April 2

I can't believe it's been a year since I lost my friend.

This spiral daily devotionals that sits on my kitchen countertop has not been changed since this day last year.

It was one of those things I just couldn't make myself do.

The devotional for April 2 speaks of being weary 

and crying out to Jesus.

This quote kept me coming back to re-read this devotional...

"Jesus is the One who takes my shriveled-up self and breathes life into me.  Without Him, I am empty. Only when I lay myself down, when I give Him my worries and fears and anxieties [and grief] ... 

can I finally be full.

It has been a journey of grief, anger, and confusion, but God has been faithful. He never left my side. I always felt His love. He patiently waited for me to return to Him and allow Him to be 

my strength and my refuge. 

Psalm 92:15

"The Lord is just; He is my ROCK..."

Psalm 91 became Carroll's anchor after so much loss in her life.

"Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  This I declare about the Lord: 

He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; 

He is my God, and I trust Him."

Carroll lived out those promises. She held onto God's Word and relied on His strength through all the battles in her world.

Today she is sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to Steve sing praises to our Lord and loving on her daughter and mom.

She was my friend for 32 years.  

She taught me so much.

She prayed for me.

She cheered me on when I struggled to think straight.

She encouraged me as I taught Bible studies.

She couldn't laugh without crying.  I always loved that.

She was a mighty Prayer Warrior.

She loved to have fun and I can still see her smile and her eyes shining as she stepped into her new home with all new furnishings.

She was like a little girl at Christmas.

I'm so glad she had those moments of JOY.

Oh, how I miss her!

So many others are missing her today.

She was a good friend to many.

Forever in my heart!

 

Who Will I Become in 2025?

That truly is the question I am facing on this New Years Day.

I know what I have been.

I know what I want to be.

But am I willing to surrender this year to the Lord and allow Him to make me what He has prepared for me in 2025?

I still feel weary from 2024.  Do I have the strength of spirit to yield my weary self to Jesus?

When I take a moment to look back, I can say the past 5 years have been hard.  

But none of us are guaranteed a happy or easy year in 2025.

We are guaranteed His presence, His guidance, and His strength and I am reminded that is how I am still standing.

I'm sitting in my chair this morning sipping hot tea because I have a sore throat and an achey body and realizing that, ready or not, we are back to a new beginning. 

I usually love new beginnings - but I confess that I often struggle getting past the starting block because I am consumed with all the "wrongs" in my spirit, soul and body- too many things to work on. 

I overthink and decide that I don’t have enough time in the day and I'm too far gone. 

I offer myself no GRACE and suddenly it’s March!

It has taken too many years for me to realize that this is a place the enemy sneaks in with his attacks –telling me that I don’t have what it takes to live intentionally – paralyzing me with his lies. 

Do you find yourself believing the lies just when you think you are ready to get moving into the New Year?

For many years I have turned to the spiritual practice of asking the Lord for one WORD that would be a focal point for the year - a word I could lean into - a word that the Lord could use to grow and refine you. 

For me, it made more sense than making new years resolutions.

It is about living life with purpose.

It is about asking God for a Word that will guide us into intentional living.

When He gives the Word, He will show you how to lean into that word through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit throughout the whole year.

If you don’t have a Word, seek the Lord.  

His WORD tells us that when we seek Him, we will find Him.  He will never hide from you – He wants to hear from you and He wants to answer you.

I start asking in the Fall, but there have been times that I finally hear His whisper in December or even January.  No matter, it is a practice of waiting and listening.

I love that the word is His chosen and custom designed word for me in 2025.

Sometimes the word is hard and, admittedly, I have argued with Him about the word. I have rebelled against the word.  But finally come to realize that His plan to use that hard word is to focus me on Him and help me to become more like Him.

After receiving my word, I usually have a leather cuff made with my word on it so I can wear it daily and see that word all day long.

These leather cuffs represent about 12 years of my life. 

There are a few missing from this pic and there are a couple that the Lord saw fit to continue into the next year.

If you look closely you will see the word WAIT.

I wore that cuff for 3 years.  The Lord had something to teach me about waiting and it took 3 years and counting. 

This year my word is JOY.

I’ve been low on JOY for a couple of years.

In 2025 I am praying that I will be intentional to live into the meaning of HIS JOY and what it should look like in my everyday life- giving and receiving Joy and teaching me through His Word.

WARNING: Don’t allow this practice to become legalistic or high pressure.

This is the practice I have found that works for me.  It doesn't have to be for you.

Just relax and ask the Lord to show you how to live your life with intentionality in 2025.  

To me that means never wasting a moment - good or bad - easy or hard- always pointing it all back to Jesus.

In future posts I will be sharing how God is using my word and I would love to hear your word or what other ways He is getting you ready for a year of Intentional Living for Him.