"There's only one direction you can coast."

I mean this in the best possible way. Coasting on life is simple, but there's a whole world waiting for you if you choose to take the plunge and swim! Life is like anything else. If we don't invest in it and remain active and involved with our surroundings, it will fade into nothingness. And that would be tragic because life is such an incredible gift from God. He made us experience everything from fantastic highs to crushing lows - he put every emotion in that mix.

We all experience ups and downs. It's life.

Think of your life like a coin. One side is dipped in darkness, covered in shadows, but it's also very bright because of its great potential. It can be incredible.

The other side is a blinding light, so bright we can barely look at it for a second without being blinded. But there's also something dark about this side. It's not dark like the first side, but it still has its moments. You see, the other side of the coin is all about that light, only it has a shade to it.

Both sides are essential in our lives. They're like a yin and yang - they complement one another. One is not better than another - they both serve their purpose and create something magnificent when putting together (the greatest gift of all). The darkness on the first side helps us to appreciate where we are in life; we need contrasting states of being to grow and evolve as individuals. It's a beautiful thing - the light on the other side of the coin.

But it doesn't always look bright or glossy. It's just a coin, and it has two sides. Sometimes there is no darkness; everything is just blissful and bright. And that's how life should be! We can't change anything, so why not embrace it? Why not enjoy every moment of your life because tomorrow may never come? God (or our maker) will always have more in store for us than we deserve if we give into our negativity at times like these.

We're here to experience life, including light and dark moments.

So this begs the question: when is it enough? How do we measure where we've been and where we're going? When does it become okay to give in to our desires to call it quits? Just like life, sometimes we can't sit by and idly watch. Sometimes you have to be a part of the solution. And that takes an effort; being a part of the solution requires an investment in yourself - an investment of time, energy, and emotion that is also intrinsically rewarding. Otherwise, you'll coast on life, never progressing or growing as a person because you refuse to make an effort required.

Admittedly, constantly pushing ourselves forward in life can sometimes be frustrating. It can seem like we're getting nowhere, and that's because we're not going in a straight line. We're taking the winding road.

The winding road requires us to change track and direction often. We may have to turn around more than once and try a different path, but it's always a learning experience. I'm not saying to learn from your mistakes; failure is no such thing! There are only experiences that teach us about who we are today and who we want to become tomorrow. It's about moving forward, not standing still.

We have to try.

We have to keep moving forward. Just because we can't see the result of our efforts doesn't mean we should give up and throw our hands in the air because life can be seen only when it's looking back at us through God's eyes, and that is something that is not many people visit: a complete picture of their life in its entirety, with everything they've done included.

Maybe you've never been successful in your career or personal relationships, but perhaps you were a family person who helped your neighbors when they were struggling. Maybe you were a school volunteer. Maybe you spent years raising animals or building things, so they don't end up in the dump. And maybe, just perhaps, as you look back on your whole life through God's eyes - and not your own - you're seeing more than what's being shown to the world!

I'm not saying that everything about our lives looks perfect from God's perspective, but He does bless us with one thing: It doesn't matter how much time we've spent (or how long it took to get where we are). As believers, we're saved because of Christ and for no other reason. Our deeds don't count; Christ did all the work for us on the cross. So it doesn't matter how many mistakes you've made; it all depends in the end. And what counts is how much time you spend helping others, caring for animals, and contributing to the world around you!

Time is precious and always fleeting. It can be gone in an instant, and that's why we need to cherish every moment of our lives - because we could get hit by a bus tomorrow.

Life may not always be easy to see clearly, but when we look through God's eyes - through His perspective - our lives suddenly seem brighter than ever. I'd say that life is starting to shine!