Happy New Year Friends & Fam!
I can’t believe 2019 is here! I love the New Year – it is filled with excitement, new energy, focus, to-do’s, goals, inspiration, new ideas and dreams, new perspectives and it is also a time of reflection. Reflection is a big part of my relationship with God. A dear friend once shared this with me: it is when we look behind us that we see how the presence of God is evident and never ending; it can be seen in the present moments, sometimes, but its when we stop and look back in awe that we realize he is always moving in our lives and that He is with us.
This New Years I celebrated with close friends. As we rang in the new year with cheers and dancing and laughing I couldn’t help but stay a little longer, dance a little crazier, laugh longer, sing louder, hug tighter and keep my eyes closed a little longer, just to soak in every moment.
This holiday season was different for me. As I sat around and celebrated with my family and friends, it started to sink in that next Christmas I will be with my team halfway across the world. This is such a bitter sweet reality for me, and it is one I think about everyday. It gives me hope and excitement of all the good to come, but it also reminds me that there is soon a goodbye coming. Im learning to embrace this reality for the goodness of it and remind myself that the fear that the devil tries to trip me with is a liar. I am so thankful for such a solid support of people beside me and I am always reminded how loved I am and that I wont do this alone.
Each year I pray and choose a word I feel God challenging me with. In 2018 the word was “Surrender”. He challenged me to surrender control, fear, doubt, lies, dreams, hopes — everything. I learned SO much. I learned that: He really IS who he says He is, that He is faithful, that there is true joy and freedom and peace when we let go. There were for sure the bumps, the wrong terms, the detours, stubbornness, mess-ups and failures, BUT right there was grace, forgiveness, vision, direction, open doors, a new start and unconditional undeserved LOVE. It was a year of growth – in relationship with Jesus, with others, and as an individual. It was a year of embracing seasons. It was a year of amazing opportunity, experiences, memories and lessons i’ll cherish. I am so thankful for 2018 and I wouldn’t have traded the lessons I learned, no matter how hard, for anything. I don’t have it all figured out, but day by day I’m still learning to surrender.
This years word God placed on my heart was “Learn”. I am feeling challenged to be like a sponge – to soak in places, sights, smells, cultures, lessons, moments, people, new things, and experiences. Each day I want to invite God in and say “what do you have for me to learn today?” — about others, about life, love, myself, and Him. Like every journey, it is going to be hard, but I am going to LEARN, and grow and stretch. I am so excited for what this next season holds and I am so excited to share it with YOU!
I challenge you to ask God what your word for this year could be — step out and take a step, saying “okay God, lets do this”, and you’ll be amazed at what happens. And if you think of it, send me a message or email about your word 🙂
Please keep my team and I in your prayers as we are all getting ready physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally and financially for the trip.
I couldn’t do this without you, and I am so blessed and grateful for the love and support. Thank you for doing life with me. It is going to be a great year 🙂
With Love,
Aves
