I recently spent HOURS UPON HOURS re-writing an old song of mine, TIKKUN OLAM (repair the world). It's my story of how God saved my life and gave my life new meaning.
Sometimes I forget the power of one word, one song, one book, one amazing encouraging thing that can lift a brother or sister up. Sometimes, like you, I forget the IMPACT I was meant to make. The cliches of the past that say "I WAS CREATED FOR A PURPOSE" sound like Bla bla bla as a backdrop to my jaded thinking that I can't do much to bring light in the terrible darkness. Those are just feelings, not facts of course.
Countless songs, musicians, teachers and friends have made me the empowered and blessed woman I am today and I don't like to think about where I would be without those beautiful people.
After this jaded thinking, I read a blog like the one below by Moody Radio Host and author Jon Gauger. Once again, I WAKE UP! Thank you, Jon!
The commission of Yeshua, the light of the world began with the word, "GO!" and His greatest desire for you and me was to LOVE HIM and LOVE His people by sharing the news that HE LIVES and wants to be reconciled to us. His love is heavenly and it also HEALS all wounds, all sadness and all disappointment. His contentment is better than gold. If we know Him we are rich.
The happiest NEW YEAR we can possibly have is a year spent seeking more of this awesome love and power to REPAIR THE WORLD even if our "world" is a handful of people who choose life instead of death, gladness instead of mourning because we became vessels God could use.
Happy New Year and as I always like to say, HAPPY NEW YOU!!!
Therefore if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Messiah and gave us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:17-18, TLV Version)
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At the End of the Year by Jon Gauger
December 27, 2018
There is something sobering about facing a new year. For some, it’s the intimidation of the unknown. But I’m not referring to the slew of latent fears and unanswered questions of 2019:
Will I hang on to my job?
Will my cancer stay in remission?
Will our daughter return safely from her tour in Iraq?
No doubt those are huge questions. But the sobriety I speak of comes only with a careful scan of the previous year. Glance back upon the last twelve months and consider with me…
There were opportunities to build bridges into the lives of unsaved friends and neighbors. Exactly how much bridge building did I do? Or did I merely talk about what I hoped to do?
There were moments—lots of them—where I could have chosen to demonstrate selfless love to my mate. Did I seize those moments and quietly emulate Messiah Yeshua—or did I merely have good intentions? Or worse, did I simply put myself first—again and again?
There were texts I could have chosen to send or calls I could have made to encourage my son or daughter—and remind them how proud of them I really am—that I’m on their side, pulling for them, praying for them. How many of those did I actually share?
While I was privileged to support some missionaries, did I just give money? Or did I give the better gift—intercessory prayer?
Did I listen to sermon after Sunday sermon (and secretly feel proud of my church attendance) or was I actually a doer of the Word?
If my Hulu, Netflix and YouTube usage for all of last year were shown in the same pie chart that included my service for Messiah would I be okay with what the data showed?
This past year, did I actually hide God’s Word in my heart—or merely agree that memorizing Scripture is something I should really make a priority?
Did I become more like Messiah—or just hope that it would happen?
Sorry if I sound like a drizzling rain on your New Year’s parade. Don’t mean to. But I think there’s a place for warning ourselves at the start of the coming new year, lest the lullaby of good intentions send us off to sleep and we become satisfied with dreams of kingdom living that are never attempted, let alone. attained.
May God wake us all—every one of us—so we live the new year fully alive for Him!
“LORD, make me to know my end And what is the extent of my days; Let me know how transient I am.” -- Psalms 39:4
FOLLOW JON GAUGER'S BLOG BY SUBSCRIBING HERE...http://jongauger.com/blog.php