A New Year

I haven’t blogged this year yet, as I’ve very much been enjoying our down time since our insanely busy Christmas.  Jared + I started watching Season 1 of The Voice, as we had never seen it before.  We like it and we just have the final episode of that season to watch.  Every January, our church does a 3-week fast.  Since I’ve already cut out SO many foods from my diet, I decided to fast from Facebook.  That has been going well, although I do feel a bit “cut off” from people.  I am trying to be more intentional with my time and spending more time with the Lord instead of filling my time with other useless activities. 

I always ask the Lord for a word for the year.  Last year’s was surrender and that was really hard, but so worth it.  I learned that as much I want to control things (like especially my health) I am ultimately not in control.  Trusting God during the challenges has caused my faith to grow.  I know how things will ultimately end and I will have perfect health and unending joy for eternity!!  For now, I battle on!

This year, God said His Word for me this year is healing!  I have been somewhat hesitant to share this because I think, “What if it doesn’t happen?”  God asked me, “Are you going to trust that my Word is true?”  So, I choose to trust.  I don’t know exactly what that healing will look like and yesterday my friend suggested that maybe I will pray for people and see miraculous healing.  Any way I look at it, healing is good! 

During this time of fasting, I feel like God’s theme for me is “persevere.”  As I am on the Healing Diet and there are many temptations to cheat, God tells me to persevere.  As I still have some health issues, God tells me to persevere.  I just read Hebrews 12:1-2 this week and it says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”  That encourages me!  I pray you will all run your race with perseverance this year, fixing your eyes on Jesus! :)