Reflection on the New Year – January 2018

The old year has gone, yet I’ve hardly noticed. I am already so ensconced in the ‘new’ one that it already seems old. Barely just over half way through the first month, and it feels as if we have been in 2018 for EVER.

Yet, I carry within me the memories and habits of an old year. I wonder how – if – they will become ‘new’; or will I just carry on doing the same old, same old?

So I look back, again, at the ‘old’. The old year was full of friendship and fun but also, if I am honest, what seems like a lot of STRIVING.  What seems like a lot of Hard Work.

For I value friends and family and the fun they bring more than I can say. Heart friends are in my DNA: I cannot live without them. I long to linger over dinner, share sorrows in cups of tea or glasses of wine, giggle with glee and a cup of cold coffee... and make opportunities for this to happen. I invite and arrange and organise.

I find it hard to just BE.

I suspect many of us are like this. Many of us are activitists and doers.  Go-getters and grabbers, snatching at snippets of socialization. Secretly dreading desertion or discouragement, refusals and rejection. Trying to make sure that we stay protected with others’ approval and love.

Unwilling to step out, only baring our souls in safety.

Nothing wrong with that, of course. We need to be wise who we share with, who we open up to. Yet, elusively, I can’t help feeling that I need to find a better way.

Bonnie Gray(Whispers of Rest)  writes in timely manner: “When you return to a place of peace in Jesus’ arms of love and complete understanding, your heart will open like petals to the sunlight. And in that place of rest, your heart will hear God’s gentle whisper to do as you feel prompted with His hand in yours. HIS LOVE WILL GIVE YOU COURAGE TO DO WHAT YOU MUST DO.”

Chrystal Evans Hurst has some wise words at www.incourage.me:

“I had to own my story in order to fix my story.

It takes one brave chick to admit that her life is not quite shaping up to be the life she envisioned. It takes courage to assess your disappointment, realize where you’ve been disenchanted, and identify the source of your distress.

It’s human nature to hide our shortcomings, disappointments, and mistakes. We tend to avoid the truth of our vulnerability, of our lack of control, of the pain of our predicament.

But without confession and admittance of pain, true restoration and healing cannot begin.

Can I encourage you to own your story? Will you choose to be honest about your pain and seek help and healing? As much as you may not want to stop or pause the ride of your life to do so, here’s what I can tell you for sure — whatever has happened in your life, good, bad, or ugly — you have survived. You are still here. Honor your life by being honest about your story and then taking brave steps to get whatever help you need to heal.”

I may not feel as if I need to ‘heal’, but I do. So looking back on the pain can prepare us for the future....

So...

REFLECT

REST

BE REVITALIZED

Let’s rediscover our gifts:

“One thing is for sure…God has created you with a distinct purpose in mind. He’s given you something only you can give to the world.

Friends, my prayer for you today is that you’ll begin to see the gifts inside you. That someone in your life will see those gifts in you and encourage you to share your gifts with others.

And if you see a hidden gem of beauty — a special gift — inside someone else, tell them today. Be the one who gives the gift of encouragement to those around you. Indeed, encouragement is one of the kindest gifts we can give.”  Denise J Hughes at Incourage.me

One word for 2018....

Always a challenge, this. To think of a word to focus on, remember it AND, the biggest challenge of all: put it into practice.
Lisa over at LisaNotes has three steps to help, Reposting them here:

"3 STEPS TO CHOOSE ONE WORD

1. N – Notice God’s messages

Pay attention. God is already at work in you, doing new things, preparing you for new things.

Are you hearing repetitive messages on a specific theme lately? Does a particular song touch you deeper than others? Have you been drawn to a certain book or author?

God can work through any of these avenues. Dig out a single word among those messages. Stay present to his wisdom. It’s not something you sweat over, but something you notice and receive. Accept what comes without having to understand it fully. God will reveal more when the time is right.

• Quiet down and just be   
• Don’t believe everything you think
• God stays the same every day
• Who will open the door today?

2. O – Only one thing

Keep your focus narrow. It’s better to give your full attention to one main word or concept than be distracted by a hundred little resolutions. Be most attentive to one thing at a time. This thing. At this time. With this person.

Your one word choice doesn’t have to be profound or complex. Keep it simple and relevant to this season of your life. It’s a step, not the complete journey.

When you welcome whatever comes in this one day—accepting it as your reality and being with it (even if it’s something that needs to change in the next moment)—you stay most in the presence of God. Once you own it now, he’ll guide you what to do with it next.

• Welcome whatever comes today
• In-between moments are enough
• Linger here—God’s timing is perfect
• Be today who you want to be forever

3. W – Withdraw anticipated outcomes

Release expectations now of where your one word will take you later. Let go of a specific outcome you may have in mind.

