Happy New Year! I pray the first few weeks of the year have been going well for you. I know we all have various things going on in our lives and that there is much craziness going on in the world around us.
But there is peace in knowing that the Lord loves us very much, and the fact that He has allowed us to see another year shows that He still sees us, hears us, and has work for us to do.
Even though life gets tough at times, God is our refuge and strength. He steadies our steps, keeps our paths straight (calls us back if we veer off) and keeps our hearts secure through the journey. Knowing He is with us and for us, gives us the hope we need to keep moving forward.
For the last four years, I’ve prayed about and chosen a word or phrase of the year (thanks Bridget for the suggestion). Doing so helps me to focus on a specific area where God wants to grow my faith.
This year my phrase is, “Choose Jesus, Embrace Joy.” And Psalm 16:11 is one of my focus verses. The verse is a reminder that in God’s presence, there is fullness of joy. Abiding in the presence of God, keeps our joy full.
Psalm 16:11 NKJV
You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
I am looking forward to continuing to learn what it means to choose Jesus daily and embrace joy as I abide in God’s presence. I know it won’t always be easy but I trust that God will always be with me, and that His love will keep me.
Have you prayed about and chosen a word or phrase for this year? If so, feel free to share it in the comments.
I pray you would rest in Jesus and find all you need in His love as you go throughout this new year.
I’m not sure how you feel about it, but it seems to me like time goes by a little faster every year. I remember thinking around June that I couldn’t believe we were about half way through the year. Now, we are just a few days away from the new year.
As you reflect on the past year, you have probably experienced various ups and downs. And as the year comes to an end, you may have mixed emotions depending on what you have been through or what you are currently going through.
As we go through the challenges of life, they can make us feel closer to Christ as we press into Him for the provision we need, and trust Him to be who He promised to be in our lives. However, there are also times where the weight of the challenges we face can leave us feeling discouraged or wondering why God would allow us to go through certain situations.
The joy in all of this, is that God never stops being God. As a co-worker reminded me recently, His presence is always with us. So, no matter where we find ourselves in life, we can rest assured that God is still God. He is still in control. And He still loves us. And I pray those truths will bring you comfort today.
At the beginning of the year, I mentioned that my word for 2025 was, “receive.” I did not post about it as much as I initially thought I would, but God was continuously teaching me about receiving throughout the year. When God first revealed that receive would be my word, I was excited. But I also remembered, based on past experience, that the words God gives me are usually not without challenge. He uses them to stretch my faith so I can continue to grow up in Him. Plus, I know that receiving is closely linked to giving and I wondered, “What will God require me to give so that I may receive?”
Although God taught me to give in various ways, I discovered that what He desired most from me was surrender. He simply wanted me to give myself to Him. It is through daily surrender to God that we are able to receive from God.
We often struggle to surrender because we find it hard to give up control or should I say, the illusion of control. Somehow, we feel better when we believe we are in control. But needless to say, we are not really in control. And life has a way of reminding us of that because it can change so quickly. We are better off, when we learn to rely on God. And learning to rely on God is a daily process. But as we go through the process, He is walking with us. He freely extends His goodness and mercy to us, His joy which is our strength, His forgiveness when we repent, and His discipline, which He administers with love to keep us on the right path. God is patient with us, as we learn to live the surrendered life.
As I focused on surrendering to God, I was able to better receive His rest (both spiritual and physical), His provision so He could care for me, His courage so I could obey His will and His perspective on the situations life brought my way that were difficult to understand. Surrendering enabled me to receive God’s wisdom and instruction as I read His Word and learned to apply it to my life one day at a time, with the help of His Holy Spirit.
Is surrendering easy? No it isn’t. In fact, the Bible tells us in Matthew 7:13-14 NLT that choosing to surrender to Jesus is a difficult road.
“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
“Only a few ever find it.” That hits hard but at the same time it makes sense when we consider the current state of the world. The greatest thing we can do as born again believers is receive the gift of Jesus daily. Each day, we must wake up with a renewed commitment to receive not only what He gives, but who He is. God always wants to show us more of who He is but we must be willing to surrender ourselves to Him, and commit our ways and our plans to Him. Proverbs 16:3 NIV says to, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
Dear Heavenly Father,
As we close out 2025, thank you for carrying us safely through another year. There have been joys during the year, but there have also been pains. You know what each one of us stands in need of today and you promised to supply our every need. Show us areas where we need to repent and live according to your Word so that we may experience the intimacy with you that Jesus came to give us.
