The past couple of weeks, I have been sitting in a pile of thankful confetti. I pick up each piece of life from this past two years with mixed emotions. All in all, I come away from a very hard 2009-2010 with a more thankful heart than I have ever had before…so I wouldn’t trade it. In fact, I celebrate the difficult as well as the good from this past year. And right now…this very minute..I am taking every single piece of confetti–motley and colorful–and I am tossing it in the air with great, exuberant joy!
For the year is over.
And I have grown.
What I feared did not kill me.
What I anticipated did not always happen.
When I was needing direction, the Lord always gave it.
When I was trembling and scared, He held me.
When I was confused, He led me.
When I felt bereft, He filled me.
When I hit a wall…and I most certainly did…He caused me to scale that wall, baby.
And I cannot tell you how much I love a new day, a fresh page and wide-openness…I am running through fields of joy to it! I am throwing off the weight that hinders-physically (I have lost 50 pounds!), mentally (shedding those old tape recordings), emotionally (clinging with happiness to the great renewal that Jesus has done in my life) and spiritually (not getting caught up in the rules, but practising the Presence of God every moment and thrilling to the fact that as much as I want to get to know God, He wants me to know Him! Relationship without the fear of rejection…now that’s what I’m talking about!).
I have asked the Lord to give me some Words for the next year and these are what He gave to me: Resolve to Journey. Can you picture it? Moving forward with His motion, pressing on and deciding, daily choosing to be under God’s authority. Seeking and finding Jesus…staying in His Yoke.
I want resolve and not resolution. For resolution carries with it the present connotation of “I hope to do this!” But not really doing anything or going anywhere or growing.
Resolve, however, holds the original intent of a strong, determined, decision–a will to be willing.
Journey is the choice I have to go with God, wherever He leads. In that, I choose not to limit Him in my estimation by saying what I will not do, thus believing that He could not carry me through that place. For I know He can! For He has carried me through some places that before I would have said, “I could never do that.” Well, now I have. And He came with (as my friend Cassie used to say!).
Journeying with God is a choice to fully release control to Him and let Him lead me–for my good and because He has good intent towards me and for me. So I resolve to journey.
Resolve to Journey is a willingness to be soft clay in the Hand of God–desiring above all to become who God created me to be and fully realize that I am here for a purpose. That purpose is in partnership with my brother, Jesus, who calls me to journey with Him. And the best part of all? He likes me! He thinks the world of me. He is cheering me on. He is running the race by my side. He will not forsake–for any reason.
And that my friends is worth celebrating! Grab your confetti with me, consider the moments and times, and make them an offering to Jesus. Throw them all in the air! For a new year is on the march. And Jesus? Well, He’s right beside us. Happy New Year everybody. And thanks! Thanks for journeying with me. I cannot say it with enough emotion here, but I am thankful for you.
About Holly
Wonderfully said! Happy New Year Holly!
Thankful for you as well Holly. The depth and insight you have gained with Him in the hard places is beautiful and encouraging. Love what He is doing.
As He continues to peel back the layers, the freedom you feel is palpable. Your joy and faithfulness through the tough times must please Him so. Love reading your heart, Holly.
Beautiful words. Words that show that it is oh, so true that we learn far, far more in the valleys and the rough places than on the mountain tops and smooth places. Thank you for being so wiling to be open and transparent. It was a blessing to read and it spoke Truth in every word.