Translate

Ads

2018 in Review...Praise Edition


2018 is almost at a close and now marks a time when we look back at what our year was and ahead to the coming year. Maybe the year did not quite turn out as we had planned on News Years, or maybe it was even better than the resolutions made; both the triumphs and the trials made our year what it was. Despite what hurdles were before us, we made it.  It does not matter if we energetically jumped over, barely climbed or even squeeze our way under, passing them is what counts and worth celebrating. 

2018 should not be seen as a year of failure, should have or could have. It should be regarded as the year of training. The year we were on probation getting ready to permanently secure our post. The year we had to go through some strength training so we would be strong enough to manage the weight of the victory that is ahead.  The year God had us doing some spring cleaning and making room for new blessings. Whatever 2018 was like, having regrets at this point can't and won't change anything, therefore I implore you to have a positive outlook and most of all be thankful that you have made it this far.

As we close the year and look in hope for another, I cannot stress enough that you throw those thoughts of regret and anger aside regarding the past months. Thank God for what was and what is, while praising him for that which is to come.  Let us set our hope in Jesus and allow him to order our steps all 365 days of the coming year. Declare that we will enter and finish 2019 not in a season of expectancy but mostly a season of manifestations when everything we have expected from God will come to pass. 

Have a blessed holiday season; please don't get lost in the festivities and forget the reason for the season, the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Hoping and praying for the very best in 2019. Blessings!

Focus Scriptures:
  • Nehemiah 8:10 Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. 

  • Exodus 15:2 The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise him—  my father’s God, and I will exalt him!

  • Psalm 34:10b Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

  • Exodus 33:14 My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.





Comments

Post a Comment

Ads

Popular posts from this blog

Just Say Thank You

How many times have we heard someone being asked to pray respond by saying they do not know how to pray or what to say? It can be nerve-racking to pray in public as oftentimes we simple don't know what to say in prayer when we are overwhelmed, anxious or feel like all hope is gone. However, all that is required of us is for us to say thank you. We don't know what God has in store for us and we definitely don't know the lengths He goes to ensure we are kept each day. We may not have it all or have it at all as we often feel but we sure have life and that is reason enough to say thank you. This morning as I travelled the streets in the wee hours of the morning to respond to an emergency call out, we had to deviate from the usual route on the highway as there had been an accident. This was separate and apart from the emergency I was responding to which in fact was another motor vehicle accident. While coming back, I was chatting with my husband telling him how blessed we a
Read more

Moving Forward In Love

I know it has been a while since I have updated the blog. However it's never easy keeping an updated blog that is completely dependent on a word from God. While God is always speaking to us the truth is we are not always listening or in a position to hear him. Nevertheless when he does speak and we do hear, we know it's a word with power.  This morning I recalled a lesson covered by my pastor in one of our bible study sessions addressing our heart conditions. What would be your response if you were asked what is the condition of your heart? Medically we would look at the chambers of the heart, the valves and other areas, assessing the presence or absence of diseases; however that would not be the response fitting for this instance. As children of God what exactly are the conditions of our hearts. Are our hearts right with God? Many times we focus on the big deeds but ignore the small things (or so we think) and not realize that these micro areas are enough to lock us out
Read more

The Power of Praise and Obedience

The word praise and expressions of same is used extensively throughout the Bible. In fact the entire book of Psalms is based on praise. It is rather amazing that as children of God we still have not realised the power of our praise. Too often we praise God out of routine, just going through the motions without our hearts truly matching our words. While we can fool others with our outward actions and performance for want of a better word, we simply cannot fool God. He knows our hearts and he knows the sincerity of our praise. As I read the story of Jericho in Joshua 6:1-27, it tells of the Isrealites victory over Jericho. However what I have always found to be of interest is the people's patience and obedience through the strategic actions  of the victory. They were given specific instructions they had to adhere to. Moreover, on the  seventh day they were told to do what they never did on the first six days. They were told to give out a war cry; to shout because the Lord had  given
Read more