“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.”
A New Year of Hope
“Our hope is not in the new year, but in the One who makes all things new.”
It’s tradition to come up with resolutions on New Year’s Eve. There really is something renewing and refreshing about entering a new year. We’ve made yet another trip around the sun, and before we set out to do it again, we want to find ways to make it even better than the last. What are your hopes and dreams for 2022? As we celebrate, let us remember that none of our hopes, dreams, goals or accomplishments come from ourselves alone. They are gifts from God, and we need God’s strength to walk through this year. Whatever God has placed on your heart, pray about it, asking Him for guidance, wisdom, and courage. He will walk every step with you. He will be there even if your path takes you in the opposite direction you expect. He will celebrate your victories with you; He will comfort you and grow you through those things that don’t work out. Look for God in everything you do, and He will bless you. Happy New Year!
“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you...”
Journey on!
Love
“O Come let us adore Him, O Come let us adore Him, O Come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.”
We were a broken world in need of a healing so deep, it could only come from God. Out of God’s incredible love for us. He sent His only son to earth to save followers from every generation, past, present and future! This love is unconditional. It meets us where we are and wraps us in light. It sees past our scars and shame, and rescues us out of our despair. God’s love is SO great, the extent of it cannot be fully grasped! What a precious gift from a Father. This love came to earth in the form of a man. Jesus’ birth, life, and death allows us to freely accept God’s gift of salvation. His commandments are simple: love God, and love others. As we reflect on the power and majesty of God and His infinite love, let us find ways to share that love to the world. Let us adore Christ, not only celebrating His life but imitating His love. Who can you bless this Christmas season? How can you pass on the love that was so generously given to you by God?
“We love because he first loved us.”
Journey on!
Peace
“Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”
If I could be a fly on the wall of the stores on Black Friday, the awkward family holiday dinner fraught with relational drama, or the van of a family rushing from one Christmas event to the next, I’m not sure the feeling I would come away with would be PEACE. It can be a challenge to feel peaceful in a season that has become quite busy and full of obligations. While the Christmas flurry of activities brings a lot of excitement, we all get to a point where we need moments of peace. And peace is a gift that God gave us in Jesus. When I think about how peaceful God’s son must have looked, swaddled and sleeping in the manger, it warms my heart and reminds me of what matters. So how can we engage in holiday fun and still find peace?
Here are some of the ways I focus on peace during this season:
Remembering that God is always in control, no matter what happens.
Allowing myself some white space in my calendar (take a night off to rest!).
Starting the day with prayer that God will help me be at peace and feel His presence.
Finding ways to help others. Giving back spreads love and peace to the world.
What are some other ways you can work on making time for peace in your life right now?
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Joy
“O Tidings of Comfort and Joy, Comfort and Joy! O Tidings of Comfort and Joy”
In a season of happiness, gifts, Christmas carols, and candlelight, we might misunderstand the concept of joy. All the fun and warm fuzzy feelings are special part of the season, but if you mistake these feelings for true joy, you might find yourself feeling hopeless when the music fades. True joy in the gift of Christ Jesus is the knowledge that whatever we face in our lives, we have a God who loves us, and who has saved us through His son. Joy is experienced not just in the glow of the mountain peaks, but also in the depths of our darkest valleys. The joy Christ gave us when he came to Earth is not one that comes and goes with the changing seasons, but a steadfast, constant comfort and heart-filled celebration knowing that this earth can’t throw anything our way that will separate us from our God and His great love and mercy. So whether you are celebrating or grieving this holiday season, know that you have access to pure joy in Christ. It’s a beautiful gift from our compassionate, loving God, and it’s a gift He freely offers to you today.
“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause joy for all the people.”
Journey on!
Pay Attention to Your Self-Talk
“God has already given us peace of mind, but some of us are yet to experience it, because they continue to feed the wrong words to their subconscious mind. ”
How many times do we beat ourselves up over things? We make a mistake, have an awkward encounter, or find ourselves in a stressful situation, and the first thing we want to do is bad-mouth ourselves. "That was so stupid! How could I be such an idiot?"
In counseling, they call that negative self-talk. Over time, continual negative self-talk skews our perception of reality. Satan would love for us to believe that we are not worthy and stay focused on our faults. But God tells us we are His beloved children! We are created in His image. No, we will never be perfect, but that is OK because he has redeemed us through the blood of Christ! God wants us to recognize our mistakes and work to do better next time, but he never told us to punish ourselves with our thoughts. That is not of God!
If you are guilty of negative self talk, take time this week to pay attention to the negative messages that are on repeat in your mind. Write each one down, and then recognize it as a false thought. Then write down a truth from God to replace that thought! You can use scriptures, or just simple phrases. For example if one of your regular thoughts is "I am so stupid!" you can replace that lie with "I made a mistake, but I am still God's child." If you think to yourself, "I will never measure up," you can replace that lie with "God has a purpose for my life, and I am worthy in His sight."
