One Word: 2017

September 10, 2010

I am a sun chaser. My favorite place is the beach and if I disappear on a sunny day, all you need to do is to hunt for the patch of sun that I'm basking in. Come February's warmest days, you'll find me camped out in some spot of sun with sweatshirt and blanket and book, pen, and paper. It'll be cold. People will think I'm crazy, but I cannot get enough.

By the time summer rolls around, you'll find me looking for any excuse to get outside. I have quiet times out there. I garden. I go for walks. I'll do my afternoon reading or writing on the patio. I am even known to take naps out in the yard. There are few things I enjoy more than turning my face to the sun and feeling its rays warm me right to my core.

That said, my word for 2017 managed to catch me by surprise. I had a few words rolling around in my mind and the one that I ended up with was not one of them. I've been reading Andrew Murray's book "Waiting on God" along with whatever chapter(s) of Scripture he references each day. On Day 16, Murray compared waiting on God with keeping watch for the first rays of the morning light. God is a God of LIGHT and His light is always shining. I know this to be true. As I read Murray's words they resonated with me because of my love for the sun.

Psalm 130:5-6 says, "I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, And in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning; I say, more than they that watch for the morning."

We all know what it is to watch for the morning light. It chases away darkness and doubt and fear and gloom and troubles and so many things. The morning light brings with it hope and peace and a brand new day. I'm not exactly sure what events surrounded the writing of Psalm 130, but I'm pretty confident that it was times of trouble. I've been talking with several different people about salvation lately. They've all wrestled with seasons of wondering if they were ACTUALLY saved. Two of them have made it through those times. They can't explain what happened, but they both said that God changed things. I would sum up their words by saying that the light of God shined in their souls.

Murray puts it this way, "Just as the sun shines its beautiful, life giving light on and into our earth, so God shines into our hearts the light of His glory, of His love, in Christ His son. Our heart is meant to have that light filling and gladening it all the day."

If you haven't guessed yet, my word for 2017 is BASK. By the last day of December, I had settled on it and I've already been seeing the theme pop up again and again. I need to wait on God and trust that He rules over all things. I need to believe Him and stay in His word. By His Spirit, my soul will be full of the joy and peace that come from His light. God is light. By His light do we see and live and walk.

I want 2017 to be a year of savoring these truths. I want to receive from Him and respond with praise. I want the times when darkness threaten to undo me to become times when I learn to look to Him knowing that His light IS there. I want to glow with the beauty of His presence and the proof that my hope is in Him alone. I want it to be said of me that I am nurtured by Him and the light He shines on His people. I will need to pray. I will need to reflect often on His goodness and His character.

I look forward to the cloudy days when His sun shines. I long for my soul to be nourished by His light just the way my body is nourished by the sun on my skin. As I could lay there in its warmth for hours at a time, so I long for 2017 to be the year where I am continually basking in God's warmth.

May I learn from the flowers and the trees and the grass and the animals and even my own soul. As Murray says on page 83, "They do nothing [to keep the sun shining on them], they simply bask in the sunshine when it comes."

And it always comes. As Alice likes to remind me, "The sun is always shining, even when we can't see it."

Have you picked a word for 2017?

Advent 2016

December 10, 2016

I picked Andrew Murray's "Waiting on God" back up the other day. I made it less than halfway through last year's Advent readings and wouldn't you know it...When I finally got myself together this year, it was right where I left off last year. Man plans his way, but God established his steps. It gets even better. Not only did I pick up where I left off, but the first day's reading dealt with themes that I've been wrestling with lately (faith, being taught by God, and even the balance between sin and repentance).

When I read the verse that went with the day's essay, I knew that this was exactly how it was supposed to have happened. I rarely get discouraged about not being able to finish something becaues I am a firm beleiver in the fact that I will finish it when  the time is right. This goes for silly things and important things. I'm happy to take my time.

I've been going to a new Bible study and I've got mixed feelings about it. I'll be honest. I take theology very seriously. I have come to learn that this is rare. Studying the Bible with other believers has taught me that very few people are eager or have put the time into thinking for themselves. So, I go to this Bible study which seems to be non-denominational and I've heard some pretty typical comments. Everything from the KJV only debate, to thoughts on salvation, and of course, the man-centered theology that misses the actual meaning behind every Biblical text has come up so far. Bad theology, especially from people who should know better, gets me every single time.

