New Year, New Word

Each New Year, bloggers from around the globe grab a word to inspire them for the many days to come.  It seemed like a funny idea to me for a while but the past two years I have embraced the tradition with A New Word for 2015 and What's the Word?.  For me it has been a way to regroup, refresh, and motivate me onward.

This year is no different, except this year the new word, or words in my case, fell into my lap.  No doubt God knew what I needed!

2015 was a difficult and challenging year for our family.  My husband's unexpected year-long deployment rocked our world, as did several other family events.  Such is life for many.  We are not alone in our struggles, we know.  But truly, just days prior to our long awaited reunion, this verse popped up in my devotions...

Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold. I will do a new thing...I will even make a road in the wilderness. And rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19

Probably no surprise to you that it made me suck in my breath and almost cry.  I could just hear God speaking directly to me.

Oh friends, how we need A New Thing in our lives.  Oh, how we are so ready!

And the part about "do not remember the former things?"  How we need that even more.  It is time to more forward for sure.

Just like when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the furnace "...and there was no smell of fire on them," (Daniel 3:26-27) so our family desires to come off this year with fresh hearts and minds, not even smelling of smoke.

Some things are important to remember.  Others, we need to learn from and move on with our lives, waiting for God to do a new thing!

We wait in anticipation!

How about you?

Blessings and Happy 2016!  May it be a year of New Things for you and your family as well.