Happy New Year Everyone!!
A friend of mine sent me this quote by Jared Longshore on New Years Eve and I thought it was a good way to think about how to approach 2021!
" I don't know what 2021 is going to look like. But I do know that God is on the throne. I do know that His kingdom is going to continue to advance. The same God who led us through last year is going to lead us through the next year."
What a year ...! Here we are at the very start of a new year... 2020 has been left behind and without a doubt will be the year that will go down in history as that one where Coronavirus stopped the world in its tracks! I’m sure all of us at some stage have described 2020 as “the year we all want to forget!”
This year has been so difficult for us all in one way or another...lockdown... travel restrictions... holidays being cancelled... weddings being rescheduled... shops and restaurants being closed... not seeing or able to hug members of our families... home schooling children and trying to balance work and family life... loss of employment and businesses having to close... the list goes on! Over the last while I have been hearing of friends of mine who have either contracted Covid-19 and are struggling with the long-term impact of the virus on their health or are grieving the loss of loved ones because of it!
I am also sure that over the month of December we have all exclaimed, once or twice, “I can’t wait for 2021, it’s got to be a better year!” and while Christmas, like everything else in this year, has not been the normal celebration, nevertheless, this has not taken away the joy of my favourite time of the year!
As I shared in my last blog, I have enjoyed a lot of rest this year and with that has come time to reflect at different stages. Through these times of reflection God has shown me that even though this year has been very tough, there have been many moments to be thankful for, and those I have found so much joy in! Even now scrolling up through my Instagram feed, people are sharing lots of moments that have brought them joy over this crazy year!
So let me ask you, where have you found moments of joy in this year?
I just wanted to start this year of blogging by sharing some of mine, with the hope that they encourage you to look back over 2020 and are surprised to find moments that brought you joy in your own journey last year!
THE BOOK OF RUTH
2020 started with my spending time in the book of Ruth and I remember Ruth 2v3 really grabbing my attention. It says this...
“So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law Elimelech.”
None of us could have anticipated how this year was going to turn out, but this year has been no surprise to God! We don’t always understand the reasons why, however, as the first lockdown started last March, I kept asking God, “There has got to be some bigger plan and greater purpose to the events of this year, so what are you doing in all of this?”
That little phrase in the middle of this verse where it says “... as it happened...” says it all. Ruth never knew or would never have expected that her choice of committing to stay with her Mother-in-law, Naomi, would have led her to the field of Boaz, but God did, because her story played an important part in the lineage to Jesus! I love the story of Ruth and with how it has challenged me, in this verse alone, I trust that God is in control of this year, that His ways, plans and purposes are far beyond my understanding and that’s good enough for me to have peace in God through this year!
ASLAN
One of my uncles became very ill just before lockdown and there was a lot of worry and concern for him! Now, I have always loved the C. S. Lewis book The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, and for a few months before my uncle got sick, I could not get the image of the lion ‘Aslan’ from my mind. When my uncle went into hospital, my aunt told us how my uncle had shared with her, during a visit to see him, that he kept seeing the image of a lion at the end of his bed and he knew that no matter what happened to him he had so much peace knowing God was with him and trusted in Gods will completely for what would lie ahead!
When my aunt told me this, I just knew this was why that lion was stuck in my head! It made me think about the part in the book where Mr and Mrs Bever are telling Peter, Susan and Lucy the famous prophecy about Aslan, it says,
“Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight, At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more, When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death, and when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.”
I shared this with my uncle and had a painting of ‘Aslan’ done for him when he got home, and he is doing great! This always makes me think of the verse in
Revelation 21v4 where it says ... “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
As I have been thinking over this, and just last week was watching the Disney film of it, I know that no matter what I have faced this year and what I will face in the years to come, I know that Jesus, who this lion represents, is where my hope and trust are and where my worry fades away!
NIGHT SKY & CREATION
With the unbelievably great weather last April – June the sunsets and starry night skies had me completely blown away with the awe and wonder of God! I spent so many nights looking out my window or sitting in the back garden, watching the colours change in the sky as it got dark and I loved how the longer I looked up, the more stars appeared! And through this time, I couldn’t help but go back to the story of creation and just loved these couple of verses
Genesis 1 v 14-15 “God spoke: “Lights! Come out! Shine in Heaven’s sky! Separate Day from night. Mark seasons and days and years, Lights in Heaven’s sky to give light to earth. And there it was.”
The story of creation was something that I spent a lot of time thinking about over those few months of amazing weather, I was enjoying spending time going for walks as well, but it was the night sky that continued to take my breath away as I considered the handiwork of God! On many occasions looking up in to the starry night sky had me reduced to tears thinking that the same God who put all those incredible stars in the night sky, also considers me important enough to create me in his image and send his son to pay the ultimate sacrifice so I can live in relationship with Him!
Even in these winter months there are some beautiful clear days leading in to clear skies at night... I would encourage anyone to spend time gazing up at the stars and allow yourself to be taken in by the awe and wonder of our creator!
TIME AT THE BEACH
During the summer months, I was so glad to get to the beach on a number of occasions with friends! Being on the beach has always been a place for me to just escape the busyness and noise of the city for the calm sound of the waves. I love kicking my flip flops off, feeling the sand under my feet, looking out to the horizon and taking lots of deep breaths.
It is a place where I find so much rest and stillness with God. I visited so many of my favourite beaches and just enjoyed it as my place of rest. A friend of mine had asked if I would write a Psalm for a project he was working on at the time, and I think it’s a good insight to my love of the beach and how much of a special place it is for me to be with God.
