Thursday, January 1, 2015

Goodbye 2014! Hello 2015!

I am so happy to say goodbye to the year 2014.  2014 was a really tough year for me and I am embracing all the hope a new year brings.

Last year I blogged about the 10 things I learned this year, but I think I can sum up everything I learned in 2014 with the words to this song.

I thought number one would surely be me,
I thought I could be what I wanted to be.
I thought I could build on life's sinking sand
But I can't even walk without You holding my hand.

I can't even walk without You holding my hand.
The mountain's too high and the valley's too wide.
Down on my knees, I learned to stand.
And I can't even walk without You holding my hand.

I think I'll make Jesus my One and my All
From now on when in trouble, only His name I'll call
And If I can't trust Him, I'll be less of a man
'Cause I can't even walk without You holding my hand.

Although I would not want to repeat the year 2014 in any way, I am so thankful for every test and trial that brought me closer to Jesus Christ.  My word for 2014 was “renew” and I suppose you can’t renew if you don’t get rid of the old.  I learned a lot about myself this year and there were some things in my life that needed to go.  I am thankful that the Lord loves me enough to not give up on me and to keep working on me.  I know that the Lord gives and the Lord takes away and everything He does is for my good even if I don’t understand or see the good in the moment.

I give my word of the year a lot of thought and prayer and started thinking about my word for this year several weeks ago.  I had nothing, but then as I was driving by myself I started talking to God and wasn’t thinking at all about my word and I heard this little voice say, “Victory, that’s your word for 2015”.  I thought, “That’s a really great word, but really?  Can I really choose a word that hopeful after the year I’ve had?”  I just kind of set the thought aside as I just wasn’t feeling that optimistic.  I’m being honest here, I don’t consider myself a pessimistic person at all.  A few days later we went to church and my pastor was speaking and do you know he said, “2015 is your year of victory” and I about lost it.  I felt like God was talking right to me.  So I am claiming “Victory” as my word for 2015. 

I always like to prayerfully choose a verse of the year to go with my word of the year.  I searched for a verse on victory, victorious, and every other form of victory and could not find one that spoke to me.  About a week later, I was reading my Bible and came across a verse and it was like a light was shining on it and I knew this was my verse for the year.

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ,

and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.”

2 Corinthians 2:14,15 NKJV

I love how this verse speaks about God leading us in triumph through Christ, but my favorite part of this verse is where it talks about us being a fragrance of Christ to those around us.  I recently developed an interest in essential oils and love to diffuse them in my home so that came to mind when I read this verse.  When I diffuse those oils, they spread throughout my home.  They not only have a wonderful fragrance, but they are pure and healthy and beneficial to those who breath them in.  When you smell their fragrance, it makes you look for where the smell is coming from.  I want to be that way in the world around me, to diffuse His fragrance, so pure and good…to make a difference to those around me.  To point others back to Him.  It is not about me, but Him.  What good is leading a triumphant, victorious life if I’m not affecting those around me and they don’t see the source of the victory?  My excitement about 2015 is not about me, but about what Christ can do through me.  I am so excited to see where He takes me this year.

God bless your 2015!

 

4 comments:

Marilyn Mathis said...


Thank you for your openness and honesty in your blogs. You are very helpful to me in being real about myself. I sincerely hope that your 2015 will be a year of "victory" for you. Our victory comes through Christ and following Him. I know that that is the case with you. Hugs.

Teresa Arsenault said...

Halleluiah! Karen, I am standing in agreement with you for victory in 2015.

May every good thing, every perfect thing, every beneficial thing be poured out upon you and your family this year and beyond.

Hugs & smiles,
Teresa

kiwimeskreations said...

How exciting to have your 'word' confirmed so! May you see victory over and over again this year.
My word came to me softly, when I was not even seeking it, and it is peace. John 14:27 is the verse to go with it, as I have a weakness in letting fear try to take hold.
Blessings
Maxine

Susan M said...

Happy New Year Karen .The words to that song are wonderful ! Your post will be a blessing to many who have been through some tough times last year, I think many of us have. What a wonderful word for this year! Thanks so much for the wordart, I use it regularly, I must remember to photograph my cards before mailing them !