“. . .so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
(Ephesians 3: 17-19, w/emphasis on v. 18b)

My dear Candace, experiencing the fullness of God—as expressed by this crazy Egyptian camel!

Today, I am most thankful for four things: breadth, length, height and depth.

     A friend asked me today, “Aren’t you missing Candace like crazy? This is your first Christmas without her at home, isn’t it?” I thought for a minute. “Well, of course,” I replied. “But, she is having the time of her life. How can I even want to hold her back from that?”
     Life is meant to be lived. Lived loud and clear. When I read Ephesians 3:18b, I think of Candace. Living life to its absolute fullest. Taking risks and coloring outside the lines. I believe this is what Paul prays for us in Ephesians. He wants us to have the strength to comprehend the love of God, which surpasses knowledge. It is DEEP and WIDE and OVERFLOWING. It is full of difficulty, danger, discouragement and full of peace, passion, and purpose. It is full of risk and oftentimes, requires us to color outside the lines of complacency and comfort. Paul wants us to be FILLED WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD. Wow. Let that sink in. When is the last time you experienced such a state? A time of complete and total overwhelming fullness. I can count maybe ten times when I felt so overwhelmed—the blustery October afternoon when I realized Jesus died for my sins (1980); Zirondoro, Mexico (1984), my first missions trip; my first kiss with Rob (1983); the first morning of being Mrs. Robert V. Rardon; the day Candace was born (1986); the day I found out I was pregnant with Brooke and Grant (1986); driving through Big Sur (1999); singing in front of thousands of Haitians during an evangelistic crusade (1985); the moment the doorbell rang and I realized UPS was delivering my first book (2007). . .oh, I know there are many more, but these definitely rank high on my list of most fulfilling moments.
     On this Christmas Eve Eve, I am thankful for God’s fullness. For his breadth and length and height and depth. He stretches me. He pulls me like taffy, so that I might be FULL. Praise His name.

A Silent Second

Lord, remind us today of those moments when we have experienced your FULLNESS.
Create in us a hunger and thirst for more. . .for more of your Spirit.
Remind us to take the risk of loving others selflessly. 
Help us color outside the lines of complacency and comfort.
We want to experience the breadth, length, height and depth of your fullness.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.

P.S. Would you share your overflow moments? Moments when you were overwhelmed by the fullness of God?