2023:
Love, Beauty, and Peace
2024:
Balance, Boundaries, and Health
2025:
Faith, Purpose, and Service
2026
Truth, Kindness, and Discipline
It is so fascinating to me to see “themes” emerge in my day-to-day life around these words!
I told you in the previous post that my SIL described her pastor as a servant—what a beautiful way to sum up the year that my emphasis was “service.”
Have I found more purpose? Funny, but my international Bible study did a unit on “identity.” I think that is popular right now. I found an identity as a substitute. Not only am I a substitute teacher for a job, I fill in wherever I need to fill in. I think God gifted me in this way.
As a younger adult I might have felt slighted by this “identity,” (Don’t I have a purpose of my own?) but I think it is freeing and lovely to help out where I can, yet (true confessions!) not have the ultimate responsibility!
I have too many responsibilities of my own to take care of. Am I lazy? A bit.
I enjoy having purpose as a substitute, whether teaching, playing my instruments, singing, doing projects instead of someone else…
What about faith? I went through a few years of trauma, mostly fully unpacked here on this blog, and that had huge impact on my faith.
Am I still faithful? My given name means “Faithful One.”
I don’t think I could get away from a faith walk.
Where would I go?
I am a complete and firm fence sitter on theological matters. Perhaps I lean towards a position of free will, rather than predestination, but overall I see Scripture in favor of both extremes. I think Scripture promotes balance, so I can justify balancing on the fence theologically.
My faith has come to a complete rest on the fence. There it sits, happily, trusting that God’s will be done in every thing, and everywhere. I pray happily for people to come to Christ, that they would be saved in Jesus’ name according to HIS WILL. It is His will that none shall perish.
Since I am not a universalist (I do believe in hell) I realize that people have a choice. They can choose God. Many don’t.
I pray that God intervenes overwhelmingly in their lives, drawing them to Himself. I pray for the world and all its people. When I get to heaven I fully expect to say, “I prayed for you!”
My faith has matured. I can rest in God’s love. I can have a constant attitude of prayer. The majority of my sin is locked up inside my head, so I bring it to God daily.
Repentance is a daily deal for me. My prayers can’t be hindered by my sin. I can turn to Jesus at any moment and clear out the sin in my mind.
Thank you, Lord.
Prayer is absolutely the focus of my faith walk. I’m okay with that.
Looking forward to 2026:
Truth and kindness, discipline. Let’s see what comes.
I encourage you to pray about some words to look for and develop in your life this year. Maybe it’s just one.
I took my first three (2023) words from a prayer a woman prayed for me in my moment of tragic loss and despair. She prayed love, beauty, and peace over me. It touched my heart memorably.
I wanted to see those things manifesting in my heart and life. It seemed like a quest was begun.
I saw fruit. I saw love, beauty, and peace that year. Blessing.
I am back from the prayer vigil at my church. I cannot tell you how sweet it is to meet quietly and prayerfully before the Lord in the wee hours of the night, or simply solo, at church. Having multiple requests for church health and growth, missions, personal needs, and anything that the Holy Spirit brings to mind—these all get cast onto the Lord.
I left the church with such peace in my heart.
Cast your cares upon the Lord, for He cares for you.
His yoke is easy, and his burden is light.
I am casting.
I now I need to be truthful, kind, and disciplined….
MARANATHA!