Living in Paradise

living in paradise

By Carol L. Doyel

We live in a beautiful part of southern California that according to Google falls into the top 10 of overall nicest climates in the world. We also love the mountains and have a home in central Oregon in a beautiful resort community with hills to the east and the Deschutes River that runs along the 1777 acre property, offering magnificent views of the mountains that surround the region.

I grew up in the Seattle area, another beautiful place but definitely a much wetter climate – thus the name, “The Emerald City”. One of my favorite times of year in the Northwest is the fall when it’s bursting with color from yellow and gold to every hue of red imaginable.

fall scents for your home

We also lived in the south for almost three years, in New Orleans area, and for a short time in the Bay area near San Francisco where we were able to spend time in the wine country. I found myself falling in love with each place we lived. It seems every town, city, and region has its own special features that make it unique. Maybe that’s why people live in one place for so long, discovering the hidden beauty that passing strangers often miss.

I have a good friend who travels around the United States with her husband, living for weeks and even months at a time in their RV. They have visited just about every notable place in the United States as well as many outside of the US. When I mention a river, a mountain, or a National Park she can usually give me details about the area. She’s a kayaker and has seen many heavenly views as she puts it, while kayaking rivers and lakes around the country as shared in her article Kayaking…Like Heaven on Earth.

The title of this article, “Living in Paradise” may give you the impression that it means living in a lush, tropical location with pristine white beaches and turquoise colored water…an island paradise. A life filled with beauty, fun activities, and a relaxed state-of-mind and lifestyle. Unfortunately, many people – even those living in a so called “Paradise” may not feel like they do because living in paradise has less to do with where you live and more to do with how you live and your attitude. Our thoughts and attitude have a lot to do with how we see our world. If we’re not careful to monitor our thoughts – taking every thought captive, we can get stuck in a way of thinking referred to as “stinking thinking” or negative thinking, which if left unchecked can lead to a mindset that can taint the way we  see – or more accurately, how we experience our world, life and even people.

Remember the story when Jesus was hanging on the cross and He looked over at the thief next to him and said, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43) I doubt that Jesus was talking about a tropical island, no – we know that he was referring to heaven.

Matthew 6:10 says to “Pray then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’” So we too, as much as possible by praying and declaring God’s Word, need to pray for His kingdom to come here on earth as it is in heaven. Wow – That is a profound statement and idea. What does it mean to bring God’s kingdom to earth? There has been much debate over that scripture and what it actually means.

Regardless of what you may think it means, we are commanded to pray that way so that we can experience a bit of “paradise” or heaven here on earth. The Bible says that the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking (external worldly activities) but rather “righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). The truth is the kingdom of God is within us and we can experience more of God’s kingdom regardless of where we live, our circumstances, or by eating and drinking.

I have found that one of the keys to discovering more kingdom living is a thankful heart and being content with what I have – little or much.

God knows our heart and when we are thankful for what we have and for the blessings in our life, no matter how small they may seem – thanking Him each day for the beauty and enjoyment of creation, for the ability to see colors that are sometimes indescribable, for our minds that exceed the capability of any computer, for an imagination that takes us places we never imagined and to come up with ideas that seem to get more incredible with time, for His love, and most of all for the chance to receive His gift of salvation and eternal life. We really do have so much to be grateful for.

Sadly, we can lose sight of the blessings and the kingdom within us. We must learn to see beyond our natural circumstances, to see more with our spiritual eyes, to understand what we have and who we are in Christ, so we can discover and bring more of the kingdom of God here on earth. There’s no need to go searching for paradise, paradise is within you, and is something you carry…as you come to realize that you will indeed bring more of heaven to earth – which is just a taste of what’s to come.

 

Carol Doyel is Editor-in-Chief and Founder of LivingBetter50.com. She is a graduate of The Full Gospel Bible Institute and has a passion for women’s ministries, issues and lives. She and her husband of 26+ years have three grown kids and four grandchildren. They currently reside in southern CA. Her desire is to inspire women to live better physically, emotionally, financially, and spiritually.

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Living in Paradise
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