Help us to surrender ourselves to you daily so that we may receive all you have for us each day. As we grow in you, help us to better see your perspective and understand your plans for us. It is not always easy to receive your truth because in most cases, the world we live in is contrary to your truth plus we are sometimes torn between Your Spirit and our own desires. But empower us to rise above any lies and deception the enemy brings our way so that we may receive your truth and live in victory.
Thank you for giving us the Spirit of power, love and sound mind that we may go forth courageously, choosing You instead of fear. May your Word light our path, and your Spirit lead us on level ground as we walk into this new year with You.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Psalm 143:10 NIV, “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”
I will continue to pray for you. Thank you for your love and support, may God bless you and your family in the coming year. Dawn
In my Bible reading, the Lord has been impressing upon me the importance of taking my time and choosing quality over quantity. I have found this to be very beneficial as it allows me the golden opportunity to take in the small details that I would otherwise overlook.
If I feel pressure to race through my daily reading, in an effort to complete a chapter or two, I will miss many of the simple truths that God wanted to speak to me that day through His Word. God’s Word is so full of the refreshment and nourishment that we so desperately need and I have found that consuming it in small bites has really helped me not to miss what matters most.
I am sure you have experienced those moments in your Bible reading where you have been reading and all of a sudden the words you read, jumped right off the page and captured your heart. And the crazy thing is that it is often something that we have read many times before. I have been finding that to happen more often, as I have been taking my time to hear what the Lord is saying to me by taking small bites of His Word, journaling, repenting and praying about what I have read.
I have been going through the book of Genesis, and about a week ago, my reading for the day was Genesis 4:13-16. Chapter 4 in Genesis shares the story of Cain and Abel. In the previous verses of that chapter, we learn that Cain killed His brother Abel and the Lord told Cain that when he worked the ground, it would no longer produce crops and that he would be a wanderer. Cain’s response/plea is below in verses 13-14. But God’s astounding response is in verse 15.
Genesis 4:13-16 NIV
13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
When I got to verse 15, GOD’S MERCY struck me, it jumped off the page and captured my heart! It was massive and hard to comprehend, but real. There was no way I could miss it and it caused me to examine my own heart, repent of my pride and realize how I, like Cain, have received God’s mercy, not once, not twice but time and time again. Here was a man who committed murder, yet the loving God we serve was willing to spare his life. God marked Cain so that no one would kill him, even though he had killed his brother, Abel.
Through Christ, we too have been marked by God’s mercy. He often withholds the punishment we deserve and the punishment we think others deserve. Realizing this, gives us the ability to trust Him with justice, after all, He has said that vengeance belongs to Him.
Romans 12:19 NIV
12“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.”
When we see others do wrong and it seems that they are getting away with it, justice belongs to the Lord. He has promised to work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).
Vengeance can take on many forms. And in the times we live in, that vengeance often can come through the things that are being posted on social media. Many people often use their social media platforms to speak harsh words, post divisive things, hurt others, or insist upon their own way.
So, it’s even more important to make sure that what we post is coming from a place of love and God’s truth instead of vengeance, since we have a responsibility as Christians to bring glory to God and help expand His kingdom, not divide it. We know that God is not the author of confusion, but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33).
I am thankful God used these verses in Genesis to remind me of the greatness of His mercy. I love how the Word of God brings humility, conviction, and instruction to all who are willing to receive it.
James 2:13 NIV
13 “For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
I recently remembered a visit I had to a nursing home as a child. There was a lady in a wheelchair sitting in the hallway. I remember a nurse saying that it was the lady’s birthday and she told the lady to tell the little girl (me) how old she was. The lady in the wheelchair immediately became agitated, put a frown on her face and quickly said, “I’m busy, I don’t have time!”
As an adult reflecting back on that visit to the nursing home, it seems quite comical. To think, here’s a person who is now confined to a nursing home, possibly to live out her final days, sitting in her wheelchair in the hallway, yet she thought she was too busy to share how old she was. I’m guessing this lady, probably had many hectic days in her life, prior to arriving at the nursing home. Days when she felt so busy she couldn’t even catch her breath or find adequate time to rest. Over the years, she probably got really good at saying, “I’m busy!”
