Happy New Year everyone! I can’t believe it’s already 2017. Last year flew by so fast. It’s crazy! It seems like yesterday I was on the phone with my CollegePlus coach, Jennifer, talking about my New Year’s resolutions for 2016. She recommended a book called My One Word. Instead of coming up with a bunch of goals for the new year, the book helps you pick one word and Bible verse to focus on during the year. I thought it was a good idea, and so I bought the book and tried it out.
My word for 2016 was PURSUE. I picked that word because I wanted 2016 to be a year where I pursued God and his kingdom. I wanted to finish school strong, and dive into the next season of my life with energy and passion. I wanted to try harder than ever before to build a relationship with God. I was going to read my Bible and pray enough. I was going to do all the right things.
But God had other plans for my word. Throughout my time on the World Race, God has turned my word around, and gave PURSUE a whole new meaning. I thought that 2016 would be a year where I pursued God. Instead, 2016 was a year where God pursued me.
He has shown me that, on my own, I can never be good enough. I can’t ever work my way into a relationship with him. I will never read my Bible enough or pray enough. In my own power, I can never be good enough to find my way into His presence.
However, He chooses to be near me. His love for me is so great, that all my shortcomings don’t matter. He wants me to be in his presence. He wants to talk to me. He wants to fight for me. There has never been a day since I said yes to Jesus where I have been away from the presence of God. So, I don’t need to work to be in the presence of God. I carry His presence with me wherever I go.
God has been so good to me this year. He has helped me grow in my understanding of His love for me, and has overwhelmed me with his mercy and grace. The Mallory who stepped out of 2016 last week is not the same Mallory who started the year twelve months ago. I am forever changed, but I know that there are even more changes in store for 2017. God was so faithful last year, and I know He has even greater things in store for this year.
I have a new word for 2017: SHOUT. I got it from Isaiah 40:9, “O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; Oh Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God!’.”
God has been talking to me about 2017. He’s been showing me who He wants me to be and what He wants me to do. The overarching theme is that 2017 will be a year where I walk in boldness, unafraid of what people think of me, and proclaim God’s truth. This year, I am going to shout God’s name from the mountaintops. I am so, so excited for 2017. I don’t really know what’s going to happen, but I know it will be an amazing adventure!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this blog! I know I say this at the end of every blog, but feel free to email me! I really love hearing from you all. I might not respond very quickly, but it still means the world to me. My prayer today is that all of you have a blessed 2017, and that it will be a year where you experience God’s love and mercy in new and amazing ways.
Grace Be With You,
Mallory
