DOORWAY INTO THE LAND OF ABUNDANT LIFE

Welcome again!  I'm happy to see that you returned.
Have you signed up yet to receive your free e-book, "Joshua's Story," that I told you about last week?
Today I'll talk about how to gain entrance into the Land of Abundant Life through its imposing doorway.
A multitude of keys are available to unlock doors to explore once we have gotten inside.  I have selected 10 keys that I believe are crucial and plan to share these keys with you.
But first of all, we need to get through the entrance door!  
*Please understand that if, after my explanation, you realize you have already entered this door, you are also invited come along with me in following weeks as together we discover ways to make the most of our journey through the Land of Abundant Life.   
Now, let's continue on our way!
Our entrance is made possible. . .  only by asking the One who stands at the door, Jesus Christ, for permission.  Jesus says in the book God wrote for us, the Bible, "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved. . . " John 10:9a.  Jesus also says, ". . . no one comes to the Father, but through Me."  John 14:6b.  You see, the God who made us is perfect and holy and wants to have a relationship with me. . . and you.  But since the time of Adam and Eve, all human beings have been born with self-centered tendencies which are called "sin."  To sin means to want to live life our way instead of God's way.  So since we are born with sin, we are not capable of having a relationship with a perfect God on our own power.  But God loves us so much and wants each one of us to know Him personally that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, into this world.   Jesus was the only person who could live a life without sin because, you see, He was also God.  Jesus was sent to take our sins upon His own body and die a horrible death on a Roman execution cross to pay the penalty for the sins that we committed.  Three days later, He proved His power over death by rising from the dead!  And He is alive today!
I have asked God to forgive my sins and accepted Jesus' costly payment when He died in my place, taking my punishment upon Himself.  In taking that step, I have found true peace and purpose. . . in other words. . . the abundant life!
I invite you to make this your prayer also, that God will forgive you for your sins against Him and accept Jesus' death in your place.  There is nothing we can do to earn our way to heaven; all we can do is accept this precious gift from a God who loves each one of us immensely, with a perfect love that we can not even begin to comprehend.
It's simple.  Just talk to Him.  And find a Bible, which tells you more about God and how to get to know Him.   God will place His Holy Spirit inside you to help you understand His ways and to receive the power to obey Him and live the way He knows is best for you.
Then I invite you to come along with me and step through the doorway to journey with Jesus along the roadway of Abundant Living!
CONTEST:  Next week, you will have the opportunity to participate in a contest to receive a free copy of  my novel, "The Rose Journal."  The contest will begin as I present the first of 10 Keys to Abundant Living.  Each of the 10 keys begins with a letter that will be used to spell out a phrase.  Take notice and remember the first letter of the first word of each key.  As the weeks go on, you can begin to put them together to form a sentence.  
The first person who emails me the correct phrase, spelled correctly, will win the book!
*Family will not qualify for the the contest.
See you next week!

WELCOME

We only get one life.  And I want to make the most of the one I have!  Don't you?
I am a wife, mother, grandmother and author who has discovered the joy and satisfaction life can give in spite of. . . maybe even because of. . . disappointments and hardships since I've turned the controls over to God and let Jesus Christ capture my heart and invade my spirit.
I'd like to invite you to join me on Wednesdays as together we examine ideas and concepts on how to truly Live and experience all this life has to offer.
Dedication and FREE book offer:  I'd like to dedicate my first Abundant Living blog to approximately 50 million Unborn Children who have been killed by abortion in my country, the USA, since abortion was legalized on January 22, 1973.  My husband and I recently took a trip to northern Minnesota and on the way home stopped at the small city of Royalton, MN, to visit a memorial set in a graveyard there by a local chapter of the Knights of Columbus to honor all unborn children.  If any of you know of other memorials for the unborn, I would be pleased to hear from you.
My passion is to share the abundant life God offers us with others, and to value and protect life for others.  Many of my writings share this theme.  I have a personal interest because my youngest son, Joshua, is a miraculous gift from God!  I tell the pro-life tale of his birth in my book, Joshua's Story, which I am offering free today online to the first two hundred persons who sign up to receive a copy.
In weeks to come, I'll share excerpts from my books, along with bits and pieces of memories growing up as an only child in a farming community in west central Minnesota, everyday encounters recalled from raising my children, fresh experiences with my grandsons, and insightful moments of sharing life with my husband of 28 years on our quiet hobby farm in the countryside by a beautiful pond that is home to a vast assortment of birds and creatures during the gentler seasons of the year.
I look forward to getting to know you as together we explore and chart new territory in this journey called Life.  I will share 10 Keys to the Abundant Life with you that will unlock doors for us to explore in order to obtain success on our journey.
Picture in your imagination a magnificent doorway poised at the entrance to the unknown world of your future. . . in the Land of Abundant Life. . . a land filled with intrigue and adventure. Beyond the doorway, your world expands to infinity.  Also, behind this doorway are a multitude of additional closed doors, some of which we will investigate to find assistance and encouragement on our journey.
But first of all, we need to gain entrance through the doorway.  Maybe you have already taken that first step.  You can find out next week!  If you have, you are also invited to come along and discover with me additional ways to grow and make the most of your life experiences.
Please join me again next Wednesday when I will explain how to take the first and most important step on the roadway called "Abundant Living."  The following week, I'll give you the first of the 10 Keys that will unlock additional doors.  I'm sure the number of keys available to us is limitless, so I have selected 10 that I believe are crucial.  Be prepared to unlock the first of many doors and find practical ways to aid and inspire us on our journey.
*Please note that the title of my blog does not say "life without limits," but rather, "life beyond limits."  Some boundaries are necessary for our protection and security.  But when we walk with God, we discover that He often takes us beyond our natural limitations to carry out His grand purposes and goals for our lives.
That is what makes life so exciting!
Next Wednesday, I'll also share how you can enter a contest to win a copy of my novel, "The Rose Journal." 

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Looking forward to seeing you again!