From the Introduction: Living Life to the Full

When I lost my wife of 23 years, I had a choice to make: I could lose myself in despair or keep living my life to the full. I was tempted many times to lose myself in despair.

But I also had to remember that God had given me a life for a reason. And if I was still alive, He still had plans for me. My hope was that God would show me what those plans were.

I was faced with choices continually.

When I wanted to go see a movie but couldn't go with Lana and didn't want to go with anyone else, I had to choose whether to stay home or go alone. I chose to go and laughed and cried and stood up and cheered even, because I was the only one in the theater.

When I wanted to say, "I can't raise my kids like this. I can't be both mom and dad," I had to choose whether I'd give up and give in or lean into who God created me to be. I couldn't be both mom and dad, but I could be the best dad I could be.

When my dance teacher from childhood invited me into her classroom to dance again as she was now teaching my daughter, I protested, both internally and externally. How could I possibly dance when I was hurting so badly? But how could I say no to my sweet seventy-two-year-old dance teacher? I chose to go in and dance in my socks... laughing the whole hour (and the rest of the year), as I watched my fifty-year-old belly bounce up and down in the wall-sized mirror.

One day, on a bus ride to the airport, the bus driver gave me a little booklet. It was a pocket-sized Gospel of John from the Bible. The driver probably didn't know I was a Christian. He probably didn't know I was a pastor. And he probably didn't know I had lost the love of my life.

But what he did know was that the words of God contained in that little book from the Bible could bring life to anyone in any situation at any time.

The truth is everyone, everywhere, at all times has needs. I began reading that little book that day and carried it with me for the next several months, pulling it out again and again to read whenever I had a few minutes.

That first time I read through it, I underlined every passage that talked about John's intimacy with Jesus. I was struck by the fact of how close they were. I wanted that kind of intimacy, and Jesus offered it to me, just like He offered it to John.

The second time I read through it, I underlined every passage that talked about conflict, and how Jesus resolved it whenever He encountered it. I learned that sometimes He engaged it and sometimes walked away, depending on His goal in each situation.

The third time I read through it, I underlined every passage that talked about life and living life to the fullest. Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Jesus never married yet had a full life. He was beaten and ridiculed yet accomplished all He came do. I wanted that kind of life... a full life... an abundant life... Life with a capital "L."

There are times when I could still slip into despair. But Jesus always offers me a hand, just like He did when Peter was sinking in the sea. He always invites me to make a choice: to sink deeper on my own or to take His hand and let Him lift me up.

Everyone, everywhere, at all times has needs. What about you? What do you need today? I invite you to read through the Gospel of John with me. Let Jesus lift you up. He came that you may have life, and have it to the full... Life with a capital "L."

Eric Elder

P.S. I've included in this book all the stories that John told about Jesus, chapter by chapter. At the end of each chapter, I've included a few thoughts of my own. I’ve left space for you to write a few of your thoughts, too.