This memory caused me to consider my own life. It made me ask the question, “What is it that I think I am too busy to do?” And if I am too busy, “why?” Am I really too busy or are my priorities just out of order? Am I really too busy or are there just things I need to eliminate from my schedule?
Remembering my encounter with this lady many years ago, taught me a couple of lessons about life that I can understand now as an adult.
1.) Don’t allow myself to become so busy (or think I’m so busy) that I no longer have time for the simple things in life that mean so much.
2.) Make sure the things I am doing, are fruitful things that God really does intend for me to do, especially if I plan to tell someone, “I’m busy!”
Many of us can probably relate to the overwhelming feeling of being busy, especially with the world we live in today. Although we can’t change the world, we can certainly ask God to show us areas of our own lives where we have become too busy. And we can ask Him to help us prioritize according to His will, and He will guide us.
There are many things we can fill our days with to keep busy. But what is most important? And how can we best serve God and bring Him glory as we go about our daily tasks?
May God grant us wisdom and discernment as we surrender our work/tasks, goals and schedules to Him. When we surrender, He will be faithful to give us the perspective we need.
Romans 12:2 ESV, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
1 John 2:17 ESV, “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
Colossians 3:23-24 ESV, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
Last month, I celebrated 8 years of blogging on Drawing Closer to Christ. It is a blessing to be part of this blogging community. I appreciate all of your support! Thank you very much!
I heard a pastor say recently that living a life of faith in God doesn’t mean everything will always go smoothly, be easy, and work out according to our plans. Instead, it means we have to keep fighting! And his admonishment reminds me of 2 Timothy 4:7 NIV, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
I have days where I feel like I am struggling to stay in the fight, keep trusting in Christ, and walking by faith. Especially when things don’t go as I thought they would. But praying about everything, holding on to God’s promises, and taking time out to be still in His presence and listen for His voice has helped me to keep going. He is with us every step of the way, we just have to surrender to Him daily and keep fighting the good fight. He will give us the strength, courage, wisdom and protection we need.
Staying in the fight is a daily choice, and we often have to make that choice multiple times throughout our day when faced with unexpected challenges. However, God is with us and has promised to never leave us. He is our faithful Lord, who loves us more than we can even understand at times. And His love never fails.
I pray His love would be revealed to you today as you persevere in your faith. Stay in the fight, God is by your side!
2 Corinthians 3:18 KJB “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
I like what Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers says regarding this verse, “We see God mirrored in Christ, who is “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15), and as we gaze, with our face unveiled, on that mirror, a change comes over us.”
It’s so beautiful to know that as Christians, when we keep our gaze on Christ Jesus, we have the privilege of becoming more like Him and reflecting Him to others. Of course doing this takes intentionality. Everything we do should be done with the purpose of reflecting Christ.
Photo by: Brett Sayles of USA 🇺🇸
God is always calling us higher, desiring for us to go from glory to glory and grow in our relationship with Him. This will require us to not lead a life of control and comfort, but instead a life of faith and obedience to His will. Living life with our gaze fixed on Christ, will lead us to the adventures that He has for us.
We see Him best when we choose to walk in His will, even if we must leave behind control and comfort. Although there are many things in the world that we can enjoy, surrendering to Christ each day, will give us the true fulfillment we long for. And that goes beyond even the best things this world has to offer.
Psalm 145:16 ESV, “You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.”
As you sense God calling you higher, I encourage you to pray about everything and trust Him with each detail of your journey. Don’t let fear, anxiety, or comfort hold you back from the blessings God has for you on the next level.
Proverbs 20:24 NLT, “The LORD directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?”
When we pray and ask God for wisdom, He will guide us and tell us what He knows we need to know. However, humility and trust help us to surrender to God and find rest knowing that we don’t have to understand every detail of every situation. And since He is directing our steps, we can trust Him with what we do not know. We do know that His plans are flawless and He will work everything out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
Photo by: H&Co of Taiwan 🇹🇼
It can be difficult at times to choose to trust God with the unknowns we face. But as we choose to trust Him, we will see His love at work in our hearts and lives. There is no detail that slips past Him. He faithfully cares for us and will provide our every need.
Drawing Closer to Christ 