Just Living or Living Abundantly?

“To live abundantly, you have to race toward the future with heart and arms wide open.

You have to risk everything and let the universe take care of the details.” ~Elaine Hussey

Sword or Shield? Living Life Offensively or Defensively? They both have their

purpose, but if you spend all your time playing a game defensively, you will never score or win.

Football season happens every fall. Teams are stacked to their best positions to win the game. Winning teams need both the defensive team and the offensive team. The overarching goal of both teams is to win the game, but the defense is focused on stopping the opposing side’s advances while the offense’s purpose is to advance the ball down the field to score.

Like football, life too has its seasons. Sometimes we are building new beginnings

deep in training and other times we’re learning new skills to play the game of life better.

Both have their places.

You can imagine the chaos that would occur if an offensive player ran out when

the defensive team was on the field. The offensive player has been trained to score and may thwart the team’s success at stopping the downfield movement by the other team. Likewise, if a defensive player only stopped the other team, they would not be in a position to advance the ball for a win.

Once we identify our personal gifting or purpose in life, we are ready to shift from

the defensive stance to the offensive mode. As a Badass warrior, battles are won with shields lifted and feet pressing forward toward the goal. Our gifts, our talents, our wisdom were not given to us solely for our personal use. We are the curators of these gifts by design to share with others. If our talents are to be useful, it becomes necessary to make the most of both offensive and defensive modes. We must take purposeful strides forward to share and equip the other team players in our lives.

“People who live a life of purpose have core beliefs and values that influence their decisions, shape their day-to-day actions, and determine their short- and long-term priorities. They place significant value on being a person of high integrity and in earning the

trust and respect of others. The result is that they live with a clear conscience and spend more time listening to their inner voice than being influenced by others.”

~ Frank Sonneberg

Throwing our hands up, living on emotions, procrastinating, being unprepared

are all defensive tools of sabotage that rob us from success.

What can we do today to embrace a winning lifestyle? Let’s talk about Defensive moves to protect ourselves and Offensive moves to start winning the badass game.

Defensive moves:

• Setting good boundaries
• Stopping bad habits
• Stop blame shifting.
• Stop living in the past –or resolve it so you can move forward.
• Be aware of the opponents’ strategies to counter them.
• Pay attention.
• Don’t attack when fatigue dominates.
• Never react –always respond thoughtfully.
• Accurately assess the situation
• Be aware of the battlefield and the true costs.

Offensive moves:

• Define your values, present, and future and set goals.
• Prioritize—Decide what matters most.
• Have a plan to get from here to ‘there’.
• Work the plan—you would be surprised how many don’t.
• Recognize when you get off-track—have an accountability coach.
• When you get off track, get back as quick as possible.
• Use resources—ask others what they see as strengths and weaknesses.
• Accept that failure is part of the process (get over being perfect) •     Keep your promises—strive to consistently build your reputation.
• Set boundaries and stick to them.
• Respect yourself enough to expect more of you and the people around you that don’t treat you with value.
• Be present in your own life – stop wishing what it could be and evaluate honestly what it really is, then plan to do better based on your goals.
• Give back—the saying “Each one, teach one,” is about learning the way to success and passing it on to someone else.

Take time to be still. Spend time alone—get to know you, then listen to the Father

for direction. He wants you to live an abundant life—embrace it!

Pick Up Your Sword:

1. Are you living your life offensively or defensively? 

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• What kinds of things do you do that you consider defensive living? 

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• What kinds of steps can you take to move from a defensive position in your life to a take-charge offensive kind of life? 

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• What is the first change you can make today? 

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• “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Just as Jesus patiently endured suffering, before he received the reward, we too must run with endurance.” ~ Hebrews 12:1-2  What does this verse say about becoming a forward moving warrior? 

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• Paul asks, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” ~ 1 Corinthians 9:24 Your thoughts: 

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