Welcome to 2014

Welcome to 2014

God has been working in me the past month or so – longer actually, but it has been coming to a head in the past month. I’m looking forward to 2014 – a first for me, since I’ve never really ‘looked forward’ to a new year. I don’t know what this year will bring. I have friends getting married and I am truly happy for them, but sad I don’t have that event to look forward to for myself. I have a ‘Someday’ board on Pinterest with all of the things I would like to be a part of my eventual married life. So, someday…  My boy still has his moments, but is getting easier to handle. He’s growing up L I have a new business and love it and know that 2014 will see huge growth and get me to where I want to be!

So, the song I was listening to this morning was “The Hurt & The Healer” by Mercy Me. I’ve heard it a million times before and will hear it a million more times before it isn’t played on the radio anymore. It will still show up on my Pandora and iTunes mix at that point. Today, the lyrics said something to me, something more than they have said in the million times before.

Why?
The question that is never far away
The healing doesn't come from being explained
Jesus please don't let this go in vain
You're all I have
All that remains

So here I am
What's left of me
Where glory meets my suffering

Why? How many times have we posed this question to God? I imagine Him as the ever-patient Father with His children, constantly asking why (and how to I react to my boy asking ‘why’ constantly? Not with the same patience as our Heavenly Father!!) . Why did you let me do that stupid thing? (and for real, are you mad at God because He didn’t put an obvious roadblock in front of you or can you be honest with yourself and take ownership of the decision you made on your own?)  After you have gone through your suffering and are on the road to healing, do you see the glory of God in what you have been through? I have. I’ve seen healing in my own life, especially after taking ownership of the decisions I’ve made that got me into trouble – more emotion trouble with myself, for not trusting my instincts. How has God met your suffering with glory?

I'm alive
Even though a part of me has died
You take my heart and breathe it back to life
I fall into Your arms open wide
When the hurt and the healer collide

I AM ALIVE!!! What part has died? That old sin self is now dead and when I accepted Christ as my Savior and Lord, and even though my sin nature is still evident, I am covered by the blood. I can give my heart to my Savior and He will heal me and give me life.

Breathe
Sometimes I feel it's all that I can do
Pain so deep that I can hardly move
Just keep my eyes completely fixed on You
Lord take hold and pull me through

Do you feel this way at all? Like it takes every effort just to do the natural function of breathing? I haven’t felt this way in several years and for that I am thankful. I do have those moments that still play vividly in my mind – decisions I made that were not very good and now I wonder how my life would be different if I had not walked those deepest valleys. I am thankful for the relationship with my Jesus that got me through those times.

It's the moment when humanity
Is overcome by majesty
When grace is ushered in for good
And all our scars are understood
When mercy takes its rightful place
And all these questions fade away
When out of the weakness we must bow
And hear You say "It's over now"

This day… this is what I long for. An ending to the suffering and cruelty of this world, and an end to fear. To hear the trumpets, see Jesus coming to bring all Believers home and to see our new world and the lives we will live for eternity. I so look forward to that day. I think anyone who is a Believer in Jesus Christ is blessed today, right where you are, because you BELIEVE, right now. You are not the deluded who think there is no God, but those who do not know will believe on that final day.

Today, make a commitment to yourself to show Jesus to the world. Maybe you aren’t the type to ‘go and spread the word’ in the traditional sense – I personally get all twisted up when I share Christ face to face. I do much better through words and I believe God gave me this gift and this venue in order to reach so many all over the world. Take an evangelism course and learn how to do what needs to be done. Smile at someone – you never know who just needs to see a friendly face. Offer to pray with someone who is suffering. Take a meal to a shut-in and spend time with them. Just DO something, in the name of Jesus Christ. Do something, and show the world His love.