At the beginning of 2020, I made some declarations from the Word of God over my life (see underlined portions below). This year definitely did NOT go as planned. So, I wanted to review those declarations to see if God’s Word held true in even the stormiest of years.
1- I choose life, blessing, and joy. I am so glad that I made this declaration at the beginning of 2020! The global pandemic, the divisive politics, the racial struggles, and the church closures challenged my resolve to be joyful. I needed many reminders that my joy is NOT in my circumstances, but in my JESUS! Sometimes I was able to remind myself of this truth. At other times, I needed friends to pray for me and remind me. My resolve remains: I choose joy!
2- I am Beloved by God. This is the ONE constant in my life. Come what may, I am still beloved by my precious heavenly Father. Nothing and no one can change that! Praise God!!!
3- I am an effectual doer of the Word. I retired as director of the prayer ministry I had been running for almost a decade in March. We could not gather anyway. Nor could we feed the homeless or do any other street ministries because of the “stay at home” order. How could I be an effectual “doer” of the Word sitting at home? Praise God, He used me to write a devotional Bible study. I am praying that God’s working in me will bear much fruit when it is published!
4- I burn with the fire of God, so no weapon formed against me can prosper (Is. 54:17). I am thankful to report that no one in my immediate family has contracted the dreaded virus. Thank You, Father!
5- I have a destiny to be fruitful and multiply. In every season of my life, fruitfulness has taken a different appearance. As I was raising two daughters, I had very little energy left to offer fruit outside my own family. Still, God brought other girls and young women for me to mentor alongside my own girls. Now that they are grown, God has given me opportunities to use the teaching and writing gifts He gave me. And the joy of my heart has been the creative seeds that He has breathed on, in due season. It has been great fun to use my quarantine time painting with my Creator God!
Yes, God’s Word is ALWAYS true, in every season of life. I am making these same declarations for this coming year. How about you? Are you pressing into God more this year? If you do, you will find a blessing; I pray that you do. Happy New Year!