How much happier could you be by simply lifting your head up? What possibilities await you when you tell the world that you are open for business? Who could you become with a bigger smile that says, “I’m up for the relationship”?

We live in a time when people are so busy and so focused on what’s next that they’re missing out on what’s happening right now. We’re lonely yet surrounded by others. There are so many opportunities right in front of us, but we will surely miss them unless we do what to most may seem counterintuitive to success; we must “slow down to move ahead".

Human beings have reached a tipping point. In our fast-paced, competitive world of short attention spans, we can no longer relax. We don’t know how to deal with downtime. In our race to success, we’ve incorporated more text and email to save time, more devices, more ways to communicate, more friends, and more contacts to get ahead. Yet most of us are falling behind in our spirit. Many of us are discovering that the advancements meant to make our lives less complicated are actually causing us more stress. Rather than freeing us up, they are consuming more of our time. The things that were supposed to connect us have, in some ways, made us retreat.

When was the last time you waited in line without reaching for your phone? The last time you sat down for family dinner without an electronic device on? The last time you seized the day rather than seeking the data?

We are indeed miracles. God literally hard-wired us humans for connection. But somewhere along the way, we outpaced ourselves. We ran too far ahead, and now many of us are feeling left behind. We’ve been taken out of context, out of connection, and out of communion with the people surrounding us. We’re sometimes even strangers in our own homes.

The word tells us that we are the light. That we are not to be placed under a bowl. That we are indeed meant to shine, and shine we will.

The light in the world is dim, and it’s time to get turned on.