Naming Your Year

Each year is a chance for some new beginnings. It’s a chance to ask God what HE wants for your year. Last year I took some time to ask God what He would want to do in my life and asked Him to give me a word for the year. As I prayed and read scripture, I was led to the story of Lazarus and was struck by the phrase “Come Forth”. That was the name God gave me for the year. As I look back on the year I see that God did so many things to bring me forth out of fears, insecurities and had me try some new things. And when I hit tough patches, I was able to go back to that word and be reminded of who God was and what He could do…I wasn’t at it alone.

So this year I again asked God what He wanted this year to be for me. I was brought to Habakkuk 3:17-19

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will REJOICE in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my STRENGTH; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he ENABLES me to go on the heights.”

There are so many times when I can look at things in my life and let myself be discouraged. I have the wrong perspective and choose to focus on circumstance rather than on God. God gave me the word REJOICE for this year. When life isn’t the way I want it, when things aren’t going the way I planned, I have a choice to make. And this year I am believing God to give me the strength to choose rejoicing. To train me to look for things to rejoice in. Sometimes I miss those moments because I’m not looking. I want to believe that God is good in the midst of ALL things. So I’m praying that He will do a work in my heart this year that will enable me to choose joy. I love that word ENABLE…by his strength I will be able to do greater things. In Megan's strength (as good as I think it is sometimes!) I will never be able to do this. God has to show up. He will strengthen me and enable me to do things I’ve never done before. God’s already brought opportunities where I have had a chance to test this out! I know this ride won't be easy, but it’s been amazing to see what He has already begun to do in my heart.

If you’re interested in “naming your year”, I would encourage you to try it out. My friend, Leah, introduced this to me and she learned it from a church in Pittsburgh. Here is a link to the pastor’s blog…his words can explain it much more eloquently that mine!

http://jeffleake.typepad.com/the_launchpad/2009/01/steps-to-name-your-year.html

If you do decide to do it, please let me know…I’d love to hear about it and believe God with you for big things this year!