When you lay out too detailed a specific future (or conversely, linger too much in times past), you’re less alive for times present. Yes, still plan for the future (thankfully, because I love to plan!), but hold those plans loosely.

There’s no way you can predict how God will use your word. Just know this: God will honor your intentions to honor him through it. Trust that his grace will be enough.

Today is when God moves and where grace lives.

• Find grace in today (how to handle anxiety)
• Mercy is new every day. We are, too.
• Fast from the past to feast in the now
• Using the past and future wisely

Pray about receiving your word from God, then hand it right back to him.

Let him embed it into your life one relationship at a time, one day at a time, one situation at a time.

He knows what he’s doing. Now."

Ah.

I think my one word this year might be.....drum roll......GENEROUS!

Generous...in what, with what?

Money comes to mind, of course. I've been working on that one for some time.

Time: not such an issue. Generally, I'll happily give other people time, when I can, particularly if time is needed to provide a listening ear.

But attitude...well, that will be a challenge.

New Year, New Year's Resolution

Well, I'm not too sure of the provenance of this, but I quite liked the advice....

"Short and Simple

To make a New Year's resolution I'll remember, it has to be short and simple. It has to be something meaningful that motivates me, while instantly reminding me of things I need to do to become a better Christian.

If you're like me, we need a resolution that's more like a concept, rather than resolving to change specific behaviors.

A Broad Motivational Concept
Love is a broad motivational concept that involves every aspect of life.

Jesus tells us that the great commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. And the second command is to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mk. 12:30-31).

Paul tells us, "Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law" (Rom. 13:10). "Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails" (1 Cor. 13:4-8).

If we love God more, we'll become a better Christian. As a better Christian, we'll improve in every relationship -- we'll become better people, in every way.

Every Christian Can Love God More
Have you thought about the fact that you can love God more today than yesterday?

In Paul's prayer for the Philippians, he revealed that they could love God more. He prayed that their love would "abound still more" (Phil. 1:9). Their love was abounding, but it could abound more and more and more. . . .

There is never a time we can't love God more. Therefore, there is never a time we can't become a better Christian.

Love God More: Increase in Knowledge and Discernment
In Paul's prayer for the Philippians, he reveals how we love God more. He prayed that their love would "abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment" (Phil. 1:9).

Our love for God grows when we increase in true knowledge. "True knowledge" in this verse isepignosis, which results in spiritual maturity as we grow through God's word.

Peter tells us to "long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation" (1 Pet. 2:2). Growing in the word of God, he says "in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 1:5-8).

To love God more, we must grow through His word. The more we grow through God's word, the more we love God as we're "rooted and grounded in love" (Eph. 3:17).

Love God More: Obedience with a Positive Attitude
"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome" (1 Jn. 5:3).

If we love God more this year, we'll make fewer mistakes while also becoming a better Christian. And, we'll have a better attitude toward obeying God.

A Simple New Year's Resolution: Love God More
Have you thought about loving God more?

• What can you do to improve your knowledge of God's word, and love Him more?
• What would change, if you loved God more?
• Is there anyone who doesn't need to love God more this year?

Whether you're thinking about making a New Year's resolution or setting a goal, think about loving God more through better knowledge of His word. You'll become a better Christian, if you do."

So, simples. Love God more by studying His word. The Bible. Read it. More. And more.

Simples.

2014. First day.

A beautiful beginning to the year....

Bob pens these words:

"Fresh start Jan 1. New Year ReSubmissions

Scripture: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit;’ whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow” (James 4:13-14a).

Word of Expectation: As we enter a new year, let’s balance our optimism with submission to God. There is a difference between faith in what God will do, and presumption about what we will do. James advises us to tone down our confident plans and more humbly resolve, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that” (James 4:15). Think back over the year that is ending. What did God do that you could not have planned or foreseen on January 1, 2013? What blessings did He bring? What difficulties did He bring? Let’s be very aware today that the year to come belongs to the Lord. Let’s begin the year with a heart attitude of expectancy as we walk through each day and week in submission to our loving and sovereign Lord.

Prayer: Father, as I begin this new year, I acknowledge that you have given me the responsibility to make choices. Help me to do so with the awareness that You are ultimately in control. I surrender afresh to Your good purpose for my life. Amen."

And Wendy Blight focuses on one of my favourite passages in Romans:
“During this first week of January, many of us will begin anew. New diets and exercise regiments. New Bible studies and reading plans. New organization and time management routines.

We’ll commit to break bad habits, restore broken relationships, and be “better” people.

We call these New Year’s resolutions. I confess. I’ve made more than my fair share of these in the last 25 years.

