Live in the Now: 7 Ways to Walk It Out
Before we talk about how to “live in the now,” I invite you to join me as I prepare to release a new book. On November 3, I will release a new book for teens. It’s called Anchored: A Teen Devotional for Understanding the Old Testament and Applying It to Your Life.
My vision is to teach teens the key narratives from the Old Testament while helping them see that all of Scripture is relevant to our everyday lives. These devotions delve into everything from anxiety to sexuality, all drawn from the truth of God’s Word.
Watch for it to release soon or preorder the Kindle Version on Amazon here!
And now, onto today’s post!
How to Live in the Now
Years ago, a few days before our son Caleb’s fourth birthday, I asked him what he wanted to do for fun. He requested a walk to the creek, and I threw out my plans for the day to take him to the woods. Our walk would become a life-long reminder of the importance of learning to “live in the now.”
The phrase “live in the now” essentially means that we stay in the present moment, not worrying about tomorrow or carrying regrets about the past.
We are fully present and fully engaged.
Martyred missionary Jim Elliot put it this way: “Wherever you are, be all there.”
These are wise words, words that carried me through the challenging years of mothering three young children while trying to write and keep dozens of plates spinning.
Today, I invite you to return to the creek with Caleb as we talked about life.
How to Live in the Now
As we sat along the quiet bank of the creek, Caleb rambled on about his upcoming birthday.
“How old are you going to be next week?” I asked.
“Seven!” he answered without hesitation. His older sister was seven at the time.
“No, buddy, you’re going to be four,” I reminded him. “Four.”
“Door,” he attempted to repeat, nodding his head in agreement.
It was the same conversation we’d been having all summer. Whenever I asked how old he was turning in August, he told me he’d be seven. He seemed to be wishing his life away already.
Wishing Our Lives Away
Often, I’m more like little Caleb than I realize. I get too caught up in where I’m going. I forget to watch for God’s gifts on the journey toward my goals.
Like Caleb, I don’t appreciate where I am because I can think only of where I want to be next.
I wonder if you can relate.
How Do We Live in the Now?
What does it look like to slow down and live in the now?
Let’s explore some practical ideas.
1. Reject hurry.
Rushing from one task to the next produces a sense of accomplishment, but it strips us of the joy of being present.
Throughout the decade of my thirties, one of my greatest goals was to eliminate hurrying from my life.
I learned to create space between activities and move more slowly. My life became exponentially less stressful and more peaceful.
2. Resist multitasking.
Multitasking also pulls us away from living in the now because we aren’t fully engaged in any single task.
When we learn to complete just one task at a time, we are more present in our moments.
3. Add margin to your days.
Without margin, we are forced into hurrying.
We rush from one task to the next.
Margin gives us time to stop and admire the sunrise, drink a glass of water, or take a few deep breaths.
For me, this means I resist some of the following activities: throwing one more load of laundry in the washing machine before heading out the door; cramming one more errand into an already full afternoon; squeezing in ten extra minutes on the elliptical; cleaning the shower while I’m in the shower even though I’m low on time.
Ultimately, leaving margin helps us relax and be more present in our moments.
4. Cultivate gratitude.
As we stay engaged with our moments, we can live in the now by looking for reasons to give thanks.
Gratitude actually opens our neuropathways and helps us connect with others relationally.
5. Talk to God.
We were created to live in the now, communing with God as we go about our daily lives.
Talk to God throughout the day, and he will help you stay present.
6. Put people above tasks.
Ultimately, living in the now is not about us. It is about becoming more generous and loving toward others.
When we have time (and the attention span) to engage with others, we live more purposeful lives.
7. Learn to say no.
We cannot live in the now without saying no to endeavors that are not best for us.
This requires discernment: learning to say no to invitations that aren’t in our lanes so that we have space and energy for endeavors that are in our lanes.
As I write to you today, little Caleb is not so little. He recently turned 12, and he knows how old he is.
I’m thankful that I slowed down enough to savor the memory with him that day, thankful for the gentle lesson on how to live in the now.
Calling All Parents (and Grandparents)!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
These Books Are Free on Kindle Unlimited: God Wants to Heal, Restore, and Refresh You
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. He also wants to help you establish a rhythm of meeting with him daily as you trust him with the hard parts of your life. Click here to explore two books that will guide you: Be Still and Trust and Lean Into Grace. They are free on the Kindle Unlimited program and for sale in print.
Download Your Free Devotional Here
Set Free: Let God Do What You Cannot explores ten realms in which most of us need God to work in our lives and bring deliverance. We’ll talk about finding freedom from fear, worry, insecurity, bad habits, emotional pain, and more. This short online devotional will bless you as you let God accomplish what you’ve been unable to achieve through willpower. Get your download for free with promo code GRACE or for a donation of 3.99 right here.
I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here!
