Let This be the Year

It’s 6am here.

Dark and early.

That wonderfully quiet time with the perfect cup of coffee and the soothing warmth of the fireplace…and my heart stirs.

I think of this new year stretched out long before us with its possibilities and opportunities. I think of how we each enter into this clean slate of promise, of hope and dreams yet be realized.

Friend, let this be the year not only for dreaming big, but for taking long, big-girl strides toward turning our biggest, wildest dreams into reality.

Let this be the year of seriously moving toward a healthy mind, body, spirit and lifestyle and for helping others to accomplish the same.

Let this be the year of gathering up all the loose ends of our lives and bringing organization and structure where it’s needed.

Let this be the year of living more aware of those needing prayer, friendship… the love of Jesus. I pray we will go about our days with eyes wide open and sensitive to the needs of those around us.

Let this be the year of breaking down the barriers of fear and worry that we may find strength to turn worry and fear into faith and trust; trust in the One who moves mountains.

Let this be the year of salvation for loved ones who have turned away and against it far too long. I pray you and I will be that light to those living in darkness, and may they realize that the truest, purest form of happiness isn’t found in the things of this world but only when we run to the open arms of our Savior.

Let this be the year.

"'If you can'?" said Jesus. 

"Everything is possible for one who believes." 

(Mark 9:23)

I would love the opportunity to pray with you for the big things you'd like to accomplish in 2016. You're welcome to share your thoughts in the comment section. ALL things are possible with Jesus!

To Catch a Dream

    I remember spending countless hours as a little girl watching a red and white bobber float along still waters. After awhile, I’d get impatient, reel it back in and cast out to yet another “perfect” spot.

    I soon realized that the weight of the bobber alone wasn’t enough to carry my line out very far, so I learned how to add little round split shot weights to my line so I could cast out farther and stand a better chance at some of the bigger fish.

    It doesn’t take much effort to keep casting our line close to the shore, does it?

    It seems that if we only have faith enough to toss our line within reach, we can only hope to catch the smallest, youngest fish. Sure, it’s safer and easier that way, but there’s really not much of a challenge in dreaming of the small and attainable when there are so many big fish out there.

    It takes the weight of faith on our line, faith big enough to cast our dreams and our goals way out beyond the lapping waves and into waters swirling well over our head where the biggest fish swim.

    It's the strength of that faith that grabs that line and makes it soar way out beyond where we're able to reach on our own. And it's the weight of our faith that allows us to think beyond the shoreline and into the unknown because God's hands fashioned both the shallow and the deep waters.

"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied

by action, is dead." (James 2:17)

    I want to encourage you, sweet friend, to add the weight of faith to your dreams. Cast out far beyond the break of waves and into the deepest unknown. You may have to cast out many, many times before you catch what you’re looking for and you might even snag your line in the undergrowth. But don’t let that keep you from trying. Because of Jesus, we have the power and the authority to think far beyond the attainable, reachable goals and into the open waters of possibility. Praise God!

²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

²⁹ “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” (Matthew 1428-31)

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