WORD FOR 2020

My word for 2020 is Empowered! 

I choose this word because of the work that God’s been doing.  2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”. His work has instilled in me much: Strength, Resilience, Discipline, Courage, Focus, Belief, Let Go, Fearless, Warrior, Surrender, Forgiveness and Unbreakable only because it is HE who lives in me.

God’s been working on me for several years now.  I can look back and see many changes. As I was thinking about my word for 2020 and what all it may mean for me in my year to come, I decided to look back over the last 4 years and see just what God has done with me. As I look at the words that were put on my heart at the beginning of each year, I’m amazed at how those words played out through out the year. Here is a glimpse…

2016 – Love and Forgiveness: 2016 was a life changing year for me. God lead me to confront some old demons but to confront them with love and forgiveness. I have to admit that initially I didn’t want to confront and then once I let go and allowed God to direct me, I then had to learn that just because I came from a place of love and forgiveness, that didn’t mean that the other parties would. It was also the year that my birth father re-entered my life after 40+ years. What a blessing it was for 2 situations that needed to be filled with Love and Forgiveness, yet both were so different in nature, took place during the year that God wanted me to work on Love and Forgiveness. A big year for me! And a huge year of inner soul growth with the Lord.

2017 – Renew: 2017 was a time of renewal. Inner renewal that is. I had been carrying so much damage inside for so long that I had to literally be renewed from the inside out. Finding me, for who God made and not for who my past said I was. Learning to really lean into HIM for my renewal and not lean into others or even myself. Allowing HIM to guide each step of the process, not being determined to lead my own steps. This gave me the freedom to just be who HE was creating me to be. Much time of rest!

2018 – Change and Joy: 2018 was showing me that I was resistant to change, as my past dictated, and because of that resistance my Joy was being stripped away. It was a hard year. One that was all about me and who I really wanted to be, emotionally and spiritually. Realizing that not everyone is on that change train at the same time, but I needed to hop aboard when my time was right. Also finding that I needed to depend on Him to show me the changes that needed to happen and determining that I would have JOY in my day to day even in my circumstances. This was a monumental year for me. Change is hard but the JOY that followed was un-measurable.

2019 – Brave: 2019, well let me tell you! It was the year of needing some bravery. Let’s face it, I’m full of sin and to live in this world with other sinning people can be challenging. And to be brave takes way more strength than I have in myself. So I have had to trust in HIS strength, gaining courage to be brave in my circumstances. There were some major life shifts for me this 2019 and many of them painful. But HE has been doing a great work in me over the last few years that has prepared me to be BRAVE! As I’m sure that the upcoming years will also require. But instead of me seeking that bravery from within myself, I’m finding it through HIM.

Now, He has given me the word EMPOWERED for 2020. I’m excited for what this word and what God will bring for this upcoming year but I also feel a little fearfulness wanting to creep in. But I know that my power does not come from within, it comes from HIM and HE will never send me down a path that HE will not empower me to walk. I also know that when I get fearful, I just have to remember that HE is right there next to me taking each step along side of mine. The definition is…

make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights.”movements to empower the poor”

synonyms:

emancipate, unyoke, unfetter, unshackle, unchain, set free, give freedom to;

In 2020, God is journeying me down a path that has been a desire of my heart for so many years. I can’t wait to see how it unfolds.

Are you being challenged to love and forgive? Or is He wanting to renew your soul, show you what needs changed and teaching you how to find joy. Or do you just need to be brave? Whatever your journey is for 2020, I pray that you will take that 1st step into the new year with a Spirit filled soul.

Amen and Filled with Gratitude!