A New Word Given

If I haven't said it yet, Happy New Year to you all!  I pray it is a year of great things and beautiful blessings. 

This post almost wasn't written.  It has been a busy past few weeks and I have been out of commission the past few days sick in bed.  It was not how I wanted to end 2018 and begin 2019, but I haven't been sick like this in a long while and I am taking it as a sign that my body just needed a rest.

Being in bed multiple days has a way of giving you lots of time to think, and blog- both of which have been on the back burner for a while.  In the process of poking around on my blog for a while, I discovered I had done a word of the year post for the past 5 years!

2014- GRACE
2015- JOY
2016- A NEW THING
2017- RESTORE
2018- VISION
 
I was, quite frankly, shocked.  Reading over them brought back a lot of memories and tipped the scale on my decision to write this post.  I had been contemplating a word for a few weeks and even looked up a verse with it but then life took over.  But, as God always works (unexpectedly), the word appeared on my facebook feed this morning in a verse that a friend posted and I knew it was my word for 2019.

What is interesting is the fact that the verse she posted was NOT the verse I had originally found the word in.  Same word, different verse, and really a different thought behind it.  I needed both, and of course the Lord provided.

Don't you love that?

When I looked up the word RENEW here is what I found-

• to re-establish
• to resume
• to repeat

and for the record, the prefix re- means

• once more
• afresh
• anew

Oh friends, I will assume we all could use a little renewal of a "right" spirit in us.
forgiveness to replace unforgiveness
love to replace hate
joy to replace anger
acceptance to replace judgement

The list could go on and on, right?  Only with God's help can we replace the wrong with the right.  Let's purpose together to ask Him daily to RENEW a right spirit in us!

Isaiah 40:31 is the verse I had originally looked up.  It has always been a favorite of mine.

...but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. 

The picture of the Lord renewing our strength is a comfort to me.  Sometimes, ok many times, I get caught up in all I should do or can do.  Then I get worn out- weary.  See the "I" part?   When we leave the Lord out of the equation we get weary.  When we follow HIS lead, he will renew us and give us strength.  A simple truth I need to remind myself of daily.  How about you?

Are there things you are trying to do in your own strength?  Have you grown weary of the task at hand?  Do you long for strength to move forward?

God CAN and WILL renew your strength- just ask him.  Turn to him and ask him what He wants from your life.  Then trust Him to provide the perfect path.

The Lord can RENEW our spirits and our minds if we allow Him to! May 2019 be the year you allow Him to do both!
 

Blessings,

Want to see some of my favorite friends' Word of the Year choices?   The Crew is sharing theirs and you are welcome to link up with us!  Go ahead- tell us your word.