I love the energy and hope one feels when family and friends gather near and count down the New Year. What I most love is on New Year’s Eve taking out my journal and reflecting. As I turn the pages, I stand in awe of God’s grace and mercy allowing me to go through the storms and come through stronger in faith and richer in love I find myself truly meditating on the scripture James 1:2-4 NKJV “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
My husband and I have a vision board which bears the scripture Habakkuk 2:2-3 NKJV “ And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision and engrave it so plainly upon tablets that everyone who passes may [be able to}read[it easily and quickly] as he hastens by. For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come, it will not be behindhand on its appointed day.” On this board we wrote out those desires of our hearts. The vision board held several different hopes; one was that I would be able to return to college full-time and become a stay at home mom and the other was for us to become homeowners. We prayed in faith and also applied work (financial planning and researching options) because the Word tells us “faith without works is dead”. We have learned to stay rooted in faith and encourage ourselves in times when our natural eyes could see no way our vision would come to pass. God is such an awesome God. I recently unpacked our vision board as we moved from campus housing into our home. I stand in amazement when I think that God is all in the details, He is working behind the scenes through others on your behalf. I was able to return to college after a three year long break in studies. Once I returned I faced another obstacle resigning after experiencing emergency medical surgery. I have stayed the course and will be graduating this Spring semester.We were residing in campus housing because I am a full-time student and a stay at home mom. The first night I slept in our new home I found myself on my knees thanking God not just for the manifested blessing but the journey. During my time of worship I realized that the home we bought was exactly the same layout of the house plans we had on our vision board for three years.
I wanted to share this with someone who may have given up on a dream because the process has been long or perhaps you didn’t find much support. Please know that God is in all the details and that if He placed that desire within you it will come to pass. I would encourage you to write your vision down, speak in faith, and commit your works to God. Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV “ Do Not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition(define requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God’s peace[shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”