Rejoice! Lessons from my 2015 focus word...

A friend of mine introduced me, at the end of 2014, to having a focus word for the year. 2014 was the year that I really began to delve into scripture. By God's grace He took care of me, navigated me through the Bible to where I....well I could enjoy it....grasp it. It was a year of big change also & I was kind of trying to bring my JOY back, but at the same time knew that sometimes JOY would not be present. Reading through scripture the word REJOICE stuck out to me. What also stuck out to me, is that a lot of times the word REJOICE would show up in reference to struggle or hardship. Here are some examples:

"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials." 1 Peter 1:6 (This book talks a lot about persecution & suffering & that we should expect  it in our earthly walk.)

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." Romans 12:12 (This chapter in Romans starts talking about how mature Christians should try to live. To me it is dying to our fleshy self & carrying our cross where God is calling us, while on earth.)

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." James 1:2-3 (I am drawn to this book in the Bible. James encourages us to put our faith into action.)

Luke 1:26-38 doesn't use the word REJOICE in it, but I believe that is what Mary did. This passage is about the angel coming to Mary to tell her that she is going to give birth to Jesus. I encourage you to go read it & then put yourself in her shoes. I think "confusion" would be putting it mildly. She had questions & the answers she got, probably didn't make sense to her either. She sat in faith & hope, for what the angel was telling her.

SIDEBAR....JUST FOR A MOMENT: Several of my friends have shared their struGGLE of 2015 & how they are ready for a new year & new opportunity. When I was first reading those messages I thought.... I LOVED 2015. Lots of pretty cool things happened. And then I remembered...there were some REALLY tough things too. Maybe some of the toughest I've faced in at least 10 years....from a....well...just some of the toughest.

So to recap what the year 2015 taught me about the meaning of REJOICE.... (Life & the divine guidance of The Holy Trinity through scripture has shown me this.)

Sometimes it's about small victories. Sometimes it is about hardships that are just the beginning of a journey to a blessing that no one else could give you but God. Sometimes it is being so pissed off at the enemy that all you can do is REJOICE because you KNOW God will win. Yes...even in the midst of death & disease & perversion & terrorists & extremists...God will win. The fact that all God wants us to do is trust Him, love Him, love His people, submit to His will (which is better than ANYTHING we could dream up), & keep seeking Him....keep seeking peace - is reason to REJOICE!

There are people that face situations that make me cringe....make me sad...make me angry....disgust me... How can they rejoice?

Someone...somewhere on this earth has been touched by each and every person God created. We all have purpose. From the point of conception we are affecting someone & we keep affecting people the longer we are here....and more people. Others need what we have. We may not know who they are, what it is, & at times we may not even understand the affect someone has on us & vice versa, but The Holy Spirit is moving & working among us. God does not waste anything....not a thing.

REJOICE is a verb & after a year of meditating on it, I believe, it is a verb powered by our hope & faith. We have to choose to rejoice & we are able to rejoice in any situation & in any circumstance.

Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus! It is not easy, but if you choose to, He will GIVE you MANY, MANY more reasons & fuel for REJOICING!

My focus word for 2016 is RELATIONSHIPS. I want to focus on developing the relationships God has blessed me with. My focus Bible verses will be: "I give you a new commandment: love one another; you must love one another just as I have loved you. It is by your love for one another, that everyone will recognize you as my disciples." - John 13:34-35

My Prayer for 2015

We had a GREAT New Year's Eve Party at our new place with LOTS of family and friends. It feels good to be in our space and have the ability to invite people into it. I had all the right intentions of sharing this prayer at the party, but there were people in so many different places, plus I'm still learning how to gather everyone together for prayer.

I want to start with a prayer of THANKSGIVING. This year was filled with growth in my business, my marriage, my family, my relationship with The Holy Trinity, my friendships, my ideas...I've read The Bible more this year than I have my entire life. If there is one thing I can encourage everyone to do this year - read The Bible...however you can, in a way that works for you. When Satan tempted Jesus in the desert, Jesus quoted scripture ALL 3 times, which drove him away. Then God sent His angels to comfort and minister to Him. There is POWER in the Word of God. I'm the most thankful for finding the courage and the faith to quit my job in December 2013 and go to work for myself. When I followed thru with it...it was like doors opened that I didn't even know existed. I strengthened so many relationships and met so many amazing people that have helped me and my family develop as human beings. One of the biggest blessings of this year is learning that building your faith and working for God is WAY more important than working for money. It's taken a lot of self-work to own, believe, and have faith in that, but it's been shown to me over and over again and has, surely, given me more peace. I'm thankful for being blessed with our niece Ida. I'm thankful Uncle Fritzi's health was restored and for Grandma Pfeiffer's renewed strength and endurance. I'm thankful for having the opportunity to get to know Nila more. I'm thankful we've found Claire - who LOVES our children & we all LOVE her. I'm thankful for the health and growth of my precious family. I'm thankful for the newest journey I've embarked on - my real estate business. I'm thankful for ALL the lessons I've learned and my eagerness to learn more & I'm thankful for the DIVINE guidance - caring for us when we don't know how to care for ourselves -  The Holy Spirit,

More than anything else this year....I want to be a source of encouragement to everyone I come in contact with and urge others to do the same. I've been blessed with a handful of people that have encouraged me thru the criticism I've encountered this past year. Be careful with your words. They can breathe life or kill dreams. Be positive and seek joy.

To everyone that celebrated New Year's Eve with us and to ALL our friends and family...I ask that you continue to pray for us this year....to support us in growing in ALL the areas that are important to us & to serve as a source of encouragement & lift us up as we fall. We will be doing the same for all of you. I urge you to not only pray for us, but for everyone that was there & everyone important to you. We are all human & need others to lift us up where we fall short.

"Just as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." - Proverbs 27:17

Here's to 2015, continued growth, and being a blessing and an encourager to other.

May God bless you ALL, in the name of Christ Jesus.

God, I ask that you cover these words with your everlasting LOVE, bless us, the people that read them & shine your light in all the areas of darkness we encounter in 2015.

Amen.