Last blog of 2013. Wow. I am in shock and awe that another year is coming to a close. How does that happen? Seems like just yesterday I was getting out the St. Julian’s and walking into the living room to watch the ball drop with my best friends. Oh, so much has happened and changed since then. As I flip through the pages of my journey, reminiscing all God’s taught me this year, I can’t help but stop and miss some of those moments.
You see, most often in life we are anxious to end one season and enter into the next. We have the “out with the old and in with the new” mindset. We can’t wait to jump into the next season – graduate, get married, have a baby, land your dream job, and become empty nesters. Whatever it might we, we forget too quickly where we have come from and the ground that was covered.
Being away from home this holiday season has brought a lot into perspective for me. You truly don’t know what you have until it is missing. Everyone I love the most on the planet is a world away, and a deeper appreciation for them has grown in my heart that wasn’t there before. Love those in your life. Tell them how much you do each opportunity you can. Hug their necks and never let the sun set with anger in your heart. Don’t get frustrated in the small things. Value the differences you share and let them teach you something. LAUGH when things go wrong; trust me, you will have a happier year.
As you jump into this New Year, I want to encourage you with a few things to keep in mind:
Cherish the past. A lot of us want to forget our past ever happened, much less cherish it. But I challenge you to remember the ways God moved in your life in the years behind you. Maybe you faced hardships, but perhaps those made you stronger. Maybe you found and lost love, but at least you learned how to open up your heart to someone. Where we have been is very important to where we are going. The lessons we learned and mountains we climbed are worth reflecting on. Sometimes we cannot truly see the beauty in our lives until the moments have passed. Although we don’t need to live in the past or focus on regret, we should know that God allows us to walk through difficulties to bring us to a place of sweet brokenness where He can build us into something new. I have had many seasons in my short life so far. Some were wonderful and left me feeling like life was all cake and ice cream. Others were burdensome and left my heart empty, shattered and hopeless. Either way, they have all played a part in bringing me to this very, exact moment. Remember all He has done for you in your past and how He’s used it all – good and bad – to make you the person you are today.
Value the present. Often times, for me specifically, we are looking towards the future so much we miss the little miracles that take place each day. We are worrying about if we will get a job after we graduate, who will we marry (if ever), will we make good parents, can we afford this new house, what will we do with our lives, and ultimately, do we have what it takes for any of these? So much of our time is spent stressing about things that haven’t even happened. This is real in our lives on the race. With the halfway point just being reached, everyone is talking about “What will you do after the World Race?” a scary and weighty question to be asked. If not careful, my mind can begin to worry about my future. All the while, I am missing TODAY! Fantasizing about the future never brings fulfillment cause fantasy isn’t reality. Each day brings new joys and new pains, but if you make your focus on getting all you can out of it, it’s amazing how your perspective will change. His Presence is bright, and if you let Him, He will infuse you with His radiance EACH day you open yourself to it. Live in the moment. They are quickly fading and may never repeat themselves.
“Let your eyes look right on, with fixed purpose, directly forward on
My face and let your gaze be straight before you.”
Embrace the future. The thing we often fear the most is the future. The unknown is a scary place that most of us are afraid to step into. We tiptoe into it worried we will make the wrong move or decision. Many times we never embrace anything to the fullest out of fear. We don’t want to age. Our society has mastered the art of staying young. We have creams and procedures to prevent any signs of aging. No one really wants to grow up. We rarely see the gain in each coming year. We often fail to believe that our futures are vibrant and full of hope. If you allow your heart to fall into trust, you will see that the True Light is already shining into your future, preparing all things you will need in that moment. No matter what bumps are in the road ahead, at least we can find comfort in the fact that we have an eternity of strife-free living reserved for us in heaven. Keep bringing your mind back to heaven. Let that hope fill your thoughts today, knowing that your future is being laid out before you, step by step, as you walk in confidence with the Father.
So here’s to 2014! Whether you are where you thought you would be, or you are doing what you thought you would be doing at this point in your life, leave that in 2013. You aren’t alone. Most of us are in the same boat. But let’s drop our expectations this year on where we are “supposed” to be and let God take us where we are “meant” to be.
~ Embrace where you are today and take the chances you’ve been holding back on.
~ Love like you have never been hurt.
~ Forgive and make things right with those you need to – life really is too short.
~ Open your heart to new things like you have never failed.
~ Enjoy the mundane days and make them memorable.
~ CHANGE – we cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are.
~ Celebrate the moments that you have shared, whether good or bad,
they have made you who you are today.
~ Be YOURSELF – you have a magic about yourself that is only your own.
~ LAUGH – if nothing else happens in 2014, laugh more than you ever have
because life is beautiful, even in it’s brokenness, there is MUCH to have joy about.
