Good morning, DearHeart.

My girl, Liv, has a unique style. I see it developing every time we are together. I giggled the other day as she started taking the paper off her crayons. I did the same thing in my 1st grade class. It is about the only thing I remember about 1st grade, other than my teacher didn’t smile. She had been in the military and her first job outside of her military duties was my class. I’m guessing first graders must’ve been a shock to her rigid norm. Taking the paper off crayons was not acceptable. It was not normal. Apparently, to her, it was the mark of a deviant or something horrendous and awful.

When I watch my girl and her friends play, if feel a rising in me … an eager expectation and hope that they will each be encouraged in their own unique style and be lifted into their God-given gifts. That their uniqueness lands them where they can love well. I pray that people ‘in charge’ never suck the life out of them by smashing them into their rote and ‘proper’ and ways. And, when it happens that those littles respect those in charge enough to simply abide and move to find fertile ground where they can continue to grow deeper into their Savior. Where they can grow into their next level.

‘My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all boldness, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by life or by death.’ Philippians 1:20

You know, when you pray to go to the next level, Satan always schedules an enemy … have you noticed? Oh, yes, you have. Obstacles come flying at us like we are a dartboard.

God doesn’t deal in problems; He deals in promises. When your gifts are dissed and belittled and misunderstood, when you and your uniqueness get looked down upon, start praying His promises … by doing so, we ask Him to step up our circle of influence,

inspire boldness,

inspire laser beam focus,

inspire creativity,

allow us to share the Gospel in new ways.

Sometimes faith will make you look silly … claim faith anyway. Because, no matter what obstacles come, here’s the deal:

when you go to Father with mustard seed faith, walls fall in His perfect timing.

The bigger blessing awaits.

Going deeper is worth it. Wildest dream blessings = worth it.

My second grade teacher, Mrs. Coombes, smiled constantly. 🥰

Wake up.

Step into your God-given self.

Go.

Good morning, DearHeart.

Step outside and take a deep breath.

Did you smell it?

It’s kind of like that new car smell. Or perhaps it was like when you light a new Yankee Candle for the first time. Or, maybe like a new bottle of perfume.

Or, like breathing in the sweetness of a baby’s head.

You know the smell well……the smell of something new. Something fresh.

I love the smell of a new year. Especially coated it a fresh blanket of snow.

No matter what 2018 held for you –

good,

bad,

sad,

happy,

funny,

serious, a

failure

or a success – it is done.

It is behind us.

But now 2019 lies before each of us. Breathe it in. A beginning. A new start. Let today be the first day of experiencing life anew.

Let change begin.

• Break an old habit.

• Form a new habit.

• Read Scripture more

• Pray often

• Seek Him above all else

• Forgive

• Love

• Laugh

• Encourage others

• Be kind

The year 2019 is before us like a clean slate. We face uncharted territory. May we find ourselves like the Israelites waiting to cross the Jordan River. God knew the people would feel apprehensive crossing. He understood that, at times, the unknown can be frightening. So He instructs the people to watch the priests & when they move with the Ark of Covenant, follow them. I absolutely LOVE the reasoning God gives them. It actually is one of my favorite verses in all the Bible….

“Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.“ (Joshua 3:4 NIV).

And that is us with the new year before us. We have never been this way before. But if we keep our eyes on Him, our hearts in tuned with His & follow His lead, well…..

there is no telling what the new year will hold for us!

So take a deep breath. Did you smell it?

Use this first weekend of this new year to lay out an attitude plan. Come what may.

My choice will be to live on FAITH.

It is the smell of hope.

FAITH for ALL that will unfold in the next twelve months. May God be with us all & bless each of us as we pursue Him & His ways.

Wake up.

Breathe it in.

Go.

Good mornin’ DearHeart. This prayer is worth sharing. It stuck with me and I kept going back to read it one more time.

‘O Lord Most High, You rule over the heavens and the earth, for You made all things by Your great power, and You keep them existing and working by Your mighty Word. You are exalted above every star and galaxy in the cosmos…yet You are also “the God of all mankind”,

the great,

personally present,

personally involved God who loves, rescues, and takes care of all who trust You.

I praise You for Your sovereignty over the broad events of my life and over the details. With You,

nothing is accidental,

nothing is incidental

and no experience is wasted.

You hold in Your own power my breath of life and my destiny.

And every trial that You allow to happen is a platform on which You reveal Yourself, showing Your love and power, both to me and to others. Thank You that I can move into the future nondefensively, with hands outstretched to whatever lies ahead, for You hold the future and You will always be with me, even to my old age….and through all eternity.

Amen.’

(from “31 Days of Praise” by Ruth Myers, pg 47).

Good mornin’ DearHeart.

Lots of ground was covered in 2018. God went before and met me there. A few times He swept up all the pieces and carefully recreated parts of me. Lots of changes coming at us this new year, too. Your/My Creator is already there.

Remember the times of 2018 – try this … rapid-fire reflections on the closing year. Take a few minutes to write out answers to these questions:

What didn’t work?
What did work?
What were the highlights?

And then: What does the new year look like if it’s full of what works?
Bonus Q: What do your highlights say about you and your relationship with God Most High?

Holy instant pattern recognition.

If you stay out of your head and ask from the heart, CLARITY can happen like THAT. Snap.

Here’s how it rolled out for me:

What didn’t work… The situations need to stay private but the learning is the same as it always is … ignoring that weighed down feeling, giving way more than my fair share for the sake of so called harmony… disaster. It’s one of those classic, “Are you kidding me?” times.

Excessive-tolerance is left in 2018. Self respect is all in for 2019.
What did work…
– Focusing in on my inner circle of people. I got softer in the right parts and fiercer on the right subjects, and it has made me stronger.
-All of my writings were heartfelt, healing, and hope-filled. Confirmed.
-Momin’. Magic always happens when you’re a mom. It looks normal at the time. It’s magical in the reflection. What kind of God made up this supreme appointment? Mmm.
– Games and championships and grad and trips with my men- adventures make for deeper learning, and more snort laughing. More on the edge of your seat competitions.

⁃ Highlight. The Light! Deepened my walk with my Savior. I understand devotion in new ways.

And then… what does the new year look like, full of more of what works…very, very generally…

⁃ Excessive tolerance is OUT.

⁃ Relationships are everything.

⁃ More clean, more deep, more Light. All for Christ. Devoted.

So, for 2019, have decided, I am again going to make just one resolution…….

“Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.”(Psalms 119:18 NLT).

I want to be awestruck by the truth in God’s Word. It is only as God enables me to see His truth that I will be able to effectively apply it to my life. As I read a small portion of Psalm 119, this is what jumped out at me:

⁃ His Word will encourage me (v. 28)

⁃ His Word will keep me from lying to myself (v. 29). Think about that one for a second. We are self-deceiving people apart from the application of God’s Word.

⁃ It is a privilege to know the instructions of God (v. 29)

⁃ If we are going to be faithful to Him in 2019, it will be because we deliberately have chosen to be so. It will not happen by accident. (v.30)

⁃ We must cling to His Word, hold onto it with all our might (v. 31)

⁃ If we will pursue His commands, He will expand our understanding (v.32)

As the year is winding down & we are looking with anticipation to a new year, a fresh start, may I encourage you to start with The One.

Thank you all for your feedback throughout the year and your prayer requests Let’s remember to keep each other in prayer. And, to enter in with expectation with The Most High God.

Have a blessed and peaceful and fantastic New Year 2019! May God bless you and your family and may this season be one of peace and love in your household, in your life.

All love,

Angie