Well, this has definitely been an interesting start to the year! Many of us are home with kids and spouses due to the Coronavirus and for many, this is a very uncertain time. For someone like me, this has definitely been an adjustment.

I’ve never been much of a “go with the flow” type person. When I want to be spontaneous, I schedule it in my planner! So when we went from a public school family to a homeschooling family almost overnight, you could imagine how unprepared I felt. The first week home was stressful to say the least. Not because of school or schedules, but just the unknown. This new normal was unplanned, uncertain, uncomfortable and every other “un” you can think of!

Just as I was beginning to go farther down the spiral of stress, anxiety, and fear, I had a strange thought. Have you or anyone you know been a victim of identity theft? Identity theft can be defined as the fraudulent acquisition of a person’s private identifying information. While usually someone’s identity is stolen for financial gain, I realized that over the course of the week, my identity was be stolen, but this thief had a bigger motive than a financial one.

This thief was attempting to take my identity as a child of God and cause me to overlook my place in Christ! I knew that I was an overcoming, and that the peace of God would guard my heart, and that I didn’t need to feel anxious, but I was allowing this thief to make me feel otherwise. I was allowing my identity as a child of God to be taken from me and I had had enough.

I immediately began covering myself with the word of God. I wrote scriptures that encouraged me and reinforced my position in Christ. I removed the things that were causing me to feel anxious and fearful and replaced them with life giving activities. I reclaimed my identity.

If you are struggling with fear or anxiety, let me encourage you to reclaim your identity. Know the power you have in Jesus and begin to receive it. Nehemiah said the joy of the Lord is our strength. We don’t have to do anything alone. Connect with someone who can encourage you and pray for you when you need it. We will get through this together and through faith!

Last year, I ran my first half marathon. I had to train for months and many of those months were already packed with a billion things to do.

It was a particular busy time for me to decide to run a half marathon, but I was committed despite my other commitments. I felt every day there was something to do, somewhere to go, and that my runs became less and less of a priority.

Just before the storm of frustration begin to form over my thoughts, I remembered something I heard in a podcast: keep moving forward in the confusion. This has really become my new motto. There was a lot of things going on, sometimes my days blended together in chaos and confusion, but I had to keep moving forward.

A few weeks into the new school year, I had scheduled to run 10 miles on a Thursday. When I looked at my calendar I realized that this was a volleyball practice day, a choir rehearsal day at church, and probably not the best day to run 10 miles!

We can’t always control the circumstances around us, but we can control how we react to them. I decided that day that no matter what happened, I would work towards continuing my training for my half marathon.

But I pushed on ahead. Around mile six, I began to feel weak and tired and decided maybe I should just walk the last 4 miles back to my parked car. But at that moment, I found a painted rock that had one of my favorite scriptures on it. Psalm 27:1 the Lord is my light and salvation, whom shall I be afraid.

I knew at that moment that I had the strength to go forward. Because the Lord is my light and he is my salvation. Not only whom shall I be afraid, but of what shall I be afraid? I have a body that is strong and can push through pain, hard times, and chaos. Those words allowed me to finish my run, but the real motivator that allowed me to finish my run, was simply starting it.

Because I decided to just start, I made the first step towards completion. We tend to overthink things, which can really lead to paralysis. Many times we need to just start something, and not worry about the end result. In just starting, we are telling our emotions, our bodies, and our negative thoughts that we are in charge.

I encourage you, if there’s something on your list that you just have not been able to get done, just start. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.

“Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others” -Jonathan Swift

As we set off in this new year, one of my goals for this ministry is to be more organized, more connected and more involved! I will be sharing the vision God has placed in my heart for this ministry as a whole, and our quarterly plans here on this blog site. That way, it’s available to you whenever you’d like to check something or find different resources. If you haven’t joined the vision study in the Bible app, it’s not too late to catch up!

