2009 Reflections

Wow - I haven't blogged in forever and should really return somewhat regularly to this since I love to write. Here are my thoughts from 2009:

1. God is stirring in my heart a desire to know more and care more for the oppressed and less fortunate. This encompasses several groups of people from the poor to orphans as well as people suffering with disease without medicine and those who are victims of social injustice. Our response will be to continue to educate ourselves on these worldwide issues (often difficult since the American media chooses not to focus on them) and begin the process to become foster parents.

"You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more." Psalm 10:17-18

2. God is calling me to live a more radical lifestyle in terms of how we use both our resources of time and money and how I choose to use my mind learning about His Word and the world.

"If anyone would come after me, He must deny himself and take up hiscross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lost it but whoever loses his life for me will find it.What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" Matthew 16:24-26

3. Raising children is a short season of life. With our oldest graduating high school and moving out of the house this fall, we have a newfound perspective on how little time we have to build into our children. I pray that I will continue to build wisely into the ones at home and transition well into a new stage of parenting with Bethany.

"Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children are a reward from Him." Psalm 127:3

4. My whole life - at home, my job, our neighborhood - should be about influencing others for Christ. If my life does not reflect Christ and people cannot see a difference in me, I am living for the wrong things.

"Do everything without grumbling or complaining so that you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the Word of life."Philippians 2:14-16

5. The power of words can be amazing in another person's life. What a gift I have to be able to use words to invest in others. I have seen firsthand God transform lives this year ultimately through His Spirit but also because of someone's obedience to speak the right words. My life has often been marked by wrong words, but I am trying to be more concious of the words I choose.

"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, 'Your God reigns.'" Isaiah 52:7

My life has been incredibly blessed in 2009 with God for some reason choosing to show favor on our family this year. I pray that I will never lose sight that all blessings come from Him. My prayer for your family as well as my own is that 2010 will be a year marked by our faith in God regardless of the circumstances life my bring us and we will have intimate fellowship with our Maker.

Happy New Year!

Susan