At the verge of a “new year”… what will I make of it??? December 31, seems to always bring out some sort of self-reflection… how about in you? The path I could see my life heading down a year ago is definitely not where I am now… love how God has His own idea, i.e. better plan, just around the corner, if we are willing to hear Him and follow!
The
Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my
deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield, and the horn
of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalms 18:2
There were many ups and downs in the past year, but I
believe what I choose to reflect on will also set the stage for the next year. Are you looking to “escape” from 2012? Do you only see the bad things that you never
want to see again? Let me share a couple
things that happened in my life this year… my mom has not been well for a
couple years. She spent multiple times
in the hospital this year… 2 of which were in the “behavioral ward.” I just kept praying for her and over her,
along with many prayer warriors… at times it really felt like God had abandoned
her, but deep down I knew that wasn’t true.
It really seemed like a nightmare at times, but I kept clinging to God’s
faithfulness… His Promises. My family
went through this together… we knew no matter what happened God would be our
strength to get through it! This I would
say would be a low point of my year… but without this low point I would never
recognize the high point . The high point
and what I am going to reflect on… Within the last few weeks my mom has made a
miraculous turnaround… my sisters and I had gone through the last year not
really having our mom, but now God has given her back to us! Lessons can be so
hard to learn but when you come out on the other side… it is so sweet!
Another thing that occurred in the past year… my dad was
diagnosed with stomach cancer. Even
through this diagnosis God had His hand print all over it! First of all, they diagnosed the cancer
before Dad really had any symptoms! Secondly, God had brought an incredible
doctor into the picture because of my mom’s illness… this doctor was the one
who caught the cancer before symptoms started! With all that my dad had been
dealing with regarding my mom… God gave him such peace… if Daddy was worried
about it, I never saw it. Dad went
through a month of radiation treatments without any real complications. Through all this there have been lives
touched… all the glory goes to God! But
without the low point of cancer there would never be the high
point of a cancer-free biopsy report a week before
Christmas!
I don’t share any of this to show you that my life is
anymore special than anyone else’s, but to encourage you that even though none
of us want to have the down moments of life… it is through those low times we
can experience the up moments! If life
was always the same… would we even recognize the miracles God is doing in us
and through us? I ask you to take a few
moments and ask God to shine His light on those special moments of 2012 in your
life… then give Him all the praise He so deserves! Maybe you are not on the other side of your
down time… praise Him and thank Him in advance for Who He is and what you know
He is doing!
Praying a blessedly prosperous New Year for you!
Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in
the sea and a path through the mighty waters,
“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:16, 18-19
“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:16, 18-19
Rejoicing in Truth!
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