Are you someone who enjoys making resolutions and plans for the New Year? I certainly am. For my entire life, I have been a planner. As a child, I planned my high school and college experiences, career, wedding, marriage, and future family. At 12, I knew exactly how my life would look. It’s MY life after all, isn’t it? I know what I want and what will make me happy.

This last year, I struggled immensely with my purpose. I asked God time and time again what he wanted me to do with my time on this earth. I want to honor him, I want to do what he has called me to do, I want to live for him, but I constantly feel like I’m falling short of his intentions for my life. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I didn’t give him much time to answer my questions.

A few weeks ago, my pastor preached on 2 Corinthians 3:18 where Paul writes, “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

My pastor challenged us to spend some time in the coming week contemplating the Lord’s glory. This sat heavily on my heart when the service ended because I realized that I spend so much time with the Lord, but so often I allow my own voice to dominate our conversations.

Contemplation requires stillness. Stillness requires surrender. And surrender requires acknowledging that I have nothing to bring to the table beyond my own humble heart. Surrendering my plans, my petitions and my prayers requires me to say, “Lord, I am coming to your table empty-handed, ready to receive whatever it is you have for me.”

As I stilled and surrendered my agenda to the Lord to contemplate his glory, something miraculous happened. He revealed the smallest sliver of his glory to me. It was a breathtaking picture of the heavens in all their brilliance, filled with light refracting off the world’s most precious gems in every color imaginable. It was so overwhelmingly beautiful that I could only bare it a few moments before I had to open my eyes. I noticed that I had tears running down my face. As I grabbed my pen to journal the experience, I heard God tell me firmly, “You are safe. I love you. You are precious to me.”

I didn’t make any plans in the moments after this experience. Instead, I sat in silence, contemplating all that he’d shown me, knowing it was only the tiniest picture of what God’s glory will be when we meet face to face. I felt no urge to further understand his plans for me. I had no questions. I had answers. I had peace. I had joy. I was grateful and in awe of our beautiful Lord and Savior. In those moments after God revealed himself to me, as I sat quietly in his presence, I didn’t question my purpose on earth because I finally understood. I was living it.

Dear friends, I bless you with the revelation that our lives are no longer our own. We are seated with Christ at the right hand of God and our lives are hidden with him. I bless you in this new year with the peace that comes from surrendering your plans to our glorious God who cares for you and loves you dearly. I bless you with the knowledge that you are precious to God and that he has given you the most beautiful purpose imaginable- knowing him intimately. Come to his table, unveiled, totally and completely yourself, and commune with him. Experience his glory and be transformed by his presence and will for you. This is our purpose. Praise God!

Claire Savageau ~ January 17, 2023

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
       I will advise you and watch over you.  ~  Psalm 32:8 NLT

As we enter a new calendar year, probably all of us are looking ahead and wondering what God has planned for the coming year.  Maybe you are making plans for 2023, plans for work, for the family, for travel or ministry.  Then you may remember all of the times we heard “unprecedented” used to describe the happenings in 2022, and throw up your hands in defeat before you even finish planning.

How do we know the best plans?  We want to be wise and practical.  At the same time, we want to live in a way that pleases God.  And let’s be honest, like everyone else that struggled through the pandemic, we want to have some fun! 

The verse above, Psalm 32:8, gives us God’s promise that should give us hope and confidence for the coming year.  It clearly states, “The Lord says”.  What does he promise here to those who seek him and will listen to him?

God has promised to guide us along the BEST pathway for our lives.  We may have other seemingly good ways, but we can trust that the God who loves us, sees our past, present and future and truly knows what we need is the only one who knows what is best. Our heavenly Father desires to give us good things.  James 1:16,17 tells us that we deceive ourselves if we believe that good gifts originate with anyone or anything else.  Only our compassionate heavenly Father can be trusted to take our hand and gently, but firmly, guide us on the best path, the one that will lead to our maximum benefit and God’s glory.

So, why wring our hands and be anxious about the year ahead?  Jesus has left us with the gift of peace of mind and heart (John 14:27).  We receive that precious peace when we ask our gracious God to guide us and rely on him alone to lead us and give us what we need.

In that way, we shorten our New Year’s resolutions to one.  We simply ask God to lead us on his best path. Then trust that he will, as we commit to listen to him and obey.  We can rest assured as our good Shepherd advises us and carefully watches over us as we go along his designated path.

Dear friends, be blessed as you choose Psalm 32:8 to start your 2023.  Then be amazed as new doors of freedom, prosperity and peace open to you along the way.  May you rejoice as you close out 2023 and recall all the ways God has been gracious to you and your loved ones as you chose his best path for you.  May you rest in the shadow of the Lord’s wings this year and smile.  Amen.
Mary Sumner ~ January 3, 2023