How is your 2025 going? As I write this, January has just a couple more days left. I’ve heard it said, and I believe it. Every Year goes faster the older I get. I want to encourage us that no matter how fast time goes, we are on God’s time and must be aware of every moment.
OK, so where was I going with this? We’re about to begin the second month of the Year, and I would like to know whether you made any New Year’s resolutions.
I’ve stopped making them because, like most, I don’t keep them for long, but in the last few years, I’ve chosen a word to encourage me throughout the Year. The first was like my resolution; I forgot about it by March.
Last Year, we finally moved back to Arkansas, and I felt excited and happy to be home. I was waiting to see what God was planning for me. At Christmas 2023, our Life group pastor challenged us to pick a word for the New Year.
I prayed and had several words to choose from, and God kept bringing me to purpose. So, I started looking up the definitions and Bible verses to accompany this word.
“who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,” 2 Timothy 1:9
“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” Psalm 138:8
Britannica Dictionary definition of PURPOSE
1. the reason why something is done or used: the aim or intention of something
2. the feeling of being determined to do or achieve something
3. the aim or goal of a person: what a person is trying to do, become, etc.
And that is how I chose my 2024 word.
Once I had my word, I saw it daily—on TV, in books, even in sermons. So, I asked God what my purpose was for this time. My kids have been telling me I should write a book. I’m not ready for that, but I thought writing a blog would be a first step. So God opened doors for me to launch this blog in February, and it became purpose #1.
Another door opened up: a small cleaning business. A friend said God told her I was to follow in her footsteps, and I cleaned with her a couple of times before taking over. As I began cleaning, I had the same thoughts about the blog. To honor him and those I cleaned for, God has given me the health and knowledge to do this physical job, so I will do it as long as he allows.
It’s just my hubby and me, so I stay home and care for him. Our kids are grown and live far from us, so we don’t see them as often, but my purpose for each of them is to pray for them and trust God to be with them. And then our church family—my purpose for it is to be an encouragement to them and to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the world.
I was so blessed by my word last year that I started praying for my new word, but I hadn’t yet chosen words to pray for. My plan was to work on that between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I woke up one morning in early December, and God whispered, “Grow.”
Then He put in my thoughts, “You will grow deeper in my word, the family will grow. The garden will grow bigger and more. Your blog will grow, and your cleaning business will grow.”
I looked up the definitions and verses. And here’s what I found.
Britannica Dictionary definition of GROW
1. to become larger: to increase in size, amount, etc.
2. to become better or improved in some way: to become more developed, mature, etc.
3. to become larger and change from being a child to being an adult as time passes: to pass from childhood to adulthood
4. of a plant: to exist and develop
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18
“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,” Ephesians 4:15
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me, you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5
As I prayed for the five areas God gave me and said I would grow in, I asked Him to provide me with some steps or goals to see where I started and what I would look like in December.
I will start a personal Bible study, digging into and going verse by verse. I kept seeing verse mapping and found a program with templates and YouTube videos. Then I asked God where to start this verse mapping. He said axe. If you are interested in my study of the Book of Acts, let me know and I’ll share. As I do this verse mapping, I want to memorize scripture, journal, and draw the verses on the mapping. (There may be some blog posts coming!)
From the beginning, my main goal for this blog has been to honor God and encourage others. The things God has taught me or is teaching me belong to Him, and I will do my best to point you to Him in everything that I write or share. I’ve also been praying about the next part of the blog. I have lots of ideas. As I said, this blog belongs to Jesus, so I will let him lead.
One thing that I am doing is launching a monthly devotional club. If you’ve checked out my shop, you’ve seen some of the devotionals I’ve done. This club will be a monthly subscription. You can pay monthly or once, and you’ll receive a new Devotional in your email each month.
I don’t plan to do anything actively about this one. I do not advertise, so anyone who comes to me will be sent by word of mouth. However, I can say that January isn’t over yet, and I already have one new home to clean, so God is doing what He said He would do. To grow my business.
This one’s hard to see right now because we’re in the middle of winter. But I’ve already started buying seeds and dreaming of my raised beds. Soon, I will start the seeds indoors and await the day I can plant the baby seedlings in the ground. (And there might be some posts about my garden, too!)
I’m excited about this one because my grandbaby is coming this Year.
As I close out today, I’m thinking of you. Do you make or have New Year‘s resolutions, and are you still keeping them? Do you have a word or scripture you will study, meditate on, and live out this Year?
I’m so excited about this year and seeing how God grows me. I pray that He will do the same for you.
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/2TI.1.9
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/PSA.138.8
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/2PE.3.18
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/EPH.4.15
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.15.4-5
