2024 reflection:
When a new year comes, do you pray for Holy Spirit to give you a word to meditate on for the year? Do you ask to add scripture to that you can pray over your life? I had an encounter a couple of weeks ago where Holy Spirit shared that my word for 2025; focus. As I journeyed through 2024 with my word being intentional, I learned a lot about myself, and God pruned me by revealing to me what I needed to work on. But along the way in 2024, I did a lot of time focusing on my problems instead of my solution, which is God. I would have my intentional time, read the Word, worship, spend time in God’s creation. When I was finished with my time, I would go back to worrying about my problem at hand 90% of the time. Even if I thought I was good, deep down I was still thinking about it. My husband lost his job due to needing back surgery. He spent a bit of 2024 in pain and recovering. He tried to start a couple of businesses, but it was not cutting it as I do not make enough on my own to cover all of our bills.
Looking into 2025:
So, as you can imagine, it was a hard year for us. Starting 2025, I let myself get down into a hole of depression and isolation even after God revealed to me that I need to focus more on Him. My husband has a job, possibly two, jobs lined up so he can choose which one he would like to go with. But in my mind, I thought it wasn’t happening right now, and I needed to catch up on bills. I started resenting my husband and crying to God for some clarity. But He sweetly reminded me that I needed to lay all of those burdens that I was letting take over my heart at His feet and fill myself back up with joy, love, clarity, faith, hope, gratitude, peace, kindness, gentleness, belief, vulnerability, praise, perseverance, and renewal.
So, I did that and have not thought about my bills as I know God will not let me down. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “for I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” That is what I am standing on and declaring that over my life. Lastly, God had given me a sweet scripture to stand on and pray daily over my life to help me focus more on Him. Romans 12:2 says “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing, and perfect will.” This was a reminder that I do not need to lean on my own understanding or the worlds, but to remain in Him and allow His will to be done in my life.
Lord, I come to you with a faithful heart. Lord, I ask for your plans for my life be revealed to me so that I make the right path of Your choosing. Lord, I ask that you give me clarity in knowing any decision I make, is the decision that You want me to choose. Your word says that I do not need to let my mind conform to the world but to renew it in You. Lord I am asking for peace in my mind and that anything that is not of you flee. Lord, I ask that you replace it with joy and faithfulness. Lord, I am standing on your promise for my life and that You will carry me through. I just pray this all in Jesus’ name, amen.
My Protector 