It’s hard to think of the full life when things are falling apart. Our lives sometimes feel that they have been run through a shredder. We can easily fall apart like paper that has become wet. Yet, Jesus wants for us a full life. How can we live life to the full?

1. Appropriate goals for yourself. Goals that are too grandiose, too unclear, too fleshly, too selfish will always leave a body bankrupt. Check to see if what you are trying to accomplish in life is in harmony with the Giver of life.

2. Take care about your relationships. Your relationships affect the way you feel about yourself. Companionship in life is one of the most important areas of choice (I Corinthians 15:33).

3. Coping skills for dealing with the situation you face. Some never learn appropriate coping skills and are thrown for a loop when a problem arises. Those who have gone to The School of Hard-knocks are better able to cope. It would be helpful to begin now learning coping skills. You will need them.

4. Loss of grief issues associated with life events in the past. Jesus once said, "Each day has enough trouble of its own," (Matthew 6:34). It is better to grieve about the events that have occurred and tackle life as it presents itself today. No person can live a full life with the past hanging around the neck and dragging them down.

5. With your hand in His, take personal responsibility for your feelings and actions. Hillary Clinton recently blamed early childhood abuse for the president’s excursions. Violent people are often excused by looking to the past. "What made him do this dreadful thing?" Accepting personal responsibility would go a long way in solving today’s problems and give us a chance to live life to the full.

Remember that the new will be difficult for your friends and family to accept. Be patient with them and let them see that you are real. A full life is God’s promise to those who follow the Good Shepherd.

James Hinkle