But most, like me, soon forget our good-intended resolutions. We mean well. But life gets busy. We return to our old habits. To that which is comfortable and doesn’t require so much sacrifice.

I want something better. Something new.

What about you?

Will you join me in doing a new thing this year?

Let’s begin the very best place we can … God’s Word. Romans 12:1-2 says,

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering … Fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it … God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” (The Message)

Using this passage, let’s write a New Year’s Prayer. But not just any prayer. Reread Romans 12:1. There is a powerful little word tucked in that first sentence. Paul tells us to take our lives and place them before God as an offering.

Together, let’s make a New Year’s offering.

We can make all the resolutions we want, but we can’t change ourselves. But when we willingly offer our lives to God, He will change us. The NIV translation of Romans 12:2 says, “…be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The renewing of our mind requires inward change and comes from God at work in us. It requires diligence on our part. It requires changing our thoughts, our priorities, and goals to be aligned with those of Christ.

It’s baby steps. And it doesn’t require changing everything all at once.

Let’s begin today with our first step … a simple prayer, offering our hearts to God.

How do we do this?

We’re going to write a prayer together. I’ll start. You finish.

Heavenly Father, I praise You this day as Elohim, God my Creator. You are the Author of my life. You are the Strength of my heart and my Portion forever. You are all I need. My heart’s desire in this New Year is to grow closer to You. In knowing You better, I will know myself more because my identity is found in You.

I want to become a woman after Your own heart. God, I ask You to help me each day carve out time to spend with You. Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, a heart to receive, and a mind to understand all that You will teach me. Make my heart tender to hear Your voice each time I meet with You.

Take Your Word and penetrate my heart. Create a hunger deep inside my soul for more and more of You. May nothing else satisfy me more than You.

Give me a heart of humility. If there is anything in me that keeps me from hearing You, reveal it to me. Convict me. Move me to confession. Cleanse my heart and renew a right spirit within me so I can be in perfect fellowship with You.

Fill my heart with Your truth. Plant it deep so that it takes root. Move me. Change me. Transform me. Empower me to live out what I hear and learn.

Every day of this New Year, make my life one long walk of obedience in response to Your Word and Your Holy Spirit Who lives and reigns in me. Let Your love and Your Word shape my life. This is my prayer offering. I ask this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Now let’s commit together to pray our prayer throughout the year … asking God to change us from the inside out … in baby steps.

And finally, some precious words from Isaiah:
This is what the Lord says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, “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.

Christmas. Fifth day. A word for 2014: joy!

I am wondering if my word for this year should be joy, in the hope that I will experience it more this year. 
Michelle LaChapell had written an interesting post: she says

"all of us long to be the apple in someone’s eye, or experience moments of consolation after long desolate journeys. We were actually made to crave it and be nourished by it - by JOY. That is what gives us the strength to journey on and live the life we were made to live. It’s what helps life make sense. And, while joy is built through relationship with others, it is ultimately built through our relationship with God. Joy grows between us and God through shared moments. It happens as we set our eyes on him and find his smile. Over time we develop an ongoing sense of well-being learned through the goodness of God."

Mary had that Joy. Would

that have been her baby's name

had the child been born a girl?

As Jesus grew, did she gain joy

through every precious shared moment?

20 Questions for a New Year’s Reflection

1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?
2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?
3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?
4. What was an unexpected obstacle?
5. Pick three words to describe 2012.
6. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe your 2012—don’t ask them; guess based on how you think your spouse sees you. (If you’re not married, have fun guessing the answers from other friends and family, or just skip this question.)
7. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe their 2012—again, without asking.
8. What were the best books you read this year?
9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?
10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?
11. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?
12. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?
13. In what way(s) did you grow physically?
14. In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?
15. What was the most enjoyable part of your work (both professionally and at home)?
16. What was the most challenging part of your work (both professionally and at home)?
17. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?
18. What was the best way you used your time this past year?
19. What was biggest thing you learned this past year?
20. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2012 for you.

Happy reflecting!

Choosing in 2013

Christmas is over, but the message of Jesus' coming isn't: because Jesus IS THE GIFT. Jesus IS Christmas. Jesus "still comes, no matter what. He comes to free us from the failure of our lives, from the broken promises that seem to define us. He says, ‘I saw you in your need. And I still see you. I am restoring all you thought was lost, all you have grieved and left behind. For with Me, all things are new.’” (Adapted from The God Who Sees You by Tammy Maltby)

And there is a lot of inspiration flying around regarding New Year's resolutions. I've never been a huge fan: after all, every day is a new beginning - but still, a new year is as good a time as any to take stock and revisit hopes, aspirations, aims and goals.

