New Year – Labor of Love

Seeking Peace and Focus: Quieting the Competing Voices

On Thursday evenings I look forward to seeing the prompt that Kate Motaung has chosen for Five Minute Friday. I enjoy linking up with this community of writers and seeing where the word takes us. Today’s prompt is: SIMPLIFY

Sometimes the news and political controversies stir up my emotions and distract me. The “news” is posted on my e-mail carrier, on my iphone, on twitter. I had a habit of watching the news on TV while eating breakfast (a bit of a news junkie?).

This year I need new habits. My husband and I are reading devotions based on the Proverbs every morning (God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life by Tim Keller). I am eating breakfast in silence and then spending time on my study of the book of Romans.

With so many competing voices in our culture I need to focus on the Bible.

The Word of God is the best guiding voice for each day.

Your word is a lamp to my feet

And a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

Visit Five Minute Friday by clicking here.

Attentive is my Word for 2017

Instead of a New Year resolution, I have found it beneficial to choose a word to focus on. It is a spiritual practice for me.

Attentive is my word for 2017. The dictionary gives this meaning: heedful, observant, paying attention. The events taking place in the world can be fearful. I want to keep my eyes on the Lord.

I have been musing on the way that Mary, Simeon and Anna were attentive to God’s word and the events taking place around them ( as described in the first two chapters of the gospel of Luke). Mary praised God with faith when the angel told her that she would bear a son. Simeon and Anna were there when Jesus was presented at the temple in Jerusalem for consecration. Simeon was watching and waiting for the promise of a Savior and praised God for the salvation that would come through Jesus. Anna gave thanks to God.

I am encouraged by the faith and hope Mary, Simeon and Anna displayed. They did not doubt the sovereignty of God! The words of the Psalms were real to them.

My heart is steadfast, O God: I will sing and make music with all my soul.

Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the people.

For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth. Psalm 108: 1-5

There are three ways that I can actively be attentive.

Study God’s word. I am delighted that one of the gifts we received for Christmas is a devotional that will take us through the Psalms, The Songs of Jesus by Timothy Keller.
Spend time in prayer. I do pray, but I can increase the time praying and listening.
Seek the Lord in loving others. We live in a divisive culture and I need the Lord’s direction in showing His love.

May God guide you through 2017. Thanks for visiting!

Sharing this post with Grace & Truth, Thought Provoking Thursday, Christian Blogger, Word of God Speak and Glimpses of his Beauty

One Word for the New Year

The practice of choosing one word for the New Year has been an inspiration for me. Last year my word was gracious, and having this word in mind I was more conscious of my conversation and actions. I paused a little more, seeking kind words. I have been thinking and praying about one word for 2016.

Relationships are on my mind. I would like to see greater depth in relationships and openness to new relationships. Could I grow and assist others to grow? In the book of Ephesians Paul writes about good work.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

The key words in this verse are in Christ Jesus. The good work is possible through Jesus. And so my life needs to be centered on Jesus, drawing strength from a vital relationship with Jesus. Jesus tells us:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes that it may bear more fruit. John 15: 1-2

Images from my garden come to mind. The fruit produced by the raspberry bushes in my yard is a delight.