Embracing Life in 2021
Goodbye 2020!!!!!! Hello 2021!!!!!!!!!
This past year has been one for the books, and I don’t mean the good books. For many, it was the worse year ever. It started with so much promise and quickly took a turn for the worse. I know for me it started with optimism and positivity. I was sure that it was the year for me, and many other people I love. While it was not all I had planned or imagined, it was one that brought growth, and this growth brought faith.
My 2020 started with my “One Word”, which is my norm for the beginning of every year. As usual, I prayed and reflected until I felt God lead me to the word “Now”. What I believed “Now” meant for me at the beginning of 2020 was the perfect timing, “Now” was the time to live into all that I have been waiting on, and praying about. “Now” would be the best time for my family, my friends, and for me to do all that I have dreamed about. I would like to tell you that my year was all that, and much more, but you know as well as I, that 2020 was a bit challenging to say the least. “Now” turned out to be the time to stand strong in all of God’s promises, trusting Him in the now and for tomorrow.
Here we are now at the beginning of a new year, with all hope for a better year ahead, but what is in store, and what will we choose to focus on as we look ahead? My word this year is “Embrace”, and this is partly because of all the strength and stretching from this previous year. You see my faith was challenged, and fear plagued me more than s few times this past year, but true to God’s promises, and His strength, I prevailed by His grace and all in faith. It is no exaggeration to say that I clung to Jesus this past year. I clung like never before, and in my tight grip, I realized that He had always held me tighter than I ever could. I was safe in His embrace.
Now, as I look to tomorrow, and all of 2021, I look with a faithful desire to embrace this life. The God-life that we have all been so graciously given is meant to be lived out, but not alone. In that, we know that we are secure, safe, and strong. Mark 11:22-25 Message version says it like this, Jesus was matter-of-fact: “Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say, ‘Go jump in the lake’—no shuffling or shilly-shallying—and it’s as good as done. That’s why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you’ll get God’s everything. And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins.”
This is living a life of faith in God and Jesus, but also in knowing that by His grace, we can walk this faith out. Hearing the word of God initiates that faith, that is the spark that begins to unlock our faith. When we Step out in that faith, well that requires action, and we know that faith apart from action is not living faith. James 2:19-20 NKJV, 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is c]dead? The challenge is living it out and demonstrating that we not only believe it, but we live by it.
Embracing this God-Life is knowing God, Jesus, and the Spirit that equips us from within. No matter what comes we are able to live by faith because it is His faithfulness that saves, equips, and gives us life.
So, join me if you like, and “Embrace” this God-Life!
Blessings,
Anne Blanchette
Photo by Linda Karawcki
