John 10:10

Hannah Latty on how to live the full life God has for each of us.

Hannah Latty

In John 10:10 Jesus continues, 'The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me just as the Father knows me and I know the Father and I lay down my life for the sheep'.

Life is such a gift! Jesus said that He came to bring life - life to the full. As we read this scripture, we're encouraged to look at our lives and ask; "Do we know Him, do we know His voice!? Are we listening to His voice? Are we living life to the full? What does your life look like? Do your choices reflect heaven?"

Since starting to lead worship in my early teens, I have been passionate about worship not just being about singing, but serving God in everything we do, say and think; being who we're meant to be and doing what we're created to do. This is a constant challenge to us.

Perhaps you've had dreams in the past about what God is calling you to - perhaps you're doing it in part - or even in full now. If we are truly worshipping God with everything we are and everything we have then our time should look like living life to the full! Don't misunderstand me, being busy is sometimes the opposite of this! Busy sometimes means empty not full! I'm asking if we are using our gifting and skills to glorify Him?

Some of our gifts aren't used every season, but we can trust God that He will align us to use our skills at the appointed time.

I am grateful to be able to use my gift as a singer-songwriter (found under Hannah 'Atkins') and my passion for community living and social justice. Sometimes these seem separate, but sometimes they come together. God gave my husband and I a passion for coming alongside refugees and asylum seekers. We hosted asylum seekers for many years whilst living in Manchester through The Boaz Trust. Since moving to be part of the leadership at Ashburnham Place, we have set up ESCAFA, working with Syrian families in East Sussex. Last month I had the privilege of performing at Festival By The Lake, a festival celebrating refugees in East Sussex. Over 900 people gathered at Ashburnham Place. It's wonderful when we give God our gifts, skills and passions to use for Him! Life to the full is never boring!

Another passion of mine is to pursue the supernatural power of God in everyday life. Learning to hear His voice and acting upon it. We have a hot-line to our Creator and it's crazy if we don't use it! When Jesus talks about His sheep knowing His voice in John 10, it means just that. We can enjoy the word of God through scripture and the now word of God through the prophetic, dreams, visions, and through our senses and more. I value the quiet and peaceful whispers of the Holy Spirit daily. Knowing His voice has made life an adventure, not just helpful in the huge life-direction decisions, or when He has asked me to pray for healing for strangers, but in everyday life too. Supernatural can be normal; that's how I believe God designed us.

Decide today when you might take time to step back and prayerfully take an overview of your life. Listen to Him and ask Him about all of your commitments. Which ones bring His Kingdom to Earth and what distracts you from life to the full? Look at your relationships and bring them to Him too.

I pray this simple prayer each day myself and with my kids and this is my prayer for you today too, "Lord God we give to you this day. May it be aligned to Your heavenly way. Amen." May you be completely aligned to Him and live a wonderful life, to the full.