A year to watch for

A week or so ago our senior pastor asked us, as a collective group of staff, if we were more on fire for God than we have ever been- if we were closer to God than we have ever been....and he wanted an answer right there on the spot. No time for self reflection, no time to make justifications in my mind- just an outright answer.

I gave an answer and after staff meeting I started really thinking about that question. During this season of the year people are doing a lot of new years resolutions, goal setting, vision statements, etc. This is the prime time for me to reflect on my current relationship with My God to really see where it is. Where is the scale and who is the judge? Where is the checklist (I love checklists!!) that I can go down and add up my answers to find out what animal type I am, personality type I am, or where on the "closeness to God" scale I am? Here is a secret I discovered and I am going to share with you- there isn't a checklist.......

I am elated to say that I am there. I am honestly closer and more in love with My God than I have ever been. At first, after answering Tom's questions, I began doubting myself. There is no doubt in my mind why I started doubting- Satan started working over time immediately. He doesn't want us be completely in love and sold out for God. He doesn't want God to move in our families, churches or relationships. He wants to give us a spirit of fear, doubt, shame, resentment- you name it and anything bad you can think of is what Satan wants for our lives.

Satan didn't want me outwardly or inwardly admitting my love and complete adoration for Jesus. He was perfectly happy with me keeping it to myself as long as I didn't do too much self reflection. He knows that our joy is contagious. Our love is contagious. Our adoration for Jesus can be contagious and that scares Satan to death!

When I look back at pictures from this year I know that I am blessed beyond what I could have ever imagined. I know that I am right where I need to be and I am expecting amazing things for this year. God has put me in my place. Over the last year I have seen struggles- not only in my life but the life of my family, church family, neighbors, etc. I am not intending to make it sound like I have just been living on a cloud of unreality and completely out of touch. The tough times have been around this year. However, I am saying that those tough times have only given me more fuel to continue living this amazing and blessed life God has given me. Those tough times have given me a greater understanding of what is truly important. Those tough times have strengthened the relationships in my life including my marriage and my relationships with my children.

I know that Brian would agree with me when I say that we are blessed- and I don't say that casually. I sincerely mean that we are blessed. We are blessed having experienced the good and tough times. As I look at the pictures I get to see all of the reasons that have brought me to where I am in my relationship with My God. I get to see the family that surrounds me. The husband who supports me, holds me up when I just want to fall and encourages me to be the very best. I get to see the precious babies that God has allowed me to have- oh how they are a true gift from him. The church family whose testimonies and love for our family just leaves me silent and feeling so grateful.

No new years resolutions for me this year. I am making a declaration. This year is going to knock our socks off. Brasen is going to be healed (with or without a kidney transplant- all in God's will and totally taken care of). Alex is going to really start coming into her own and I pray that I can be that example of a woman that she needs to see. Elijah is just going to start taking off and experiencing the world around him. Brian is going to be blessed at his job and with unbelievable health. As for me- I am on a journey this year. True health- spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally- you name it and I am there. I want our family to be able to serve God to the absolute best of my ability. I want to be able to say that because of what God is doing in my life I am able to be a better wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend.....the list goes on. I want my love for Jesus to be contagious. Not in a weird way but truly contagious. I want people to see our family and be changed because of what God is doing in our lives- it's going to happen- this year is going to be a year of having a teachable spirit and an eagerness to be changed-

Jeremiah 29:11 "I know the plans I have for you: plans to proser you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"

Here we go~