I’ve had a “word of the year” for a few years now.
In 2018 my word was intentional
In 2019 my word was BOLD
In 2020 my word was Live (ironic, right?)
God usually gives me my word a few days before the new year or on New Years Day. However, this year was different.
2020 departed, 2021 showed up, all the while I was praying for my word, but it never came.
I have to be honest, I was really discouraged by this.
For a few reasons:
because it was out of the norm for me.
Naturally, everyone was posting the word God had placed on their heart for the year, and it didn’t give me the nicest feeling.
Despite my discouragement, I continued to pray because I knew God would come through.
In my waiting for the Lord, I kept hearing the word new in my heart.
I thought, "new what?"
"That can't be my word, what does that even mean?"
Days, went on and I was no longer hearing a word, but my word had become a phrase:
I am going to make you new.
"What do you mean, 'make me new?"
"I'm already a Christian.
"We already have a relationship."
"What is going on?"
Fast foward to the night before I left to go back to college.
I was lying in my bed, staring at the ceiling as I often do at night, when a thought twisted every part of me into the tightest knot.
"What am I going to do with my life?"
I was so paralyzed with fear, I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think.
With everything going on with politics and at the White House, I decided to take a social media break. I turned off all of my app notifications and moved them to my App Library, off my home screen. I opened them solely to post encouraging verses or quotes God placed on my heart to share. Giving up social media has not been easy, but it has been the best thing possible for me.
me and a group of friends decided to follow an outline to read the Bible in a year. In my time off of social media-though it has been short, I have learned a lot. I've been praying a lot.
What I've learned is that, my word of the year is "new" God is making me new; a new Lauren who will run towards fear instead of away from it.
Those of you who know me well know that I have battled with fear for a long time, and my battle isn't over, but I am striving to be a new creation.
This is not going to be easy, but I hope that you will encourage and pray for me as I strive to become this new creation God desires for me to be - who I desire to be.
I pray that this encourages someone today. Know that fear is a lier and a good one, but I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13
What is impossible for people is possible with God. Luke 18:27
I am now downloading social media again and turning my notifications back on. Please message me if you are struggling, if you need a friend. We are in this together. You are not alone.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17
Comments