It took me a little longer than usual to come up with my word for this year. In the fall, the word PERSEVERE kept coming up. And persevere I did. The definition of persevere is to "continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success." This doesn't quite conjure up excitement in me. It's more like dragging heavy boots through deep snow in the bitter cold, hoping that the road won't go on forever and that there might be a nice fire and a cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows at the end. (I'm a California girl, but I did live in Minnesota for a while, so I know this cold I speak of. Minnesota nice is a real thing.. but so is Minnesota cold!)
Isaiah 30:18 says, "The Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore He will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him."
In the last month or so, I've felt that things are beginning to shift. I'm so ready to move into all that God has for us this year.
I've decided that my word for this year is TRANSITION. Transition is defined as "the process of changing from one state or condition to another." I'm declaring this as a year of change for our family. Good things are ahead and I can hardly wait!
There are two songs that have stood out to me during Sunday morning worship times and I have to declare them over our family for this year.
The first is "Turn it Around" by Israel and New Breed. Here are the lyrics:
all things are possible for You
all things are possible
nothing's too difficult for You
nothing's too difficult
I'm ready for change
ready for rain
ready for favor
I know You're able to
turn it around
open the windows of Heaven
pour out a blessing
OVERFLOW
turn it around
open the windows of Heaven
pour out a blessing
we cannot contain
let it rain let it rain
You have turned my mourning to dancing
You've turned my sorrow to joy
You have turned my whole life around
and I thank You Lord I thank You Lord
2015! Ready for change! Ready for rain! Ready for favor!
The other song that really caught my attention is "You Have Called Me Higher" by All Sons & Daughers.
The lyrics:
I could just sit
I could just sit and wait for all Your goodness
hope to feel Your presence
and I could just stay
I could just stay right where I am and hope to feel You
hope to feel something again
and I could hold on
I could hold on to who I am and never let You
change me from the inside
and I could be safe
I could be safe here in Your arms and never leave home
never let these walls down
but You have called me higher
You have called me deeper
and I'll go where You will lead me Lord
You have called me higher
You have called me deeper
and I'll go where You will lead me Lord
where You lead me
where You lead me Lord
and I will be Yours
I will be Yours for all my life
so let Your mercy light the path before me
I've been doing an online Bible study by Havilah Cunnington called I Do Hard Things (it's free!). It's so so good. Day 5 is all about taking the next step and giving it your full attention. I took so many notes on this day in particular.. I encourage you to click over and watch the video for yourself. Seriously. So good.
Sometimes God asks us to be still and know that He is God, trusting that He is in control and we are not forgotten. And then He calls us to climb out and move forward. It's time to move from surviving to thriving.
A friend sent this to me a few days ago from The Passion Translation's Facebook page. She encouraged me to decree this over my family (and I encourage you to do the same!):
It's time to decree a blessing over your family, your finances and your future! The enemy has made decrees over you but so has God. Agree with your Creator.
Father, I decree over everyone reading this today that they will have blessing resting over their families. They will experience more love and breakthrough in their family than ever before.
I decree over their finances that limitation and lack will be broken off in 2015. I decree their generosity will rise, their wisdom will rise, their savings will rise, their breakthrough will flood into their finances! I decree over their lives that the future will become exciting and alluring not filled with anxiety, full of opportunities not opposition, dreams coming true, not dashed to the ground.
Lord, I speak these decrees over them by faith believing that the God of Mercy will blanket them, your precious people with a grace that is super-abundant and super-energized to bring it to pass.
Amen!
