From my Facebook Page - A Courageous Heart (12/31/13)
New Year's Eve is for many, a day of reflection and a day of anticipation.
As I take one last look back at the year that's been, my thoughts turn to all that God has brought our family through. It's been a year of tears, trial and difficulty in ways we could never have imagined last January 1st.
BUT,
it's also been a year of great JOY and tremendous blessing.
God chose to allow us to walk through dark days - not alone, but led by His hand and He showed us beauty in the darkness.
He chose to take my Mother home to him, and he chose to add a special young man to our small family.
He chose to challenge me with a new work, a new journey and he chose to grow my husband and daughter in ways they never saw coming.
ALL joy!
Looking ahead to next year, I was challenged to find a verse to be my focus and as God would have it, it fell in my lap this morning as I did my quiet time.
Isaiah 43 is a chapter of immense reassurance and great promise. What I really love there is how the Lord lists all that He has done to rescue the Israelites and recounts His amazing promise to rescue them still.
But verse 18 tells us to "forget all that" because "it is nothing compared to what I am going to do" Wow!
That takes my breath away when I apply it to my life this past year and see His hand and his goodness on display even in the midst of pain.
And it gets better!
In verse 19 He says -
"For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."
and in verse 20b -
"...Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland
so my chosen people can be refreshed."
I don't know where your journey has taken you this year, but I know that I look forward to his river of refreshing. To this "new thing" that He's "already begun".
My prayer is that whatever it is, that it bring honor and glory to Him and Him alone.
Happy New Year friends, I'll be praying for you this year.
Praying that God takes you on an amazing journey as He does new and wonderful things in your lives.
~~With a Courageous Heart,
Robin
Thanks Robin, for being so in tune with God's Word. That is just what I needed to hear this evening. Blessings to you and yours this New Year and always.
ReplyDeleteSo glad it spoke to you Lynn. Thanks for always being a blessing to me!
DeleteRobin! This is fantastic and speaks to me so clearly. I really appreciate your transparency and honesty in your writing; you need to continue to dig into that! What an awesome verse from Isaiah - please keep writing and stay in touch!
ReplyDeleteMatt, thank you so much for the encouragement (and the re-tweet too) Don't know where the journey is taking me, but it's compelling and God won't allow me to refuse it anymore. It's all about 'trust' isn't it? :)
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