Happy New Year friends! Can you believe it? Not only is it a brand new year, but it’s the start of a brand new decade! There’s something about the start of a new year–fresh with no mistakes in it, like Anne Shirley likes to say! Everyone is ready for clean slates, new commitments and fresh starts.
Whether or not you are a goal person, I think we all have hopes and dreams a new year. New jobs, new relationships, new homes, new dreams! We have a lot of dreams and plans, but the most important part of heading into a new year is taking a moment to pause, to pray and surrender this new year to the One who already knows all that is going to happen!
As 2019 was coming to a close and this new year is beginning, I took an afternoon and put on a worship playlist of my favorite tunes from 2019 and prayed over this upcoming year and where it feels like God is calling me. I’m not sure what your new year looks like. Maybe instead of being excited by all the newness, you are like me. You can be easily pulled into stress and anxiety thinking about so much change.
2019, for me, was a year of growth. I went into the year knowing that God was up to something–that change was on the horizon. I knew something was going to happen, but I had no idea what. 2019 was a year of growing my faith, growing my trust, growing my courage; and being willing to say yes. As we step into 2020, I can see how God was growing and preparing me for new changes this year. And honestly, it’s far more than I could imagine. A year ago, I felt discouraged and like my gifts were not being utilized and my dreams weren’t acheivable. I never would have dreamed that I could be where I am right now.
As I spent time praying over this new year, I felt called to Ephesians 3:20. And man, let me tell you, the whole page surrounding that particular verse was just chock full of goodness! Let’s read Ephesians 3:14-21 together:
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
This passage spoke so much to what I want my 2020 to be: a life of continual prayer, strength found in the Spirit, heart full of faith, being rooted and grounded in love, understanding of Christ’s love, and trusting a God who can do more than I can imagine!
I had so much fun creating this page–using a whole bunch of older “New Years” sets and more. I will say for the millionth time, I love how our artists create pieces that can all be used seamlessly together! So this is my challenge for you on this second day of a brand new year: take some time to pray over this new year. Then document in your Bible so you can look back on December 31 and see how God answered your prayers for 2020!
additional supplies: staz on black ink | mini typewriter alphas | tim holtz foam number stamps | alpha stamps from Studio Calico | random studio calico alpha stickers | tiny attacher