The last meeting was about faith and especially the faith of Gideon. I'm not going to get into what was said, because that's not the point. The point is, I was wrestling with what was said and God saw fit to clarify the matter using His Word, Murray's old booklet, and an unrest in my spirit. He also threw in a line about how He teaches His people for good measure.

What have you been wrestling with lately? 

Are there in themes that God has brought to your attention?

Waiting On God In Real Life

November 11, 2015

Each time I talk about Advent, I'm amazed at how many people aren't really all that familiar with it. I've gone back and forth about how to blog over the next month or so (Christmas goes clear to January 6th in my house)....I haven't made up my mind yet, but I'll tell you this: I'm learning SO MUCH from the time that I've been spending in God's Word alongside Andrew Murray's book that is packed to the gills with TRUTH and I have this need to share it with you.

Murray wrote the introduction 120 years ago. Apparently, much of it was composed aboard a ship. It blows me away that some man's scribbles from 1895 got turned into a book and that that little book found its way into my hands exactly when I needed to read it. God does not leave ANYTHING to chance.

With my friend Alice in the hospital battling pneumonia, another member of my family taking their leave this Christmas (my sister is leaving for 3 weeks TOMORROW), and the general sense of "in-betweeness" that came with the shape our life took in August, this Advent season has been the EPITOME of waiting on God. I'm reminded of the words of Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:12 "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."

Yesterday as I made my way to the elevator after spending some more time with Alice, I thought to myself, "THIS is what it means to wait on God." When I drove by the playgrounds full of children who had just had lunch and I noticed only pairs of little girls, the tears began to pour down my cheeks. Children follow and wait and trust so willingly. Before they know it, these children will be at the end of their lives or walking beside someone they love who is having to fight to stay strong in the Lord during a difficult time where death is near but will not come. They will long for God to grant them the ability to follow and wait and trust as willingly as they did during their playground days.

Advent is the time for preparing. We look back on what God has done in the birth of Christ. We look forward to the day when Christ returns. We savor the JOY His birth brought to the people who recognized Him as Messiah. Advent can be a time to meet with God to shore up your hope in Him. Advent is the time to renew our waiting upon God.

Murray wrote these words to introduce his book and I think they serve as a great introduction to Advent, "We want to wait on Him, to put away our experiences, however blessed they have been; our conceptions of truth, however sound and Scriptural we think they seem; our plans, however needful and suitable they appear; and give God time and place to show us what He could do, what He will do."

He continues with these words, "...Would God that we might get some right conception of what the influence would be on a life spent not in thought, or imagination, or effort, but in the power of the Holy Spirit, wholly waiting upon God."

God calls His people to wait on Him. By His grace and the power of the Helper granted to us by our Savior, we CAN wait on Him. This kind of waiting is for the praise of His glory. Alice is waiting on Him. I'm considering these things and asking myself the question whose answers bears so much weight, "Am I waiting on Him?"

"'Be silent unto God,' and thou shalt know
The quiet, holy calm He doth betsow
On those who wait on Him; so shalt thou bear
His presence, and His life and light e'en where
The night is darkest, and thine earthly days
Shall show His love, and sound His glorious praise.
And He will work with hand unfettered, free,
His high and holy purposes through thee...

And He will work for thee. Stand still and see
The victories thy God will gain for thee..." - Freda Hanbury




This post is part of a series on what I'm studying right now. To learn more about Advent or to read more posts in this series click HERE.

DIY Advent Calendar

In case you didn't already know it, I am NOT a crafty person. When I did my student teaching, Mrs. J told me that I really needed to overcome my weaknesses and learn to incorporate songs and crafts into my lessons. Every now and then, the voice of Mrs. J (and the knowledge that my Mom, sister, or friend Heidi will come to my rescue if my genius idea doesn't pan out) inspires me to pull out the crafting supplies and create something...Every now and then, everything turns out exactly as I hoped it would.

Last Friday when God brought my plans for Advent into existence, I attempted to make myself a calendar using things that I already had on hand. Since we've been living without 90% of our belongings for the last few months, my options were super limited. It's not Martha Stewart and it's received a few laughs, but it works and it makes me happy every single time I see it.


