I will share with you the words that have flowed in and out of 2016. I choose verses, but if you are not of the persuasion of a certain faith, look at them as poetry, words of wisdom or encouragement.
I began my year on the bulletin board with all my loves with this verse:
"I pray out of his glorious riches God may strengthen you....I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together...that you may grasp how high, wide, and deep that love and the love that God has for you is...and to know this love that surpasses knowledge...Now to God who is able to do immeasurably more than anything we can ask for or imagine...according to the power at work within each of us..." Ephesians 3: 16-21
followed by
"Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.." Psalm 73:23, 24.
Along the way others were added.
While sitting at big lake in a camp that was offered to us, I was pouring out my heart in a journal. It was a sunny morning lakeside. The words came to mind...maybe a song, not sure...he who started a work will be faithful to complete it....so I googled this when I got home. (No internet at the lake...that was a very good thing...)
"Being confidant of this very thing..God, who began a good work in You (fill in any name) will be faithful to complete it.." Philippians 1:6.... and JUST as I looked up this verse to make sure I had it written correctly...the picture pops up..
BE PATIENT..God isn't finished YET....wow...now that IS good news...
These words carried me for a while, but then I would simply loose heart, loose faith, just loose....
I was recently sitting in Governors on burger night...Monday night, December 19th, talking to one of my dearest friends in all the world, and she was listening me, and finally stopped me and said....
"JULIE...you need to have some faith. Faith in the unseen. That is so hard, but that's the only way. When you are in a season of not knowing, you need Faith. You get faith no where else but from God. People cannot give you faith. Don't listen to man(or woman, even me! your best friend). Stop looking for approval from man(or woman). Just look forward...and have faith..."
which then prompted me as it has many many many times, to say, oh, is THAT in the Bible...that sounds like good advice...LOL...so like any brilliant person in the 21st century, we both googled it....
"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen, it give us assurance about things we cannot see." Hebrews 11:1...New living translation...Talk about a leap...what if?
Instead of making wild claims like I will exercise every day, or eat only salad, or call all my friends every week, or stay in touch with my parents more...(I should realllly do that!!!!)...I was looking for a couple of words to guide my life in the new year. (I read this in a blog post by Sarah Bessey, whom I have great respect for.)
My two words..
Love
and
Faithful.
I will be noticing, looking for, living, doing, being, hoping, seeing the world through eyes that are completely faithful, whatever that means...I will be seeking...and full of love...and what that will require from me will change me for the good. I am on another journey, or perhaps, just creating some more new paths to lead or to be followed.
I love you all. I love every single person who has blessed the nest in the past year. I love the memories. I have loved the opportunity to be part of your lives. I have appreciated your presence, and miss you terribly. I do want to see more of my friends. But I also realize we are all in crazy places right now. But you know me, I will arrive at 3 a.m. for coffee if that's how I get to be with you.
I am praying for love to always show up, for each and every one of you, and that you will let it in.
Fully.
Faithfully.
Lovely.
Loving you.
Julie Erb Robbins
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