leading to my buried gift so I could experience the joy of finding it, all over again.

Well, I’m 25 years old and I still tell people my closet has a Narnian enchantment on it and if danger comes to worry not, I can protect them from the Putties. And I love it! I love taking the normal day-to-day and turning it into something magical, something memorable.

I was sitting in my reading nook tonight and thinking about how I could continue to live a colorful life as an adult. So, here are some of my scribblings of how to live a colorful life. I’m not saying that every day if full of raindrops on roses or perfectly made hot cocoas, but I do have fun. And I think people leave that ingredient out of their lives way too often. Try some and see how much you enjoy it.

1.   Have colorful friends. Having all of your friends be the same race can be boring. Spice it up! Befriend someone who is a different race from you, and learn about their culture. They will probably teach you a new recipe or show you a new dance move.

2.   Travel somewhere new every year. This could be anywhere from Prague to the city next to you. Don’t plan every minute, but go out on a limb see what kind of surprises you run into—you’ll be surprised at how much fun you have!

3.   Host a story telling party. People are full of interesting and weird stories, and creating a unique platform for them to share these stories is almost unheard of nowadays. It’s a fun way to have a party.

4.   Watch a fantasy movie. Let the creators of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, or Avatar take you into another world for the evening. Turn off all the lights, pop popcorn, and make some hot cocoa. Let the experience of the movie be magical.

5.   Experience something new. If it’s fall, go apple picking. If it’s winter, take a sleigh ride. For springtime, tour a vineyard or winery and for summer swim in a watering hole. Don’t let the seasons escape you; they are precious!

6.   Make goals and actually see them happen. Every year I set a goal list, and for the most part, they happen! I know things happen and stuff comes up, but guess what? Stuff will always come up and if you don’t start pursuing your dreams with the same persistence as you pursue your job, you won’t ever see them come to fruition.

This is just my short list. Your list doesn’t have to look like mine, but I highly encourage you to start one. Remember that ‘all worlds come to an end’ and to always power up!

Why Women Crave Pursuit

Yesterday a friend who I haven’t spoken to in over 7 years bought me a plane ticket to San Diego. I was planning a trip to see my friend, and didn't have the courage to empty my bank account for the ticket. A young man named Leigh followed up on my shameless Facebook plea for help finding a ticket to California for under $400, and offered to buy me the ticket with his frequent flyer points. After that, the conversation went a little like this:

“I'm sorry, what?? Leigh, I haven’t talked to you since tenth grade history class. Don’t you want to use those points for yourself?”

“Nah. I fly for work all the time, and you post nice things on Facebook, and seem to be a nice gal. Thought I’d pay it forward.”

And there I was speechless, on the other end of the line. I literally can’t remember the last time I talked to you, and now you're arranging my flight and making sure I have a window seat? Am I dreaming? When will my alarm go off?

There are so many parallels that go along with that story. First, we have a young man who is standing up, risking looking a little crazy, and taking care of a woman, for no reason at all. He heard the cry for help, an like a modern day social media hero, he typed away at the rescue. After the conversation was all said and done, he wished me a happy weekend and told me not to mention it. And that’s it. No puffing his chest or proclaiming his generosity to the world, just a simple tip of the hat and a farewell.

The second parallel to this story is a prayer I said while lying in the bathtub and watching the candles flicker and the bubbles dissolve.

Jesus, I am sick of this. I am sick of searching for a godly man who has a firm understanding that he, in fact, is called to be a man of pursuit. I’m sick of looking for someone to love me like Christ loved the church, only to come up disappointed. I’m sick of meeting a guy, having a connection, and then the most action I receive is a friend request on Facebook.

So I give up. I ask you to pursue me. The bible says that you are the ultimate pursuer of our hearts, so I am giving my heart to you. I need your pursuit.

And he did. Twelve hours later I had a phone call from a random guy saying he would pay for my flight and arrange everything, and for nothing in return (did I mention he lives in New York? Nowhere near Atlanta). With that simple act, Jesus looked down at me and said, “When I pursue you, it is above every expectation and hope you could ever have. It is bigger than your dream, and higher than your ways, because I love you more.”

There it was. A reminder that God is in control, He is in constant pursuit of our hearts, and He wants to bless us far above what we could imagine.

Gentlemen, that’s why women crave pursuit. That is how we were made. The God of the universe created a hole in our hearts where He can pursue us. Pursue your women like Christ pursued the church, and you will be blessed. Trust me, the ladies won't know what to do with it!