JANUARY

FOCUS: VISION

Vision 2020 Devotion in the YouVersion app from 1/6/20-1/26/20 https://bible.com/p/21583690/09b3770a0e3b40d89c7ac537d9d3786c

FEBRUARY

FOCUS: SIMPLIFY

Reading Uncluttered by Courtney Ellis paired with devotion in YouVersion app starting 2/10/20-3/6/20 Click the link below to join!

https://bible.com/p/22118968/702c9ad7d99091af5d2a3b7083756d01

MARCH

FOCUS: SABBATH

Bible Study 3/15-4/5 Sunday mornings at 9am in the Youth Room. More details to come

Like many others, one of my New Year’s resolutions is to live a more healthy lifestyle. I’ve recently been turned onto juicing and making smoothies to help get my veggies in and I just can’t get enough! Last week, I was making a smoothie and got a bit of a revelation.

I put in my spinach, berries, bananas, and milk, and started up my Nutribullet (this is not a sponsored post! But I wish it was!) It was moving and mixing but some of the fruit was still on top and there was a bit of a bubble towards the bottom where the blades were. I was going to stop the blender and start trying to move and shake things up to make the fruit fall but decided to wait. I let the blades keep spinning and the fruit eventually fell down.

Everything was in the cup to make a delicious smoothie, I just had to wait for it to come down and blend to be able to enjoy it. In faith, God has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:3). We just have to be patient sometimes and wait for them!

We have to resist the urge to shake things up and make things happen in our own strength. When Daniel prayed and fasted for 21 days, he didn’t receive his answer for weeks! But the Lord told him that from the moment he set his heart to pray, his prayers were heard and the answer was on the way.

We can sometimes be in such a rush for things to happen that we can actually delay what we’re waiting for. I could damage my blender by banging on it and shaking it up. Then how will I make my smoothies!?

Like Ephesians tells us, God has already given us everything we need to be successful and live an abundant life. We don’t have to try to make things happen or force things. We just have to trust in his provision and timing and know our blessing is already available, we just have to wait for it to come down.

Everyone loves that new car smell! You get the keys and promise you will never eat in this car. You will wash it every week and get the expensive floor mats (when they go on sale). You’ll never skip your maintenance and you’ll

I recently took up knitting and despite my initial hesitation have found it quite simple and relaxing. I was sitting on the couch one afternoon working on a scarf for my son and realized how repetitive knitting is. At least for a beginner, you are doing the same thing, over and over and then over again.. I promise it’s not as boring as I’m making it sound in case you want to learn!

But as I sat knitting, I began meditating on repetition. There’s a saying credited to Albert Einstein that says “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”. While I understand what is meant by this line of thought, I’m beginning to disagree.

As I’m knitting and making the needles move, in essence, doing the same thing over and over, I’m actually guaranteed to get a different result. My ball of yarn will gradually turn into a completely different item. My consistency in knitting the same stitches over and over will yield a different result. EVERY TIME.

This is a lot like our Christian walk. Disciplines like prayer and Bible reading seem like small habits we incorporate daily but these small habits create big change in our lives when prioritized. I can tell the difference when I’ve started my day with time talking with God and when I’m too hurried to take the time. I can tell the difference between when I’ve spent time in God’s word and when I’ve just gone through the motions of opening my Bible.

In regards to faith, it’s always been doing the same thing and expecting different results. We serve a consistently faithful God and he honors our consistency when we pray, fast, read and give. Our consistency shows our faithfulness to be doers of his word and not merely hearers.

We have to be careful not to confuse consistency with complacency. Consistency is simply placing a priority on the daily need for God in our lives. Complacency leans more towards going through the motions and expecting God’s favor because we’ve checked it off of our list. God doesn’t owe us anything and there is no amount of work we can do to earn his favor. As his children, our desire should be to love and obey him, and we do that by communing regularly with him and learning his will through his word.

So am I insane if I pray daily and expect to receive the different promises and graces I need for that day? Am I insane if I read through my Bible every year and expect God to reveal himself in a different way (and he does!)? Am I insane when I tithe whether the month is tight or their is surplus and expect God to provide however he sees fit (and he always does!)? If you asked Einstein, maybe I would be. But to me, I’m insanely in love with God and he honors doing the same RIGHT thing over and over!

