A New Word… for 2020

 

 

A New Word…for 2020

This January I facilitated a workshop that encouraged us to review our past year. The main purpose of this event is to create space to “come away” into a time of retreat or solitude in order to process where we’ve been in the past year and where we feel led to ‘follow faithfully forward’. We began this review ‘under God’s umbrella’, His sovereign direction in our lives as He gifts us with our own unique one (Umbrella).  This is the third workshop of this kind I’ve been blessed to lead and with each year I am understanding more and more the importance, power, and the motivation that is gained by making the time to complete this type of review.

There are many, many verses in the Bible that talk about the importance of remembering our past. My friend, Sheryll Ashmore shared some key points to assist us as we set about to “remember” key events, people and situations that were brought to mind about our past year.   Here’s what she shared:

“Remembering–What’s the point? (Notes from Sheryll Ashmore, 1/18/20)

*We look back to propel us forward.

*We look back to see God at work in each month

*We look back to thank Him and ask for direction in 2020.

Psalm 77:11-13 (The Passion version)

11: Yet I could never forget all your miracles, my God, as I remember all your wonders of old. 12: I ponder all you’ve done, Lord musing on all your miracles. 13: It’s here in your presence, in your sanctuary where I learn more of your ways. For holiness is revealed in everything you do. Lord, you’re the one and only, the great and glorious God!

Translation: Remember. Ponder. Muse.

What Remember isn’t for…when working through your “Year in Review”

*Asking the “why” question. This will stop you from moving forward.

*To relive the good or bad times. This can cause comparison and/or condemnation or depression. If we haven’t left it with Jesus, it is time to repent and move on.

What remembering is for… when working through the “Year in Review”

*To keep us grateful… we see His goodness and faithfulness at work.

*To help us move forward. We see how He has been leading and directing.

*To help maintain a childlike sense of wonder. We see He is a big, big God and a miracle working Father who cares about even the smallest details.

**Don’t rush**Spend time with Him**He desires to meet with you personally”

It truthfully allows the upcoming year to unfold in a way knowing and believing that in every challenge, joy, and situation you encounter… God is ever present!

You may not be able to “see” the answers or reasons for circumstances that were not to your liking-perhaps the passing of a loved one from this world to the next, a child walking through difficult times with peers, your grown children struggling to understand their place in the “grand-scheme” of things, a move of any sorts, the broken relationships because of… (fill in the blank!), but writing down key words on paper help you remember and create an thought provoking mind and heart connection.

We worked through our year using a 3 step approach which moved from the past into a forward momentum  for this year.   You will see some of those details of the process here, but if you are interested to learn more about this approach please feel free to contact me.

Doing a Year-In-Review can begin right where you are in your year…just go back 12 months!

I am sharing with you part of my meanderings I wrote for those who attended the workshop.   Everything in

( ) is my today’s “interjections” 😉

“(I had completed the 12 month review (Step #1) before the event, but had not gotten to the next steps before the workshop.

Well, I finished it!

then….

STEP #2 Journaling my ‘reflections’ of 2019 led me from a starting place and quickly “shot gunned” into several directions!  I am reading the devotional “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young, besides feeling like every day is exactly written to what is going on in my mind and my life, yesterday’s made me smile and then today I was again reminded… here it is in part…’Whenever your mind wanders, lasso those thoughts and bring them into My Presence.’, and on the 23^rd it read ‘It’s all right to be human. When your mind wanders while you are praying (or journaling in my case!) don’t be surprised or upset.  Simply return your attention to Me. Share a secret smile with Me, knowing that I understand…’

Whew! I don’t know about you but those were helpful reminders for me, and I had to “share a secret smile” several times!!

( Now… Step 3!) Answering the questions on the “map” seemed so much easier as ‘thought provoking’ questions for others to answer then when I did

them myself…wondering how the rest of you felt while answering them?

They were helpful though…

*I DO feel as though what to leave behind was pretty clear. (Question was ‘What needs to be left behind so I may live more fully in who God has created me to be? My “left behind” item… fear of failure!’)

* I have a ‘word’ to ‘live in” for this year. (Question was: ‘What is a word or phrase that I am sensing God inviting me to live in this year?’  It seems appropriate to share what I believe my word is… it’s…

confidence.  For me, it’s time to claim this confidence through the power of the Holy Spirit, which means

being more intentional with the gifts that God has bestowed on me.  I am sensing that I have been fearful, and really battled with a –not enough mindset, or I also call this, the “The Moses syndrome! Meaning: Who ME???  However, with every new morning that breaks over the horizon the opportunity to walk in a Holy Spirit confidence and not my own lends itself towards a bit of a bolder spring-in-my-step, and I’m sure many more ‘secret smiles’ as I continue to learn, listen, and apply!)

 

* Next steps: There is more of a “mindful” direction for those (You’re reading one now!) 😉

* My BOLD prayer? (That was the last question!) Ok, here goes…I have to admit to feeling a touch of apprehension  in this…if I put it down in words that are to be read by others it makes me feel a bit vulnerable but here’s what I wrote… “Create in ME a confidence that allows others to see YOU in all areas of my life!’

What I am just now realizing as I type this out is that…God has a bit of work ahead of Him with me, and our time together may be filled with more than just a few “secret smiles” as He brings my anxious wonderings, and wanderings into His Presence- Under His Umbrella!”

(Funny thing, with doing this is that I thought I had a fairly good understanding of my year, however when I looked at it from a broader perspective, (through the mindset of who God is, His desire to be ‘seen’ throughout my year)’ there were some surprising insights.  MAKING the time to look at each month by itself and then as a whole…very much worth it!! There it is…that shared “secret smile!”.)

 

If this is something that you do feel led to try, please contact me and I’d love to share what we used for this workshop.

May we each live our lives purposefully, in God’s ‘confidence’, this attitude will guarantee that your year ahead will absolutely become an adventure of the grandest kind!

Blessings all!

Under His Umbrella,

Becky