Let's get started!!!

For this project, you will need:


paper - I used newspaper because we happen to have a bunch of it
scissors
a sharpie
a hole punch
yarn
a needle with a large eye (optional)
painters tape - I'm sure you have some other kind of adhesive on hand though

Begin by choosing the sections of newspaper that you will use. I looked for pieces that were heavy with printed text, a few bold headlines, and I made sure that both sides appealed to me. Use your scissors to cut them into any shape. I went with rectangles, but this is YOUR calendar.

Next, use your sharpie to label each shape with a large number which will correspond to each day leading up to Christmas. Some people count down, but I always count up for some reason. Again, this is YOUR project.

Punch a hole near the center of the top of each shape.  I used a three hole punch, but if you've got a single hole punch, I have a feeling that will go a lot faster!

Cut two lengths of yarn and thread one length into the needle. String the numbered shapes onto the string so that they are in order. Repeat with second length and the remaining shapes.

Use your painters tape to secure your banners in a place where you will be sure to see them throughout the day. If you want to, you can cut out an extra piece of newspaper and write down some words that summarize your focus this Advent season.

There you have it!!!

I plan to gently tear off each day's numbered shape and use a dark pen to write a few short words or a Scripture that summarize what I learned that day. I love having a calendar on the wall because it helps me to build excitement for the days to come, it's a visible reminder of what I have learned, and it pushes me to do the study each day.

Whether you have fancy supplies, or odds and ends that really aren't all that fantastic, I do hope that you can create something to add to your Advent celebration! It's never too late to give your soul time to prepare for the hope that the first coming of our Savior brought or for the joy that His second coming will bring!!!!

What's your favorite DIY of this Christmas season? 

Advent 2015: Waiting On God

By the beginning of November I start planning ahead for the Advent season. This year the first Sunday came and went and I still had no idea what I was going to do. I searched and searched and not one single study or specific Scripture stood out to me. Little did I know that the book I would be using was waiting in a thrift store for just 49 cents. 

Last Wednesday (the fourth day of Advent) we decided to pop into a thrift store during the break we had between an appointment and rehearsals. After doing a search for any stores that were nearby, we pulled into the parking lot to find that they were having a major sale. My Mom and I headed straight to the bookshelves. We found some great theology books (something that doesn't happen all that often in thrift stores) that were all in excellent condition. After combing through the stack, we narrowed it down to 16 titles. 

Friday rolled around and I was still anxious about what I was going to be doing for Advent...That's when I decided to look through the small selection of books we have at this house (the rest of our books are still at the other house) to see if anything could be adapted into a study that would take me through Epiphany. 

Andrew Murray's little volume titled "Waiting on God" which happens to consist of 31 days worth of meditations on the topic seemed pretty fitting. I set to work mapping out the study with the calendar. I gathered up materials that we happened to have on hand and made a simple Advent Calendar to hang up. My plan is to read one meditation and the Scripture that goes with it each day. Along the way I will journal my thoughts and keep my eyes peeled for hymns, poems, and daily happenings that go along with what God uses my study to teach me. 

I completed the first study time this morning and I can't wait for the next 30 days!!! Everything I have I owe to God and the fact that this study seems perfectly planned by Him shouldn't come as a surprise, but if I'm honest it is causing me to stand back in awe. I have so very much to learn and the weeks leading up to Christmas following a fall spent being reminded that the grace and presence of God are my greatest treasures is going to do much for my soul. 

I'll be here studying what it means to wait on God and I'm expecting Him to teach me how to do it...Our lives are full of examples of His providence, protection, and provision. May we all see His glory in a way that we've never quite seen it before this Advent season. The glimpses have already begun!

How do you celebrate Advent? 

The MOST Wonderful Time of the Year

via

It's the first day of Advent! I never realize how much I have been looking forward to this part of the Christmas season until it is HERE. 

This year I'm going through a study called "Come Lord Jesus Come" that I found over at Gospel Centered Discipleship. 

Check it out, download your own FREE copy, and be ready to have a wonderful time with God this Christmas season! 

I've just finished the reading for Day One and I'm already super excited for the the next 24 days!!! 

How are you celebrating advent this year?

Are you doing any particular study? I'd love to hear about it!!!