I was laying down with my 3 yr old this afternoon, pretending to sleep, when I realized how behind I am. Usually, by this point in 2014 (ahem... the last day of the year) I'm more on the ball with what's ahead. I have a theme verse picked out, I have a theme word, and a few goals listed. It has crossed my mind a few times and quickly put in it's place -behind a gazillion other things. Excuses are easy- Baby #3 is coming literally any day, we've been battling the never ending sickness monsters named flu and pneumonia at our house. And along with the festivities of Christmas that have firmly taken their place at the forefront of my mind, goals and themes would just have to wait. But, this afternoon, in the silence, my mind seemed to clear for a minute and suddenly a few thoughts seemed to take shape. 2014 was a year of transition for our family. We started out the year with a blank canvas. We decided that our life could be what we make it. We started praying for God's will and learned a quick lesson- sometimes God's will isn't writing on the wall. Sometimes God's will is trusting and taking a step without that writing on the wall. And that's exactly what we did. We picked up, moved 200 miles away from where were were living, were shocked to find out we were having surprise baby #3, and we set aside hurt, fear, and bitterness and we embraced and were embraced by some of the most loving people we've ever met. It's been a banner year in my opinion. Free of struggle? Absolutely not. But that's honestly made it all the better. My Happy New Year post from last year outlined my theme word for the year, FOCUS, and my theme verse Philippians 1:10. You can read that posthere. It truly was a year of FOCUS for me. The Lord made a stream in the desert for Aaron and I by restoring our ministry. He started revealing part of my calling I'd been questioning for years and I'm now a licensed pastor in the Church of the Nazarene pursing a ministry in Discipleship and Teaching. He's given me the opportunity to FOCUS on being intentional with my life. 2013 was a year of restoration and 2014 was a year of focus. 2015 will be about THRIVING. This year I want to thrive as a wife, mother, friend, daughter, pastor, and leader. I want to thrive spiritually. I want to know God more than I've ever known him. I want to hunger for his presence and I want my prayer life to grow and deepen. I want to take the empty spaces in my life and fill them with God's love for others. I want to help plant roots of Christ likeness and holiness deeper in my own self, my family, and those I have the opportunity to love and minister to. I've chosen Psalm 1:2-3 as my theme verse for the year- I want this year to be about growing where I'm planted. I want to delight in scripture, I want to bear exceptional fruit in this season of my life. I want my spiritual life to prosper.
It's easy to think about new years resolutions and goals, but this time, consider what the Lord might be asking of you. Maybe this year instead of doing something, he's asking you to NOT do something. Maybe this year he's asking you to go somewhere instead of committing to making or breaking a habit. Maybe he's asking you to do nothing- to be still- to listen. Be intentional in deciding what you want to commit yourself to this year. God never promises things to be easy, but He always promises himself, and that my friend, is more than enough for 2015! Happy New Year!
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HEY, I'M JESSICA!
Christian. Wife. Mommy. Daughter. Pastor. Friend. Saved.Redeemed. Beloved.
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