Happy New Year, friend!
I just bought a new mouse for my laptop.
After months of tinkering and trying to revive my old one, I admitted it had reached the end of its life.
So I bought a new one.
It’s the tactile-kind; the scrolling wheel latches and clicks as you move along. That means s.l.o.w. Painfully slow.
I didn’t know how fast I researched, edited, copied and pasted, opened tabs, and got work done until I let go of my old mouse and got this new one.
I feel like it has slowed my roaming by about fifty percent. I am not kidding.
Guess what my word for this season is?
“Surrender” – slowing down and allowing God to lead my heart.
Towards the end of last year, it dawned on me I was struggling to know where I ended, and God began, particularly as far as ministry was concerned. Coupled with months of ill health, I was running on near depletion.
In this season, I feel like God is asking me to walk in surrender. I still don’t know how that will look like fully. But I know it’s a season of stepping back so I can get clarity on some things.
Maybe you are starting the year with fresh hopes and expectations. Most people are.
But it’s a scary, hard and anxiety-laden type of hope. Scaling back is not how I thought 2019 would bring.
Surrender is scary. Not having full control of everything is distressing. Working hard on your marriage without guarantees (other than God’s abiding presence) can feel scary.
Here’s what I am learning and perhaps you too can relate; everyone who walks with God has big scary moments. That’s the nature of walking with God.
And that’s why He wants us to make Him our Shepherd and believe we have all that we need in Him. Even when we walk through the darkest seasons, we choose not to be afraid because He is close beside us. (Psalm 23)
My hope for you and prayer as we begin 2019 is you’ll believe God is bigger than your scared.
Bigger than your frustration, your questions, your fears.
Determine not to be defined by your struggles or lack or confusion or fear. Decide that the Son of God who loved you and gave Himself for you is your definer.
Linger in His presence and ask him to shift your perspective. Get into His Word for a fresh dose of grace and power from heaven.
Our Christian walk is not for the fast or the smart. It's for those who are meek and tenacious in their love and conviction. Click To TweetI love something my pastor said in his new year sermon.
He preached from Matthew 7:24, 25 where Jesus says
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
He went on to say “Most of us think of faith as something we either succeed or fail at. But faith is something we practice. It is not a win or lose scenario, it’s a practice scenario.”
So we must continue to practice our faith. Step up and declare what God has said. Not brood over our circumstances and win/loss calculations.
I wanted to return my irritatingly-slow mouse to the electronics shop. Until it preached.
I hope you too will take note of the reminders God sprinkles your way. And practice and step up in faith, not ship them back to Him.
Happening at Intentional Today!
One of the ways to succeed in your marriage in 2019 is to learn and practice good habits!
It’s not enough to want a great marriage; you must back up the aspirations with something solid that will deliver your dreams and hopes!
I am excited to share about an upcoming resource that will help your marriage this year! I can’t wait to tell you all about it! (Plus how you can get free access!)
Stay tuned for more details in the coming week!
Many blessings!!
Ngina
~
Are you wrestling with feelings of overwhelm in new marriage? Is shutting down, fussing, anger, passive-aggressiveness common place in your relationship? Do you want to bring back the feelings of closeness and warmth you once enjoyed? Or maybe you just want to love better, create the marriage of your dreams. Your marriage can change! Get on the road to a great marriage when you pick up my book Blues to Bliss: Creating Your Happily Ever After In The Early Years. Buy it > Amazon Paperback I Kindle I Barnes & Noble I PDF I UK/Europe PDF . Or Click here to go to the book page.
Leave a Reply