RIGHT NOW

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Thank you for right now. After all, what else is there other than right now? That was somewhat rhetorical, as I know that question can open up a ton of overwhelming thoughts and speculations. Well, at least for me, it does. Thinking about everything outside of right now can be pretty daunting. So, many times a day, I simply talk to God, ask for His guidance, and pray that He “gives us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11). Another good one to keep me focused on right now is Matthew 6:34: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Whoa, whoa, whoa, Larry! After reading what I just wrote, I see it seems a bit direct and scripturey. Let’s try this again. Right now is a good day to be us, and I am very grateful for this time to share. And from what I can tell, scripturey does not appear to be an actual word. Well, it is now—voila! I really love this time of year. September is generally a peaceful weather month; the smell of football is in the air, and the US Open tennis tournament is live and direct. And to top it off, on September 19th, 2018, I “Wholeheartedly” surrendered and was saved by the grace of God. I was “Born Again” and began a new life filled with “The Holy Spirit” and the ability to truly enjoy “Right Now” every single day of my life—wow! I still step back on the regular and let this sink in time and time again.

Before this miracle on 9/19/18, I would have been so excited to be cracking open that first double shot of Jack or Jim to begin my day. Then, I would lather, rinse, and repeat to get through the day. I’d be chasing that feeling of momentary happiness while slowly destroying my life and my family’s life one selfish sip at a time. But now, when I awake, I say, “Good morning, Jesus,” and I thank Him for right now. I don’t want to take up much more of your time or be too scripturey, but I want to emphasize the importance of focusing on right now by conditioning ourselves daily through Bible study, prayer, and fellowship. And like with anything of value, every day bring a passionate focus so that this practice becomes second nature. I covered this in more detail in April and May of 2023 with articles titled “In The Moment” and “Just A Moment.”

I guess I’m so passionate about this topic because it is genuinely the winning, God-provided formula that has kept me sober, humble, and grateful over the past six years. It truly is another simple but not easy commitment to wholeheartedly know God and let Him know you better and better each and every day. This allows me to break down these long days into manageable moments that allow clear focus on right now.

A massive shoutout to all my brothers and sisters from "The Most Excellent Way." This fellowship group has been and still is a huge key to my victory over addiction. It's a one-step program—Jesus. There are classes throughout the country for addictions of any kind.

I hope these heartfelt writings are helpful in your walk of life and make your days more manageable and joy-filled.

Until next time,

Much love and be blessable,

Larry