My question to you today, this month, is “What is the word God has given you for 2018?”
For the past few years, on the final days of the current year and on the dawn of the new year, I spend time with God asking Him what is the word He has for me for the upcoming year.
It is never a word or sentence (yes, God has given me sentences to describe the word) that I would think of. For some their word is joy. For others it’s faith, peace, growth, or rest. One of the things I’ve learned the most from the word God gives me, it’s exactly the right word for that upcoming year! I’ve also learned that the word often ends up having a different meaning that what I thought it meant. Yep, God likes to use our words to teach us, mold us, and grow us in new levels and places.
This past year has been a growing experience for sure! The word God gave me was actually two words together ~ Dream Beyond. Now, when I first got this word, I immediately wondered if I had not been dreaming? For those who know me, know that I am a visionary and futuristic thinker, and it caused me to wonder had I let go of dreaming. I was drawn to a time of reflection, as to what did Dream Beyond meant. The beauty is that over the next twelve months God spoke to me, challenged me, and I grew as I embraced dreaming beyond my size dreams into God size dreams. In 2017 my book, Healing for our Soul Gardens, was published, I did a poster presentation and book signing at the AACC World Conference, and loved the opportunities to speak at numerous retreats. The Restore Movement was launched as well, and this ministry has been growing by leaps and bounds! At the end of 2017 I signed a contract with my publisher to have my book highlighted at the 2018 Women of Joy Conferences and that is truly a God size dream!
This year as I began to wait on God for the word for this year I was filled with anticipation and excitement! Here it is God, time for my word for 2018! Now, when God shares with me the word it starts small, simple, with a word dropped into my heart. Pretty soon, I am seeing this word everywhere! God is using my life and life around me to confirm the word or words he has given me for the year.
This year was the same as previous years.
One word was dropped into my heart. It’s a simple word, but packed with so much meaning.
Once again, yes I can be predictable in certain things, I find myself questioning about myself.
Do I not believe?
What does this word mean about me, to me?
Yes, just like many of you, my insecurities popped up immediately. I guess it’s the old perfectionist wanting to rise up within me. These insecurities cause me to question myself, wonder where I am lacking.
What I love though, is how the Holy Spirit comes in and with a blanket of peace encourages me that He is taking me on a journey of deeper growth with God. The focus is not on what I am lacking, but on what God is doing in my life.
With the word Believe, I am reminded of the simple faith I had as a new believer.
Maybe God is taking me on a journey of rekindling my first love with Him.
Maybe circumstances will come into my life where I need to have faith and believe.
Okay, now, see how I get ahead of myself. The truth is, the word never ends up meaning what I thought it meant.
So today, as 2018 begins,
I will focus on the giver of the word and not on what I think the word means;
I will let go of my perceptions and wait on God’s timing to reveal what this word means to me and for me;
I will follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in my life and worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
I go back to the question I asked at the beginning of our time together, “What is the word God has given you for 2018?”
Please be sure to share with me! I would love to hear what God is doing in your life 🙂
Blessings dear friends,