BREATHE... JUST BREATHE
Breathe, just breathe ... I need to be there; my weary soul is desperate for your peace!
It’s been a long road, a path that has taken me far in to the unknown, far in to the unexpected and still feels like there is more to go...
Can we stop for a bit?
I need some time to breathe, just breathe! With you!
Here is the place I long to be.
I hear the waves, I feel the sand, I look out to the horizon where the sky meets the sea and I breathe, just breathe!
I feel the water, I smell the air, I feel your hand in mine, and I breathe, just breathe!
In your presence I feel your warmth, I feel your love, I feel you breathe, just breathe!
I am safe, I am calm, I am at peace again and we breathe, just breathe!
This is good, this is shelter, this is still, but there is so much further to go...!
Promise me we can come again, promise me I will never go it alone, promise to always keep your hand in mine...
No matter what lies ahead!
I know you know, I trust you are in control, I know you hold the very depths of my soul!
I feel at peace knowing you are with me! I feel love knowing you are my joy! I feel alive knowing you are the very air I breathe... just breathe!
TIME WITH FAMILY
I am hoping to be buying my first house in 2021, which is exciting to look forward to. With the events of 2020, I have spent a lot of time appreciating the fact that I have been living at home with my mum and dad. I don’t take for granted how blessed I am to have been able to see my parents and hug them everyday this year! My sister has been our bubble and we have been able to see each other and spend time as a family. I have so many friends and family who have not been able to see their closest loved ones like I have and believe me, my heart is so thankful, for the time we have had together as a family this year.
My greatest love in my family is being an auntie, to my two year old niece called Ruby and only 7 weeks ago, became an auntie to a little nephew, called Finlay, so of course that’s a big plus of 2020! In the short time that these two little monkeys have been alive, I have spent so much time with them and it's quite incredible how much love and joy can come from being an auntie, there is nothing quite like it! If you are an auntie reading this you will know exactly what I am talking about! They are a little part of me and they just fill my heart with so much love and joy every single day! Here are these two little people, who are loving, sweet, nuts and noisy and their little characters are already shining through - the good and the bad LOL... and to think that I get to be their auntie! I am so blessed to have this special role in both their lives. Since the moment Ruby was born one of the very first things I did the second I held her, was prayed over her and I did the same thing with Finn just 7 weeks ago too! I ask God that I will not only be the best auntie for them both, but that I will be the example He wants me to be for them and I asked God to always protect them and that they both come to know him. God is my focus over both of their lives, for that I am so thankful and pray that it will be the greatest gift I can encourage them in.
And finally....
CHRISTMAS
Christmas has always been my favourite time of year, and I think as I grow in my faith each year, the Christmas Story just becomes more and more meaningful! Yes, while this year has not been the normal ‘hussle and bussle’ of Christmas time with parties, nights out, late night shopping in town and enjoying the Christmas market and so on... I, yet again, have been glad to have time to be still and read, over and over, the Christmas story, and taking in the true meaning of why we all celebrate the arrival of Jesus!
The last month has been such a blessing with Church talks, youth talks, Youth prayer breakfasts and advent devotionals all keeping me focused on my time with God! I was also able to attend church a few times – one of which was our carol service. My heart was breaking at the thought of not getting to a carol service this year, so that was really special!
And of course, as per usual, O Holy Night had me in floods of tears... It is the one song that I just cannot sing, the minute it starts I get a lump in my throat and I just sob... it is so beautiful and moves me every time I hear it!
As I have spent time with the Christmas story I have been thinking so much of the Hope, the Joy and the Love of this time of year that has been given to us in a baby born in a stable who would be the greatest gift of all to the world, and over 2000 years later he is still the greatest gift of all! Think about that!!
One verse that I have really loved this year is...
Luke 1v38 “Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.”
To think of how young Mary was but yet she showed complete trust in the plans God had for her and the responsibility he gave her as the mother of the Son of God... her response is so inspiring and challenging and I have had to ask myself, do I trust in Gods plans for me without question and with a heart fully surrendered to Him?
As I have enjoyed the different things of this Christmas, the night I was at the carol service as I was thinking over the year, I was just left with such overwhelming joy in thinking I don’t know how I would have got through this year without my relationship with God, and I am so thankful to be his and that God sent Jesus for me!
I don’t know what Christmas means to you or how it has looked for you this year, and even though it is January you don’t have to wait for December to spend time in the wonder and the hope from the story of the birth of Jesus! It is incredible and only Chapter one of the greatest story ever told!
I have been praying about this blog and putting it together for a few days now! I have journeyed with God this year and even under the circumstances, it has been a year that my heart is so thankful for, because one thing that I have been blessed with in abundance is TIME ... TIME to stop rushing about... TIME to rest ... TIME to look around me, take in my surroundings better... TIME to see the blessings and the joys that God has filled my life with ... TIME to enjoy the blessings of what I have in my life and above all else TIME to be with HIM!
I finished 2020 with God, and I am starting 2021 with Him too .... so, I hope and pray that as you begin your journey this year, you are starting it with God! I pray that as you look back over 2020 you can see His presence during the trials of last year, but also are pleasantly surprised to find joys and blessings from Him as well!
Again... happy new year!
2020 was hard going... however in looking back there were many blessings along the way!
I'm start 2021 with Hope and a joyful heart !
I pray your joys bring you Hope in trusting God in the year ahead! #faithblogging #outoftheboat #sharingthejourney
