A New Year of Newness

2013!

Wow. Can’t believe it is a new year! Yesterday I was a little mixed-emotioned about the whole “starting a new year.” You’d think after 2012, that we would be very excited about a new year. We are. But, it means saying goodbye to all the good things that happened and just letting go more and more, of those things that we keep wanting to hang out to. In other words, starting a new year is very good for us!

Jesus Calling for January 1 says:

Come to Me with a teachable spirit, eager to be changed. A close walk with Me is a life of continual newness. Do not cling to old ways as you step into a new year. Instead, seek My Face with an open mind, knowing that your journey with Me involves being transformed by the renewing of your mind. As you focus your thoughts on Me, be aware that I am fully attentive to you. I see you with a steady eye, because My attention span is infinite. I know and understand you completely; My thoughts embrace you in everlasting Love. I also know the plans I have for you: plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Give yourself fully to this adventure of increasing attentiveness to My Presence.

Couldn’t put it any better! To think that a walk with Christ brings continual NEWNESS, is just so refreshing to hear! Newness to us is welcoming – we are excited about “new.” Last year was a lot of “newness” (more than we ever dreamed of), but we are so thankful for it! Because of it, it has given us an increasing desire for the newness that Christ is going to bring this year – in our hearts and in our lives! In order to experience this newness though, we HAVE to let go of the old. We have to let go of what is behind – we just plainly can’t cling to it. I struggle with this, but am working on it. Trusting forward is difficult because it is so much easier to think of the past. Trusting forward means stepping forward in faith – stepping forward when you can’t see what’s ahead. But if God is completely focused and attentive to me, then why am I not completely focused and attentive on Him? Come on, Kristin!

I LOVE the last line – GIVE YOURSELF FULLY TO THIS ADVENTURE OF INCREASING ATTENTIVENESS TO MY PRESENCE. So what does that really mean? What is the adventure that God has you on? As you start this new year, where are you at? Where are you at spiritually? Where are you at emotionally? Physically? Mentally? Are you increasing in your desire to be attentive to Him? There is so much talk about resolutions, which I honestly think are generally good. But how many of them do we REALLY stick to? I was thinking about this the other night while laying in bed – I want to love God, love Dan, and love people more. That means less of me, and more of Him. Aren’t you excited to see what God has in store? I am! Not that I am expecting this year to be less painful – in fact, I am fully aware that God could have much more in store for us. But, we are growing in faith and confidence that God knows what He is doing – He has made that very clear in many different ways. It’s not always easy to believe it when the pain creeps in, but we believe God is embracing us with an everlasting love!

So what are you hoping to accomplish this year? I’d love to hear :)!

Happy New Year from the Sterks!