The year that never quit. The year of heart ache. the year of grief. Looking back at what so many of us endured this last year is overwhelming and honestly gives me the biggest pit in my stomach. Some of my closest friends and family lost children, mothers, husbands, friends and grandparents. Some watched family members suffer and fight for their life. Others, are still watching loved ones fight. I think I will always look back at this year with a since of “It was awful but we made it.” Personally, most of 2020 was spent watching my Mom fight for her life. It was spent hearing bad news morning after morning and constantly being told “things will never be as they were before.” Sitting here today, I have to kind of smile at that phrase. They were right, things will never be the same as they were before, but they were wrong on who they said it about. You see, as 2020 comes to a close... my Mom is the same as she was before this most recent hospital admittance. In fact, she might even be stronger. It’s me that won’t ever be the same. I will never again take my families health for granted. I will never let a day go by without letting someone know how grateful I am for them. I won’t ever again go to bed without vocally praising the Lord for what He’s done for my family. I won’t ever let a moment go by without sharing His goodness.
So tonight, as we watch 2020 come to a close, I pray that all of you leave this year changed. I pray that we all enter 2021 with a new perspective and a renewed sense of gratitude for the little things in life. I can’t promise that 2021 will bring better things for us, in fact I’m sure that not much will change in this world in the coming months. COVID will still be here, restrictions will still be in place, people will still be without jobs, family members will still get sick and loss will still occur. These things we can not control, but our hearts and outlook we can. I know, for sure, that every moment will be savored in my house. We will make new memories, celebrate every occasions and do it surrounded by those we love the most. We will spend more time loving on each other and less time worrying about what tomorrow holds. We will go to bed each night thankful for the day we had and rejoicing in the fact that our bills are paid, we have a beautiful home over our head and our family is healthy. We will give tomorrow’s worries to the Lord and take each day, day by day.
I say this often but more than ever, I’m praying hard for my family and friends. It feels like every single day I wake up, I hear of some other tragedy surrounding a different person. It’s heartbreaking and honestly has left me speechless these days. I’m not sure why there has been so much devastation these days but I am sure that not one moment is going unseen by the Lord. Through every sickness, job loss, accident and death... you are not alone. He’s with us all, all we have to do is lean in and let Him hold us. I know for a fact the only reason I was able tot survive 2020 was because of the Lord. Our family walked through some really dark times this year and to call it a nightmare is an understatement. But, somehow we made it to the other side and are stronger because of it. I pray that if your 2020 was similar to mine, that you allows the Lord to hold you as well. I pray that you let him carry you and like me, made it the other side stronger because of it. I pray that your relationship with the Lord was strengthened and not weakened and your faith is bigger now than ever. I pray that you are walking into 2021 more faithful, hopeful and stronger than you’ve ever walked into another year before. I pray that you use today to look back at 2020 and say, not again. Not another year of fear, heartbreak and devastation. Let’s all come together and pray blessings of health, wealth and strength for our country. Let’s speak wholeness and goodness over 2021. 1 Peter tells us “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit”. Let us speak into existence good days and fruitful life. Let’s lift up our world and speak away the sickness and death that is surrounding us. Life and death are in the power of the tongue and I am speaking life over my friends and family.
Please join me. We love you all and are looking forward to seeing and hearing about the abundance of blessings your family will receive in 2021. God bless you all!
No comments:
Post a Comment