New Year's 2013!

I must be the worst blogger ever since my last blog was in July!.  Happy New Year, everyone!  I have barely reflected on this past year, but I opened my journal and found an entry from New Year's Day in 2010.  I would like to share it with you.  Every time I open my journal to read a page from my past, I either wonder what I was thinking or I can put myself in that exact same place and time and remember every single feeling and detail of that experience.  In this entry, I seem so confident of what God has for me.  Truthfully, I spend more of my time insecure and living in fear of the future.  I'm so glad I have little reminder like this to show me that God is in control whether I give it to Him or not! 

"Today is the first day of the new year.  I'm always ready to start a new year. I'm praying for a journey...a journey that you will take me on, Father.  Not for this year, but for life.  I want to thrive and overflow with your love.  I don't know where you are going to take me, but I'm ready to go and learn in how to believe in all the possibilities that you have for me.  Nothing is impossible for you! Show me each step to take, every insecurity to fight.  See, I'm believing you've got a woman in the vessel being prepared for your use.  I've not a clue how she will ever come to be, but you do.  Lord, I know you have been faithful in my darkness that has come upon me, and for awhile I chose to live in it and allow it to define me.  I have put you in a box and limited you.  I've told myself that you would never want anything great for me.  You are refining me for whatever is in store.  This year is going to be a turning point.  I'm so ready for it God!  Help me to trust in what you are going to do even when it feels like you are doing nothing.  I realize it will not be easy."
                                                                               January  1, 2010
    "Arise, shine for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.  See darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.  Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness.  Lift up you eyes and look about you: All assemble and come from afar and your daughters are carried on the arm.  Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with Joy."         Isaiah 60:1-5

 I always look forward to the New Year! I think a lot of people do.  It gives us the hope that we can start over.  We can recommit to the resolutions we slacked off on the year before.  We can say goodbye to all the struggles that hit us and move forward.  I challenge you this year to take an introspective look at your life.  When making a resolution it is a commitment you are making toward some sort of personal goal.  I will lose weight, be a better mother/father, be wiser with my money.  Of course, its a good thing to want to better yourself in health, family, finances.  Those are my resolutions, too!   I want to also make sure to look at my spiritual life and ask God what it is He wants for me this year and be willing to listen and follow when that is revealed.  I suppose you could call it a "Godsolution!"  I'm a nerd, I know!   If you are my sister or brother in Christ, you know following God is more than making some sort of commitment at the beginning of each year and slowly falling away from it by February.  It is a lifelong!  Ask God how you can be His hands and Feet to this lost world.  What selfish desires can you set aside for the Kingdom?  This has been a struggle for me because it is easy to get caught up in the petty things of my life.  This is a dangerous place to be.  I can't be working for God while I'm lounging on the couch all day feeling sorry for myself.  I hope you will join me in this and hold me accountable!  I pray your 2013 is full of God's riches and blessings!