New Year Praise...

2013



 

For the last few years I've started the New Year asking for a word to focus on...

what I hear is usually something that I have either been

working on

or

NEED to be working on.

 

2011 was the year of 

JOY

 

And throughout the year there were many times that I was reminded to choose joy,

rather than

 complain

or despair

or worry

 

Not that I always chose JOY...

but I knew it was the response GOD wanted me to make into a habit.

 

2012 was the year of

TRUST

 

and as I look back now and can see the whole year from the other side,

I realize that God was preparing me, way back in January, for many changes and unknowns.

 

There were many times that I had to reread the scripture above in Proverbs..

I especially came to like how The Message worded these verses.

 

"Trust God from the bottom of your heart;

don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
Run to God!"

 

Many a day I needed to remember that, while things felt out of control to me,

God had not turned His eyes away from me or my family...

and I could TRUST Him to handle all of the unknowns.

 

When Nick announced he wanted to be a Marine

 

and when

Alex announced he would wed his love during Nick's 10 day leave

 

 

or Emma sat behind the wheel of my car for the first time

 

Then...and many, many more times throughout the year

I needed to remember to TRUST God's hand and His heart for us.

 

So this year it was time to ask for a new word..

and the word that kept coming to me was

PRAISE

 

One never knows how many changes one year can bring...

I suppose if I really thought about it I'd find a lot of reasons to be

anxious or worry or question...

But since it helps nothing to borrow from what

I don't yet need to deal with, I won't.

 

Today is enough

and today I choose to PRAISE

And I'll do my best to choose it again

tomorrow

and throughout the coming year

 

Even when things don't make sense

when I am surprised by new changes

or shocked

or afraid

or concerned

or unsure

or lonely...

 

I'll choose to PRAISE the One who orchestrates all of life

and all that comes with it

I already know there will be days I won't want to Praise...

and I know that there may very well be good reason why

this year's word is PRAISE..

because, chances are, there will come a day when

something unexpected will force me

to have to trust that God sees something I can not..

and it will only be because I've made a decision to PRAISE,

that I'll be able to...

 

for all of these reasons,

and ones I've yet to know...

 

2012 had some pretty hard things to swallow for our family...

but there were great days

and moments that we will share together in our memories

We learned to be flexible

to breathe deep in the moment

and we learned a little bit more about what it means to

TRUST

 

But now...

"I hereby declare the year 2013 to be

the Hershey house's year of

PRAISE"

 

"Are you listening, dear people?

I’m getting ready to speak;

This is God, your God,

speaking to you...

Spread for me a banquet of praise,
serve High God a feast of kept promises,
And call for help when you’re in trouble—
I’ll help you, and you’ll honor me.

Time’s up for playing fast and
loose with me.
I’m ready to pass sentence,
and there’s no help in sight!
It’s the praising life that honors me.
As soon as you set your foot on the Way,
I’ll show you my salvation.”

Psalm 50