If we win, we'll praise Him. If we lose, we'll praise him still. I'm going to resolve to give God everything I've got."
-from Facing the Giants
The count down to New Years begins. Every year, starting after Christmas, I go back the the previous New Years and read all my journal entries to date. It's a time of reflection and evaluation and remembrance. I found myself incredibly discouraged last night as I began to read and notice that I seem to be in the exact same place I was last year...afraid of the future, worried about support, unsure of what God was going to do. I wrote to my best friend in Korea and she responded with some good food for thought. Two things stuck out the most 1) God's faithfulness and goodness are not defined by the fulfillment of our expectations, and 2) Seasons repeat but our ability to handle them changes and increases.
I stopped reading to soon last night. If I had continued one more page (which I did today!) I would have seen hundreds of beautiful threads of faithfulness begin to appear. Although the struggles in my personal life never ceased, ministry grew in ways I never dreamed and fathomed. And through both highs and lows, I grew and changed.
I had no idea the gloomy and hopeless 2009 New Year what 2010 would bring. It turned out to be the greatest and most defining year of my life. I got to TASTE and see that the Lord is good. So...
Let us praise him for the million great things: Global Xpress growth, new staff and volunteers, conference's and teaching workshops, VBS's and outreach programs, and a million other amazing moments.
Secondly, please join me in starting off 2011 with 30 days of prayer for His financial provision and change in my personal life. You can pray or you can fast or do whatever the Lord leads you to do. Feel free to share verses or words or pictures the Lord gives you along the way. Let's pray that all hearts, mine as well as those who are or will be giving, will be willing and open to learn the lessons He is teaching us along the way.
1 comment:
The Lord has worked wonders for global xpress as well as for you my friend. The New Year = new challenges, new heights and depths, new experiences, old lives to impact in new ways, and most of all loves that grow deeper and more obvious in small ways. Here's to old promises of the Lord becoming new to you. Love you C.
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