Hey Westside,

There is a story told of a baby eagle that was separated from its’ mother and then raised by a farmer in a chicken coup.  The eaglet grew up observing the chickens.  They pecked in the dirt all day long in a meager, mundane, existence.  He saw how they never thought about what was outside the coup, only what was in front of their face.  Yet, day by day the little eagle looked up at the clouds and the bright blue sky and would see other birds flying in the wide open spaces above and beyond the confines of his little home.  He would look up into the sky when it was pouring rain and all the others went into the protection of the hen house. The eagle would long to be up there, soaring above the clouds, above the storm.  But he just stood, looking up, cold and lonely.

Now, this would be a pretty sad story if another eagle had not flown in one day and told the eagle that he too could fly.  So, fly he did.  Above the dirt.  Above the pettiness.  Above the drudgery.  Above the storms.  Flying high and free!

Are you an eagle?  Or, a chicken?

Do you always look down?  Are you always consumed with what’s going on in your little world?  Or, are you longing for more?  Are you looking upward and outward?  Are you able to soar above the clouds, the storms of life?  You can . . .

Jesus said that He came to give us an abundant life.  Not a so-so life.  Not just a “well, I’ll get by . . . I’m doing OK” kind of life.  He came to give us real life.  Life to the fullest.  He wants us to have victory.  He wants us to overcome the hurdles that come our way.  He wants us to be so full of joy that we can’t contain it and it spills out of us wherever we go!  The Bible says that “in His presence there is fullness of joy.  So let’s do what it says.  Come to Jesus for real life and stay close so that we can be full of the Holy Spirit.  That way we will have the opportunity to not only live our life to its’ fullest, but we will be able to help others in their journey as well.

Here’s a couple of suggestions for us: 1) If you haven’t had the opportunity, please listen to my series on the Holy Spirit.  It will show you how you can be full of God’s goodness.  You can download the messages very easily on this website. 2) Invite and bring, a friend to church this month.  At Westside, we are doing a 4 part series on “Surviving and Enjoying the Christmas Season.”  You will be blessed, and they will be blessed.  3)  Invite and bring, a friend or family to one of our traditional Christmas Eve Candlelight Services.  It will be for the whole family.  Each person there will hear the good news of Jesus and the real purpose for which He came.  We will have three services this year – so I’m sure you will find one that fits your holiday schedule.

God Bless you all.  Keep looking Up!!

In Him,
Steve