A Word for the Year

We've arrived in 2010! Can't believe it! How did this happen so fast? Ten years - a decade into the new millelium! I'm about to have 2 kids in double digits! What? When your children tell you life is flying by, you just have hold on to your britches, right?

Well, we've started the new year out with something that our sweet and dear friends shared with us, and I just have to share with you. Robert and Angie's new pastor (that is very weird to say) has challenged their entire staff and church to find a word that is their focus for the new year. Dr. Uth's word for '10 is REMEMBER. I don't know the story behind his choice, but I bet the members of First Orlando will be discovering that very soon. So Robert and Angie were sharing their word choices for the new year with Bradley and I the other day. We just loved it and were both so inspired by it, that we asked them if we could join in with them in a word to capture what we hoped our journey to be for 2010. Of course, that gladly agreed that we could come along for the ride. So, immediately Bradley decided to go with FINISH! Finish things he started, finish school, you get the picture. I like his choice. Living in Texas has been about school, and with the end in sight - of school, I like his focusing being finishing strong! Yea!

It took me a little longer to decide. If you read my last post, I had a pretty interesting year for 2009, and where I am right now is hard to put into words exactly. So to sum up what I hope the journey with the Lord will be for the year of 2010 was just hard. I batted around several words, but no particular one was chosen. Then on Sunday, our Pastor spent the day speaking on our church's vision for 2010. It was a great day, but something in the middle of his sermon struck me that day. It actually helped me make my decision. But it started in the early morning hours in my shower, alone with the Lord.

I get up at 5: 30 am every Sunday morning to be at work by 6:30 am. Yes....I know! And on cold days, the only thing that helps is that hot morning shower. But if you've been following this blog, you know that water is one of the things that makes me feel creative. My creative juices flow like crazy at the beach. When I am near the lake or a fountain, my mind just moves more freely. And the shower is the same. This Sunday morning, I was praying about the word choice. I was thinking about when I drifted to sleep and it was still with me when I was trying to wake up. I had gone to sleep reading the book, "Come Thirsty". I had decided on New Year's Eve as I was leaving the office, that I would make this my first read of the new year. It fell into a theme that I believe the Lord had going with me. A great part of last year was like the desert to me . I felt all alone in the wilderness for much of it. So maybe "Thirsty" was what I was. Thirsty to be filled and overflowing with God's goodness and mercy again. Thirsty to be healed up from some lingering wounds, you know like when your skin is so dry you can't put enough lotion on it. Thirsty like a plant that hasn't been watered; like the ground that needs the rain; like a riverbed that was low. And this book screamed out to me ,"Come Thirsty". Yes, the optimum word being "COME!" I had missed it! Thirsty is what attracted me to the book, but the "Coming" was what I had not done enough of last year. Tapping into the source that could quench my thirst. I know that much of my year was spent sitting down in my wilderness, like Elijah after Mt. Carmel. The Lord fed him, provided him water, and allowed him to rest until he was called back into service. And do you remember what God asked him to do after he sat and experienced some healing? Yes, run for over 300 miles to another mission for the Lord. He also got to go find Elisha, but a marathon none-the-less. Come Thirsty.

But that was not the word I chose. When Bro. John said, "What word has been rolling around in your mind, something that God wants to stretch you with and accomplish in you this year?", the word the Spirit brought to my mind was REFRESHED. That was what I told the Lord as I was finishing my shower that morning. "Thank you Lord for showers that are so REFRESHING to me every cold, early Sunday morning!" Thirsty is what I always need to be. Thirsty for more of the Lord. But when I COME, and drink from the LIVING WATER, He promises me to be REFRESHED. That is what I want 2010 to be.

Psalm 107:9, says, " For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
Psalm 68:9 says, "You gave abundant showers, Oh God, and you refresh your inheritance."

So, you'll hear a lot about this word from me over the course of this year. I'm anticipating great and mighty things from the Lord. And I know He is waiting for me to COME to the LIVING WATER, very THIRSTY and find REFRESHMENT. Join me, want you?