Last year I tried something new--I chose one word to have as a theme for the year. The word was JOY. It was a blessing to me to be able to come back to that as a theme during our time on furlough (when joy came quite easily), during our time of transition back (when joy was a little more difficult to find as our emotions were yanked across oceans) and during my many days of sickness (when it was just a downright fight for joy). God gave me two major endcaps to the year 2017. The first was a ladies retreat last January in Colorado that I spoke at. The topic was joy and it was a huge blessing to begin to dive into studying it deeply. The second endcap was our team retreat this past December, where we studied Job, what it means to worship in our suffering (including having joy!). It was here that God baked and hardened the lessons that he had been teaching me all year.
As I've been prayerfully thinking about a new theme for this year, the word ABIDE has been coming to mind from John 15:
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
There is no greater gift I can give my husband, children, and ministry this year than the gift of a wife, mom, and missionary that abides in Christ. I want to be a doer of the word (not just a hearer), but before I can be a doer, I must be soaked, saturated and abiding with Christ...in his word and in prayer. And what beautiful promises to those that abide: answered prayers, fruit, seeing God's love, joy! I'm looking forward to learning more about abiding in Christ this year.
What about you? Did you make any New Years resolutions? Do you have a word that you have chosen to focus on this year?
