I didn’t make any New Year’s Resolutions this year. I had dreams, goals and hopes and I even wrote some of them down, but not as a MUST-DO resolution. It’s not because I don’t like a list – I love a list. I just tend to be very disappointed when I miss the mark, and it can cause me to just shut down and give up. I didn’t want to shut down anymore, so I decided to do something different this year.
I gave myself permission to just keep trying. I gave myself permission to fail, and I gave myself grace in the process. I decided to not quit. I was excited and moving in a good direction.
I wanted to lose weight.
I wanted to be healthy.
I wanted to write.
I wanted to spend quality time with my kids and husband.
I wanted to go deeper in my faith with Jesus.
And then, without warning, my world was shaken. I was out of sorts and afraid. Continue reading →
The Bible has a lot to say about “New”. I did a keyword search in Bible Gateway for the word “new” and found around 280 references. In 2013, I made “All Things Good” jars to remind me of Romans 8:28. This year, that jar will be replaced with my “All Things New” jar.
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:5
God is making me new. He’s making you new, and sometimes we just need to be reminded! This jar will be my reminder.
Throughout the year, I will add new verses, new insight, and examples of the ways God is making me new. What am I learning about God that is new? I’m taking these truths and writing them down! I don’t want to be stagnant and just going through the motions. I want to be intentional to recognize how He is changing me from the inside out. These are the things I want to remember!
My jar is in front of my dresser mirror as a visual reminder of my NEWNESS in Christ. It’s His Beautiful Gift to me! There may be times throughout the day, week or year, where I will need to open that jar to remember truth and ground myself in who I am in Jesus who makes all things new.
How is God making you new? What verses have you come across in a fresh, new way? What new songs are you singing to praise the one who redeemed you? How is your heart and mind being made new? Grab a jar (or a box, or an envelope) and join me. Can you imagine next year at this time, the treasure that this ‘new’ jar will store? Can you feel the thanksgiving and anticipation in your heart already? It’s exciting and new!
Here are some verses and questions to ponder as you discover “New” in your own walk with Jesus!
What is something new you have learned in His word?
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Writing it down makes a difference! Remember. Be encouraged as you grow in your “newness” with Jesus! Look to Him and all of the new that He brings! Happy ‘New’ Year to the ‘new’ you!
A new brain, that doesn’t work overtime to worry, fear and fix.
A new forehead that isn’t marked to say something is wrong.
A new pair of eyes, that no longer looks past what’s in front of them to a faraway place.
A new collection of tears for miracles to come.
A new set of ears, that listens for that still small voice and only faintly hears the condemning shouts.
A new nose, not afraid to smell. Not afraid to remember. Not afraid to connect.
A new mouth, with brave words of hope and delightful kisses.
A new chin that’s raised high, and new shoulders back with a new confidence.
A new stomach that’s redefining hungry and full.
A new set of legs standing for what matters.
A new set of feet that go where guided, afraid but not alone.
A new body. A new mind. A new heart.
Created by God. Restored by God. Loved by God.
made new
Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP
What about you?
What is “new” to you? Join the #fmfparty and write because #wordsmatter!
This post is part of the “Finding Spiritual Whitespace Blog Tour” which I am a part of, along with a group of soulful, journeying kindreds. To learn more and join us, CLICK HERE!
I turned down the wrong aisle in the grocery store. I found myself waiting in the center of the aisle for the lady on her cell phone to move her cart. As I waited, staring at the cookies, my eyes caught a glimpse of familiar. Heart stopping familiar. Something that would normally send me chin up, saying excuse me and moving on, but this time I lingered. I stood in the cookie aisle and I cried as I remembered.
Clean up on aisle 9 …. tears are spilling.
He knows. He is right there with me.
Psalm 56:8 (NLT) You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
I have not seen these cookies since elementary school, and I even looked for them years ago, but could not find them. These were not exactly like the ones we used as these were missing chocolate chips. So I zipped over to the baking aisle (still crying) and I put the mini-chips in my cart, and then rushed to the frozen aisle for a big tub of whipped cream. Wiping the tears from my cheeks, I headed to the register and forgot the orange juice and bread.
These cookies were part of one of my favorite desserts when I was a little girl, but they are also associated with much pain. Pain that has been worked through in counseling. These memories have been discussed and processed, but just seeing the cookies took me back to tracing in a classroom window and it reminded me of shame, and desperate attempts to appear okay.
I pulled in the driveway, and cried some more and then unloaded the bags.
After dinner, we started making the dessert. The kids took turns dipping the cookies in milk, and lining the bottom of the pan. Then we sprinkled with chocolate chips, covered with cool whip, layered again and again, and then put it in the freezer.
We were laughing and we were sampling the blend of all three ingredients. We were a little messy, and I let even let my youngest lick the spoon (a lot). We were making a new dessert and new memories together, with her… the little girl in me, as is.
Revelation 21:4 (NLT) 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.
What is Spiritual Whitespace? There are many ways to describe spiritual whitespace, but one of my many favorite quotes from the book is on page 221 :
The world calls us to hide our stressed-out selves. But Jesus calls us to a radical new rest: Draw near. As is.
Jesus invites us into a new relationship to set our hearts free.
Jesus wanted us to bring him what’s real and worrisome as well as what’s simple and beautiful. A child brings all parts of herself to Jesus. She can’t help it. That’s just the way she is.
Bonnie Gray is the writer behind Faith Barista.com who wrote a book about her inspiring, heart-breaking journey to find rest, which garnered Publisher’s Weekly starred review. I’m taking the journey to find rest through this guidebook and invite you to read it too. You canget a copy HERE.
Join us on this journey to find #spiritualwhitespace. Let your soul find rest. Watch the trailer below to see more about the book and Bonnie’s story:
I turned down the wrong aisle in the grocery store. I found myself waiting in the center of the aisle for the lady on her cell phone to move her cart. As I waited, staring at the cookies, my eyes caught a glimpse of familiar. Heart stopping familiar. Something that would normally send me chin up, saying excuse me and moving on, but this time I lingered. I stood in the cookie aisle and I cried as I remembered.
