"Did you see that?” I asked the girl sitting next to me. We were in the stands of one of Major League Baseball’s biggest games of the year and she was missing it!

This game featured the best of the best - players who had set records, beat records and made modern-day history. They hit homers out of the park and threw fastballs over ninety-eight miles an hour, yet all around me, sat fans who were missing the moment. They there for the game, but weren't present for the moment.

Modern-day technology and social media has revolutionized the way we communicate and now share information, but it's also caused a slow, lingering second effect where we are sometimes more caught up in capturing the moment instead of being in the moment and it’s causing us to miss what’s happening right in front of us.

God never intended for us to miss out on this life. He created us with five senses, emotional intelligence and the ability to experience life firsthand through the lens of our eyes and our hearts. The Bible reminds us in Psalm 90:1 "Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts." We gain wisdom by remembering our life on this earth has purpose, but is short and temporary. Jesus came so that we may have life and experience it to the fullest through his free gift of grace and salvation.

I’m not asking to you to stop snapping pictures or taking videos from now on. Our technology tools are valuable in helping us tell our story and mark moments of history. However, I am asking for you to give a second thought to pulling out your technology device to capture everything - because when the lens of our camera captures everything, the lens of heart sometimes miss things.

We only get to live life once. We. get. this. moment. once. We don't get to rewind or redo the stories of our lives, so I encourage you to take time to set down your phone to watch your little one take those next couple of steps or turn off the TV and sit around the dinner table with your people, watch the ball game without the camera live or enjoy a good cup of coffee with a friend without first “checking in” and simply be in the moment.

May we be people who are wise in our hearts and live life in the present.

xoxo

Jes

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are short." Ephesians‬ ‭5:15-16

My guy and I excited for the MLB All-Star Game

I don't ever want to miss another bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, walk-off-grand-slam again!

Friday night my friend, Jess and I were at the Padres game. The company was great, but game was pretty long, the score was tied, we were tired and things didn't look too good for the home team. Little did we know that after we left with the score tied at the bottom of the eighth, a guy who had already struck out four times, would become the MVP with a walk-off grand slam to win the game! And we missed it!!

We made it through most of the game, but somehow missed the best part. How many times in life has that happened to you? I think about a few specific times that I cut myself short by not seeing a project to the end or halfheartedly finished a task early because I was tired. Maybe you're still waiting for the "one" to come along or you're tired of doing "what's right" and still not getting a look for promotion. Or is that you've tried to help a family member or friend, but it's still not working. Could it be the leadership role you're in is harder than you thought? Whatever that thing is, I encourage you to persevere.

Ask God to continue the good work that He's started. Lean into His Truth so that you'll find strength not give up. Let's not cut ourselves short by settling for anything less than God's best. Because after four strike-outs, there might just be the greatest grand slam ever. Don't quit before it's your time to get there!

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭9‬

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬

Be Present: Right here, Right now.

Life's Grand Slams