The Word of the New Year

I haven't been one to do New Year resolutions as I don't find them to be very successful. A blogger friend that I follow had a great posting on Memorial Stones. Click here for more info. She posted something about it last year and it got me to thinking. I decided I really like the idea of picking a word with a bible verse to focus in on for the year. God really spoke to my heart. I had felt frazzled and crazy at that time. Felt like things weren't going well with the children - lots of bickering and fighting between them. And I just felt like I needed to slooooooow down and really be still so I could listen to God speaking to me, listen for his guidance and direction. Just be still and calm my soul. So the word I picked was 'be still' (I couldn't limit it to just one word, of course!) and the bible verse that tied into that for last year was

Psalm 46:10 - Be still and know that I am God.

That verse really, really applied to this last year for our family. My husband (although not thrilled about it) had major surgery and then had time to just be still, sitting in his chair, waiting to heal. It was his time to 'be still' and know that God was with him, healing him and carrying him through his ordeal. We had bickering issues with the kids and really had time to work through those this last year. Through it, I felt that we (my husband and I) really had to be still and listen for God to direct us in how to approach the situation. God did amazing things and really helped to heal the situation.

Now with a new year upon us, I want to again find a word with a verse that I feel God is calling our family to concentrate on. This has been very hard. Last year, when I saw her post on Memorial Stones I knew - just knew - felt it right away that 'Be Still' was it. This year in some ways alot is speaking to me and yet also nothing has profoundly reached my heart. So I have been searching. Many themes seem to be popping up for me but I seem to have narrowed it down to two:

1) potential - I love this verse and hadn't really thought of it in this light - Matthew 13:31-32

"He told them another parable: the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches." What is our individual potential and potential as a family? "All of the potential is in the seed - God placed it there to begin with. Each seed has the possibility within it of becoming a huge tree. The amount of potential we recognize in ourselves makes a big difference in how much we grow and how much we allow God to use us." (Making Life Count by Robert E. Logan and Tara Miller p. 35)

Isn't that amazing to think about. The smallest seed - and through God - the potential is amazing. We all, with God's help, have amazing potential. Potential to be witnesses for Christ, ambassadors for the kingdom. I think of my own kids and their potential - what will they grow to become - how will they turn out - they remind me so much of that small mustard seed just waiting to be watered and fed so they can grow into amazing young Christian adults. I pray for God to grab hold of them and hold them so tightly that they remain His through the turbulent teenage years.

So that is one thing speaking to me.

The other one that is most certainly speaking to me is:

2) Hope - (or lack therefore) I don't feel very hopefully about this coming year. I see hopefully things for our family but also see many unhopeful, almost scary things for our nation. Yet, I also know that our hope is in HIM. No matter what will happen, God will see the faithful through the situation. He helped Daniel when he was sent into captivity in Babylon. He is ever faithful to those who are His children. I found Psalm 42 and 43 speaking to me. I won't post all of it here but it is fabulous. Take a moment (please) to go read it. I found it to be so uplifting but specifically found these verses really speaking to me:

"Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God."

It is a great reminder to praise him even if we aren't hopeful, even if we are feeling anxious and worried, even if times are a struggle. And to continue to place our faith, trust and hope in Him.

Maybe this year is a two word year? I will continue to pray about it and see what God has in store. If you do something like this - a word / bible verse for the year - or memorial stones --- I would love to hear about it. I would love to know what your word of the new year is.