This what therapists call "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy." It's so important to stay focused on God's truth and love and not on these lies we tell ourselves. I hope this exercise helps you this week!
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”
Journey on!
Trust in His Power
“The reason why I smile even in the midst of the storm, is because I know that Jesus Christ will carry me through.”
When things are in certain, I find myself feeling anxious. I'd like to know the plan, know what to expect, and prepare the best as I can... but that's not often a realistic option! Instead, life can be extremely unpredictable! It veers in all directions. We feel overwhelmed when life feels so out of control. But these twists and turns do not come as a surprise to our faithful, omnipresent Lord! What seems like chaos to us is a beautiful tapestry of life to the One who has created the world. He knows the good that will come from our lives. He knows the plans he has for us, and they are to prosper and not harm us (Jer. 29:11). We just need to remember that when life feels out of control, it's not... it's in His control. Be intentional about trusting in God this week as you face life's unpredictability. He loves you and has you in His all-powerful hands.
“In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me? ”
Journey on!
Watch and Listen
When we're driving, we have to keep our eyes on the road. We have to watch for red lights, warning signs, other cars, and many other things that protect us from hurting others and ourselves on the road.
As children of God, we have to keep our eyes focused on the only one who can see what lies ahead of us in life. God can see a bad situation long before we can, and it's up to us to trust in Him when He's guiding us in a new direction. We have confidence that He knows the right way to go so we can live life to the fullest without as many pitfalls along the way! Seek His direction in your life today!
“My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.”
Journey on!
Peace Anew
Today is a new day. We don't have to stress over what happened yesterday or what will come tomorrow, only rest in His perfect peace as He gives us the gift of today! Our God loves us so much, and He is ready to do a new thing in your life. Open your heart to him. Sit with him, listen for His voice. Embrace the peace and joy and security that you have in His arms. Today might bring new challenges to face and new obstacles to overcome, but we can go into every circumstance knowing that He has gone before us and will walk us through every step. The Lord is gracious and so, so good. Focus on these things today.
“A new day will dawn on us from above
because our God is loving and merciful.
He will give light to those who live in the dark
and in death’s shadow.
He will guide us into the way of peace.”
Journey on!
New in Him
We all sin, and when we feel like we've really messed up, it can be hard to believe that God will really forgive us again and again. But the Bible tells us that Christ died for all our sins, and we are forgiven through Him! Don't let your bad moment define your relationship with God. He loves you, and His mercies are new every morning. It's a new day, a new chance to walk with Him. If you simply come to Him, He will welcome you with open arms, day after day. You are a new creation in Him, and as you strive to walk in love and serve Him, He will continue to bless you abundantly.
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Journey on!
Greatness
“Whoever wants to be great must become a servant.”
We all have our own ideas of what it means to be truly great. Usually we think of greatness as relating to strength, fame, accomplishments. God sees greatness in the small things, the humble people, the servants. When we submit to God and put others' needs ahead of our own, giving of ourselves to help others, that is greatness! How can you be a servant this week?
Journey on!
You CAN
“Whether you think you can, or think you can’t... you’re right.”
My dad used to quote this phrase all the time when I was growing up. He believed (and still does) that a positive approach to life could accomplish great things. Now, we aren't all equipped to do some things, but with perseverance and dedication, we can do a lot more than we realize.
And the second part of the quote is true, as well: if we choose to believe we can't do something before we have even tried, we never will.
Don't sell yourself short. Take a look at what talents and gifts God has given you. Pray for direction in what you hope to accomplish. Set a goal and chase after it with confidence in Him to bless your endeavors if it is His will. Stop saying "I can't," and you may be surprised what you are capable of accomplishing!
“I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.”
Journey on!
A Pleasing Aroma
“Walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
An aroma is a pleasing scent. It fills us with joy and warmth. A fresh baked tray of cookies, a pot of coffee, a hint of lavender in a bath, the smell of fresh air in nature... all these things are so pleasing and life-giving. God tells us to offer our lives up as a pleasing aroma to Him. We do that by walking in love, pouring into others' lives, and daily focusing our hearts and minds on God! It's easy to get busy and caught up in our to-do lists, but it's so important to take time to connect with God so that our spiritual lives are a pleasing aroma to Him. In this way, we are more equipped to love on others, too.
Journey on!
Accept the Gift of Forgiveness
“Forgiveness isn’t just a blessing you deliver to another human being. Forgiveness is also a gift you give yourself.”
It's not an easy thing to forgive someone who has deeply hurt us. It can be harder, still, to learn to forgive ourselves. Resentment is something the devil enjoys encouraging in our hearts, but if we let it consume us, we are allowing the thing that hurt us to have more power over our lives. It's so important to find a way to forgive, even if it is a long process. We should never give up seeking God's healing and striving towards forgiveness. It may seem impossible now, but if you continue to pray and ask for God's strength, He has the power to guide you through to a place of peace. Don't let resentment hinder your growth and peace--ask God to help you forgive today.
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Journey on!