Many people set goals at the beginning of every year but unfortunately by February, over half of them give up and by May that number climbs to over 80%! I have fallen in this 80% category far too many times than I’d like to admit, but 2019 was a year I can honestly say I was proud of my progress towards my goals.

I make goals in a few specific areas each year: Spiritual, Personal, and Financial. My spiritual goals consist of things I’d like to improve in my walk with God. Personal goals include goals for my health, family and relationships. Financial goals include where I’d like to be by the end of the year in regards to budgeting and saving.

While the list alone is a great start, it’s so important to define actionable ways to accomplish goals. For example, it’s too vague to say, “I want to grow spiritually.” Why do you want to grow spiritually and what are your plans to do it? So a spiritual goal with action may look more like this: “I want to grow spiritually this year to be more equipped for ministry. I will accomplish this by setting aside 10 minutes every morning for prayer and Bible reading.”

I read an amazing book in 2019 called “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. I think of all the books I read last year, this one was the most beneficial in helping me reach my goals. Clear talks about how the smallest change in habit can make huge results. One method he teaches is habit stacking. In habit stacking, you pair one habit with a habit you already have. Let’s say you want to pray more. What do you do every morning that you could stack prayer with? I drink coffee every morning, so for me, this was a good time to pray. Make my coffee, sit down and talk to God.

Now be careful with this because not all habits can be stacked. You can’t read your Bible and watch TV! But you can read your Bible while you spend time with your kids. I like to read my Bible to my kids! Or I sometimes will do squats while I’m brushing my teeth or call a friend to check on while I’m folding clothes. The key is to stack a new habit with a mindless one. Like decluttering a bathroom drawer while your kids are playing in the tub or listening to an audiobook while you’re driving.

I like to focus on one or two goals in each category so I don’t get overwhelmed and not do anything at all. It’s recommended to make no more than 7-10 goals for the year for this reason. You are more likely to accomplish your goals if you don’t have so many that you freeze because you don’t know where to start!

Whatever your goals, be sure to talk to God about them. Before I even set mine, I like to take a moment and ask God what my goals should even be? Are there areas in my life that I don’t see that need attention? Am I neglecting something He’d like me to accomplish? Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord”. I try not to make my list and take it God but talk to God and then make my list!

Here are some resources to help you as you make goals and plans for the year!

Atomic Habits by James Clear https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299

Finish by Jon Acuff https://www.amazon.com/Finish-Give-Yourself-Gift-Done/dp/1591847621/ref=asc_df_1591847621/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312025907421&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7063277789135499930&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1028175&hvtargid=pla-416842052361&psc=1

Whisper by Mark Batterson https://www.markbatterson.com/books/whisper/

For as long as I’ve been a Christian (about 13 years), I’ve started my year off with a time of fasting and prayer. When I was first saved, the concept of fasting was so foreign to me. I honestly questioned what I had gotten myself into with these “peculiar people”! For 21 days, I wasn’t going to drink coffee, watch TV, eat meat or sweets? Is this a cult!

But very quickly, I discovered the purpose of Biblical fasting and the benefits it offered to followers of Christ. It wasn’t about what I was abstaining from over the 21 days. It was about what I was focusing on for this period. I was focusing on prayer and meditation, spending time with God without the distractions of entertainment and overindulging. I was focusing on seeking God’s plan for my life, wisdom for my year, and listening for his instructions.

There are so many examples of fasting in the Bible in both the old and new testaments. David fasted when he wanted to save his sick child. Esther fasted to save her people from genocide. Daniel fasted for instruction from the Lord. Jesus fasted for 40 days in the desert at the beginning of his ministry. Fasting is one of the most powerful weapons in the believer’s arsenal of weapons against the enemy. Biblical fasting is not a hunger strike or just a great way to lose a few pounds. It is a time dedicated to seeking God and prioritizing his place in your life.

There are some awesome teachings on fasting which are linked below, so I will not reinvent the wheel and go into too many details of how to fast. Check out those resources when you can! I just wanted to share my experience with fasting and why my family makes it a part of our walk with the Lord.

