I spend a lot of my days wondering if there’s more to be had. More than my daily and weekly routines. More chances to advocate. More meaningful relationships. More opportunities to usher in the Kingdom come. Deeper community with my people. More ways to serve. More ways to grow or live into my calling.

Maybe it’s the dreamer in me who can’t be fully satisfied in what today has to offer.

Maybe it’s the encourager in me who wants to coax everyone to a more connected, meaningful life.

Maybe it’s wanderlust or discontentment or just plain desire.

Whatever it is, instead of running from it, I want to lean into it, and see it as a growth opportunity. I’m a little bit afraid that if I ignore the push towards more, I’ll become numb to it. It’s one thing to say I want to lean in, and take the opportunity to grow, but it’s another to actually do it. The feelings themselves can feel overwhelming if I don’t have some direction to give them.

So, I’ve stolen some questions from leaders over time to guide reflection and hopefully lead me to a more meaningful life. It may be helpful to pause right here and say, I don’t believe that a more meaningful life need to be a fuller, bigger, busier life. If anything, I believe the opposite. I believe that it’s our everyday, ordinary lives where the goodness lives, but that if we’re not careful, we can live on autopilot and forget the abundance that surrounds us.

I recently finished reading Ann Voskamp’s The Broken Way, and I loved parts and skimmed other parts. I did end the book hanging onto this quote, “What if living the abundant life isn’t about having better stories to share but about living a story that that lets others live better? What if the goal isn’t to experience more of the world but for more of the world to experience more?” I just keep saying, “YES!” I want to help others find their more in Jesus! I don’t want to live the abundant life if my friends, neighbors and people across the globe can’t have it too. So here’s where I starting with myself and with those who are closest to me. (Sorry in advance for those who will hear these questions from me this year.)

These questions may lead to a 180 degree turn, but more likely, and it’s my hope that they’ll lead you (and me) deeper into who you are and who God has created you to be.

What words do you want people to use to describe you?

If these aren’t words you would use to describe yourself now, what has to change?

What breaks your heart?

What are you doing about it?

When do you feel most like yourself?

What are you most passionate about? If this question is hard to answer, think about the last time you got excited about something or couldn’t stop talking – that’s usually an indication that you’re passionate about it.

What are some tangible steps you can take to make the most of your one life?