Tammy Maltby suggests a list of things to give up:

1. Comparison to others life gifts or things
2. Blaming anyone’s choices for mine
3. Controlling people for my comfort and ease
4. Unforgiveness towards others or myself
5. Excuses for the consequences of my choices
6. Unkindness towards anyone at anytime for any reason
7. Impatience with the process of life and weakness in others
8. Fear that God has overlooked me

And a list of things to embrace:
Trusting a loving God’s promises to take all that was meant for my harm and turn it to good. Peace.

Dear Ayla has reminded me how good and useful it is to choose one word for the year. Last year my 'one word' was kindness. Aka loving mercy. It was a good word to have. I think, on the whole, my kindness account appreciated in value. The word helped me to choose to respond kindly, even when/especially when I didn't feel like it.

Not sure what my word should be this year. Whitney over at Good Morning Girls chooses Christ, quoting Joshua's wonderful declaration “…then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…
But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15. This verse has long been a personal and family choice.

Lisa chooses Jesus. I love how she says "one concrete goal is to live out a different discipline each month, beginning in January with Vision—The practice of waking up to God. To become more like Jesus, to love Jesus more, to love others more through Jesus.
I’m aware that planning can only be a rough draft for living, yes? How the Spirit will choose to blow through will surely surprise me, as he always does.
But with Jesus beside me and in me, even when it’s hard, it’s all good, and even when I can’t see it, it’s all grace. That’s Jesus."

Yet my word, in Jesus, has to be forgiveness. He is my example and my inspiration, my model and my hero. For he had far, far more to forgive than I. He did so with GRACE. 

So I am 'cheating' slightly this year. Yes, I want to add forgiveness to kindness. But I will only be able to do that with His grace. 

Grace. Gracious. Graciousness. Graceful. Grace-filled conversations. Grace-filled actions. Grace.

The New Year

Spurred on by a request to share a thought about the New Year at a gathering of friends tomorrow evening, I found this reflection by Kathy at In Quiet Places. Her story of writing devotional thoughts after her children had grown up mirrors my own dreams...
This year, I dare to dream of writing more.
I'm not a fan of New Year celebrations - every day is a new beginning in my book - but just as Christmas affords an opportunity to look back and reflect on the year past, summarising our lives into a hopefully-not-too-boring-Christmas letter, so the New Year is a spur to considering the future.
This year, Mary de Muth has challenged me to ask God for a picture.
This year, I 
Then another post about praying for strangers. What a challenge.  Could I, too, pray for a different stranger every day FOR A YEAR?  Could I? Just pray a blessing of goodness and mercy and peace and love and joy - how difficult would that be?  Surely not.
And then I came across a post entitled The Selfish Christmas Prayer by Sarah Markley
Wow.
This is her prayer for Christmas. I want it to be mine for this New Year:

Lord, make me scared 

that others are hungry and let me seek to feed them. 

Let me be fearful 

that others do not have enough and let me try and meet needs. 

Lord, make me more worried 

that others are loved and cared for than if I am loved. Let me be anonymous in my giving and unnamed in my helping. Let it be Your name that is used.

Selfish as it may seem, 

don’t just feed the hungry this season 

but instead change me. 

Work on me:

let me focus on the changing of my own heart so that in that,

I might help to serve the world.

And I started off this whole New Year idea with the words of a familiar song by Glen Campbell - here it is sung by the Statler brothers: 

Let me be a little kinder
Let me be a little blinder
To the faults of those about me
Let me praise a little more
Let me be when I am weary
Just a little bit more cheery
Think a little more of others
And a little less of me

Let me be a little braver
When temptation bids me waver
Let me strive a little harder
To be all that I should be

Let me be a little meeker
With the brother that is weaker
Let me think more of my neighbor
And a little less of me

Let me be when I am weary
Just a little bit more cheery
Let me serve a little better
Those that I am strivin' for...

So, as I opened an email this morning, I found this quote (again - it came from a different source yesterday) from Isaiah, “Do not call to mind the former things or ponder things of the past. Behold I will do something new. Will you not be aware of it? I will even make rivers in the desert, roadways in the wilderness.” (43:18-19).
Something new in this new year.

New Year's Resolutions

Although I believe that EVERY day, not just January 1st, is a new beginning, New Year is still a great time to take stock and evaluate. As a family, we each write a New Year's Prayer, put them away in a special jar and then get them out in a year's time. It is wonderful to read of God's faithfulness to us.

However, I like the idea of writing a prayer to begin the year which I can then look back on frequently as the year progresses, as an encouragement to keep on going. Wendy Blight talks about how to do this on her blog. I'm starting to read the Bible in a year, so I'm writing it here as a sign of that commitment - it'll be harder to get out of now! Maybe I should pray for some self-discipline here...