For 3 weeks in January, we do what is commonly known as the Daniel Fast. It’s a 21 day fast where we abstain from meat, sweets, sexual relations, and drink only water. As coffee drinkers, the last one is probably the most difficult for us! We also limit our time watching TV, on social media, and other forms of entertainment, like movies and social events. Does this sound boring? Well again, it’s not about just giving things up! We instead spend our time in prayer and meditation. We increase our time in reading and discussing God’s word, worshipping as a family and seeking God’s direction for our family in the upcoming year.

I won’t lie to you, when you first start fasting, it can be hard! Because I drink a lot of coffee, my first few days are rough as my body detoxes from the lack of caffeine. I feel tired and weak and irritable but it is during this time, I’m reminded that God’s grace is sufficient for me (2 Corinthians 2:9). When I get a little hungry, I’m reminded that Jesus is the bread of life and I am sustained by him (John 6:35). When I want a cookie, I’m reminded that his word is sweeter than honey from a honey comb (Psalm 19:10).

As I focus on the goodness and mercy of God, I am reminded that fasting is an opportunity not an obligation. Jesus gave up everything for me, surely I can give something up for him. I get excited as the beginning of the year comes around because it is a way to honor God with a time of consecration (setting apart to make holy) and a time committed to strengthening my faith and connection with Him. If you’ve never participated in a time of fasting, I recommend you consider trying it! You will not be disappointed! My fasting period for 2020 is January 6th-January 26th if you’d like to join! You can join my reading plan in the YouVersion app by clicking on this link! https://bible.com/p/21583690/09b3770a0e3b40d89c7ac537d9d3786c

FASTING RESOURCES

https://jentezenfranklin.org/fastingbasics

(Jentezen Franklin) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wckWsKr7-78

https://theaterchurch.com/media/how-ii/how-to-fast1

https://www.kcm.org/real-help/spiritual-growth/learn/a-6-step-checklist-fasting

I took my son for his yearly checkup and the first thing they did was a vision test. They didn’t check his weight or height first, his lungs or his heart. They checked to be sure he could see clearly. If you cannot see clearly, it will be much more difficult to get to where you’re trying to go. As we begin this new year, that has been my focus in preparing for the things I’d like to accomplish and the things God would like to accomplish through me. Proverbs 29:18 KJV says “Where there is no vision, the people perish”. If you have no vision of where you’re going, how will you know when you get there?

Every year, millions of people celebrate the calendar turning over to the first month of the year. The year brings a new start, a chance to wipe the slate clean and begin again. I keep a monthly chalkboard calendar in my kitchen and one of my favorite things to do is erase the old month. I usually leave it blank for a bit to just savor the newness and blankness of it, no appointments, programs or obligations yet. Just the calm, clear chance to decide how my time will spent that month. The first thing I write is a scripture in the upper left corner that I feel God is placing on my heart for the month. Then I ask him, to guide this month and allow me to be sensitive to what HE wants to accomplish through me this month.

This New Year, I have the same feeling of a fresh start only on a greater scale. Not only is this a new month, a new year, but also a new decade. Part of moving forward includes evaluating the past. How was my year? Did I accomplish my goals from 2019? Would I be happy if the next ten years of my life looked like the last ten? If not, what must I do to change that? Or if so, what must I do to continue? When asking these questions, I not only ask myself, but the Lord as well. James tells us that if we lack wisdom, we should ask God (James 1:5). God extends beyond our limited ideas of space and time so he already knows what the future holds for us. It only makes sense to ask his guidance for our lives as believers.

In the next few weeks, I plan to write more about goal setting and vision that I hope will take you from dreaming about your own goals to starting to live them. I am confident that God is taking us all to places we’ve never dreamed of, both spiritually and physically (#austrailiatrip!) and will continue to form us into the women He’s called us to be. Make sure you check out the post on Goals and Habits and Biblical Fasting if you need help planning for the new year! Until next time, love God, love people!

Join us this month as we go through Vision 2020 in the Bible App!

https://bible.com/p/21583690/09b3770a0e3b40d89c7ac537d9d3786c

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton