"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." -John 10:10 (New American Standard Bible)

I recently downloaded Snapchat (yes, I know it’s been out for years). One of my old classmates posted a video on his story. I was interested, so I clicked into it, and a young guy was rapping to some song in the dark. Words in white read ‘Tryna stay alive’. I wonder…

‘What does this mean?’

I wanted to reply those words in a message to him because I was concerned. What is going on in his life that he is trying to stay alive? I find it ironic God brought me to this topic with dead week coming up.

But this is more than just dead week. This is every day.

Are you trying to stay alive? Are you trying to die? Wanting to die? Are you just here, breathing, ‘hanging in there’, existing?

Or are you living?

Being here and living are different. Being here is breathing but not making the most of your breath. Living is breathing and making the most of your life. I think there are times all of us reach the ‘I’m breathing’ moments in life. The times when all we focus on is ourselves — our minimal opportunities, our losses, our fears, our addictions. Our breath is important, but The One Who gave us breath is the one Who can renew our lungs. For Christians, these moments are lavished in hope. You’re reminded this is not end. What’s happening is a circumstance — it’s not the whole circumference. My BCM director says it like this, “What you focus on magnifies.”

Mom and I came out of Ross yesterday, and there was a guy coughing up blood. He asked for something to cough his blood in to, and mom gave him a wipe and plastic baggy. He told us he was an alcoholic, that’s why he was bleeding. I saw yesterday that this man is gripped by an unhealthy addiction. He is choosing to be filled by an un-filler, and he is suffering in more ways than one.

There are two things I want to get across today: we are not made for just breathing on earth; we are made for living in this earth and not being of it. Secondly, we are not alone in our troubles.

If you feel like you’re living days on repeat, I know that feeling. Mundane, same old, same old. Change up that routine in some way, even if it’s small. Do something fun. Hey, guess what? Jesus likes fun! Fun is not a sin, people. Christians can have fun in ways many wouldn’t believe. Go on a drive, jump in the leaves, kiss your husband or your wife, sing out loud, dance in the grocery store isles, quote a really cheesy joke and then laugh like nobody’s business. How many of us need this reminder?

You don’t have to be gripped by your circumstance or that inviting addiction. You can be free, for Christ has already set you free from it. Vocal your concern between you and God… “I’m giving [insert whatever it is] to You, God. I’m going to praise You through it.” You can be joyful in your ruts, and oooo, it will bug the crap out of Satan. Be encouraged, and stop ‘tryna stay alive.’ You are meant to live. Have faith that good things are coming!