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[audrak79]

A New Year

It’s 2016.  Another year has begun.  I’ve never been one to blog, this is my first go at it.  What I do know is that I love reading other people’s blogs, devotions, Facebook posts, Instagram posts, tweets, etc.  What’s interesting is that I HATE to read, like despise it.  But for some reason reading about other people’s lives, their stories, their drama, their lessons, their praises, their hurt, their everyday everything is just much more easy and fascinating to read.  Why is that?  I guess that alone is a huge statement that I can explore to learn more about myself.  

Here’s what’s on my mind right now… 2015 was a ROCK’n year for me.  In 2014 my family publically accepted Christ as our Lord and personal savior by participating in a baptism ceremony.  Was that day we “accepted” Christ?  Nope.  But it WAS the day that we made it public, the day I asked the world to hold me accountable for the lifestyle I chose, the day I finally said, “ok, I know this Jesus, so from this day forward let’s do something about it!”  August 9, 2014, was just the launching pad for me and my rock’n 2015.  I became a “yes girl” instead of making excuses.  I began taking risks.  I quit saying “no” to things because I didn’t know what the result looked like. I finally realized what it looked like to surrender to Jesus and let him take the wheel (insert Carrie Underwood’s tune here).   Since August 9, 2014, I have been on 2 women’s retreats with my church gals, I took a class on abstinence training and sex education for high school kids, I joined a women’s small group at church, I started a women’s workout ministry at church, I joined the outreach committee at church, I began teaching regularly in children’s church, I started attending bible study, I started leading a bible study, and have now agreed to speak at our church’s service this month at a nursing home.  If someone would have told me 2 years ago that I would have even done one of those things, I would have thought they were nuts.  The thought of begin in a smaller more intimate group of people sharing their lives, learning about Jesus, praying together, speaking to a group, or speaking publicly TOTALLY FREAKED ME OUT!  Still does.  What I do know is that I can trust in God’s word.  His word tells me that I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 ESV.  

Here are some of the things I have learned in 2015. 

1.            GOD IS AMAZING.  I already knew that, but this past year I have allowed God to truly reveal more about just how amazing he is.  For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.  Deuteronomy 10:17 ESV

2.            I CAN trust God’s word.  It’s so cool how when you just ask God to take over, ask Him to fill you so you can fill others, ask Him to speak through you…..HE DOES.  There have been so many times in years past where I was nervous or scared to death to pray out loud with a group.  “What do I say, how do I say it, what if I say the wrong thing, are their big words I should use, what if I mispronounce something, what if people think I’m a totally unknowledgeable dork?!”   I was also scared to death to even engage in conversations about God’s word for these same reasons.  Then I realized that it doesn’t matter how I say it, what I say, I don’t have to use big fancy words, and God knows what’s on my heart and what I’m trying to say even before I think it.  Now I gladly pray out loud, with others, in public!  I know when I trust Him and His word, He will bring forth the words that need spoken, the words that need to be heard.  He WILL speak through me.  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. James 1:5 ESV

3.            Give more.  Whether it’s of my time, my love, or my money, I know that whatever I am currently giving…I can do more.  It’s a fun journey.  To look at my schedule and find more time to volunteer, or more time to spend learning God’s word.  To forget looking at the checkbook register and just blindly give because I know it’s the right thing to do.  My schedule and my checkbook don’t make sense, but God has always taken care of it.   The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 ESV

4.            My body belongs to Him, not me.  I started a workout ministry because I couldn’t afford a gym membership and $5 per class 3-5 times a week was more costly than a gym membership.  I figured I wasn’t the only one who wanted free exercise, and what better way to exercise than to worship music.  I saw a need to be healthy.  I realized that being skinny wasn’t necessary, but being healthy was.  When you put God into everything we do, He moves!  Not only have I been able to become stronger and healthier in my body, I have become stronger in my relationship with God.  Taking time to just sing his praises and focus on Him who gets me through that second 8 count of squats, to thank Him for the ladies that are in that room doing the same thing, to build relationships with others and share experiences, pray for one another…it’s mind blowing!  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV

5.            Listen to my elders.  As a younger person, I sometimes (well, ok… most always) thought I knew it all.  As I grow older, I see the importance of listening to my elders.  The stories they tell, the lessons they teach.  Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5  I can’t imagine all the valuable lessons, fun stories, or useful information I have missed because I didn’t take time years ago to be more humble, to just subject myself to the elders around me. 

6.            Don’t be afraid to enjoy my youth.  Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 ESV.   As I have learned to appreciate my elders, I’ve also learned not to be ashamed of my youth, my free spirit, my craziness, my ignorance, etc.  How awesome is it that even though I haven’t lived through as much as my elders, I’m not as wise as they may be, I can still be an example.  This is something I try to ensure my daughter knows.  Even at her young age of 11, she can be an example to those around her.  She can shine Jesus out for all to see by her words, her actions, her love. 

So as I begin 2016, I look back on my 2015 and can’t help but be excited.  What kind of goals could I make, what can I be better at, what can I do to make my relationship with God continue to grow?  As I mentioned in my opening, I HATE to read.  But I also mentioned that reading other people’s stories was easy.  Why have I not just changed my mindset?  The bible was always so intimidating, but the bible, God’s word, is nothing but other’s stories.  It’s full of the best, juiciest, dramatic, heartfelt, heartbreaking, and controversial stories EVER!  It’s like Facebook on steroids.  God has already given me the type of reading my heart longs for.  All I have to do is take the time to explore it.  Soooo, 2016…..here we go, this journey just got started.

January, 2016