There is only one you.

The God of the universe loves you so much that he made only one of you. From the dawn of time he had you in his heart and mind. He knew how he wanted to create you and he gently holds your life in the palm of his hands. He is your Father and unlike any earthly figure in your life, he has his eye fixed on you.

He watches you from the front porch of heaven and he waits for you to come to your senses and return home. He knows all about your foibles and distractions, your pursuits in this world that have a strangle hold on your heart. He is patient beyond patient and he waits for you to turn your attention back to him. His arms of forgiveness, grace, mercy and peace await you as you confess your waywardness and your ongoing need for his love and leadership. His long, patient, and loving look at your reality is unconditional and he is right now at this very minute radically advocating in your behalf.

He has a plan for your life and like none other wants to whisper that in your ear. His delight over you is with a song of joy, a radiant smile of love, a feast of affirmation. The Father’s love affair with you is eternal, undeserved, unmatched, and can never be fully discovered. There’s mystery to his ever-present, all-powerful knowledge of you, and yet there’s so much he wants you to know about himself…and about you. A part of that mystery is found in the reality that he wants you to know him and he can’t wait to reveal to you the fullness of himself and his particular agenda for your life.

The Father is tapping you on the shoulder of your heart. He’s overseeing the affairs of your day. He’s got wonderful ideas to reveal to you and he will forever take care of you. His awareness of your every need is keen, crystal clear, and before you even consider asking for it, he willingly and expectantly wants to share life with you. For he knows you, loves you, and has your very best interests in mind.  Coming to a fuller and fuller awareness of these realities will indeed lead you into the abundance of his joy. All of this is within your reach. That’s why I wrote this book: out of a deep conviction that your life matters to God…that you matter to God.

Crafting a rule of life may seem onerous and feel beyond your capabilities. In fact, when taken step by step it’s really rather straightforward. Why? Because it’s all about simple attentiveness to God’s unique invitation to the one person he lovingly created for distinct purposes this side of heaven – you. When you pursue this awareness within the community he’s graciously provided for you, then the tide of renewal will come for all who join hearts and hands in this way.

You see it’s a well-ordered way because it’s all about understanding God’s invitation to his Spirit-ordered way. We are his. We are loved. We are created, redeemed, sustained and transformed by God and God alone. And everything about our life is gift – to be received and then released out of one simple motivation: love.

Discovering one’s personal rule of life will change the trajectory of your life. It will realign your days. It will focus your attention on the Author of life and will create for you the deepest possible connection to God’s assignment for you. For this life alone, and it’s not to be wasted. This uniquely distinct life is yours to live with abundance and joy. Will you continue to allow the waves and winds of this world, and the pressures to perform and produce by others around you, continue to guide the use of each new day? Or, will you choose to hop off the treadmill of constant activity and begin afresh to listen more attentively to the voice of invitation from the God who loves you more than you could ever ask, dream and imagine?

Welcome to a new way of being present to God and one another. What awaits you on the pages to follow will hopefully lead you into your God-ordered path of life. Here you will find joy in his presence with eternal pleasures awaiting you every step of the way.

So now, let’s attend to what we need to attend to. And then, attend to it.

– Stephen A. Macchia