New Year – And Trusting God!

Happy 2015, friends!  I pray that your new year is off to a great start!

The start of a new year usually ushers in a reflective mood that often leads to us setting goals for various areas of our lives.  I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing.  A new year is a great time to reevaluate life and make adjustments to live more in the calling that God has for you.

But what if you aren’t sure what those goals are yet?  This is where I am currently.  I’ve been reading social media updates, articles and blogs about all of the ‘great things’ people have planned for the new year.  It seems that some of these folks have been working on these things for some time now.  I began to feel behind the eight ball – really behind.

When my family gathered to celebrate New Year’s Day, we talked about our responses to the following statements (we were given these in advance to ponder):

Ask God what He wants to reveal to you and through you in 2015.

     Ask yourself where you let a dream fall by the wayside in 2014.

          Ask God to breathe new life into dormant dreams or stir new dreams within you.

               Ask God what He’s dreaming for you this year.

Write down what He is saying to you.

I found myself stumped with statements #1 and #4.  Although I have prayed, I don’t yet know what God wants to reveal to me and through me this year.  And I don’t know what He’s dreaming for me this year.  Of course, there are many things that I’d like to do and dreams that I’d love to see come true, but what God wants and is dreaming – the bigger picture…I’m not sure yet.  And that’s ok.  So, if you find yourself in a similar place of waiting, you’re in good company.

Who says we have to have our yearly plan figured out on the first day?  Or the 6th day?  Or the 56th day?  While I firmly believe that we should have goals and work strategically toward them, I am also content with the fact that God knows the plans He has for me (Jeremiah 29:11).  I know that His ways are higher than mine (Isaiah 55:8).

So…I will wait.  I know that He will reveal His plan to me in His timing – and I can’t wait!!  I know it will be more than I could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

Will you trust God to reveal His perfect plan in His perfect timing?  Will you wait?

Infinitely More

Yesterday, I shared details about the Children’s Ministry Tailgate party we threw for our volunteers.  (If you missed it, you can catch that post here.)

At the event, I shared a bit of what God had laid on my heart months before.  You see, for the past two years, I have asked God for a word, one word, that would be our theme or focus for the upcoming year.  Last year, the word was “new”.

This past May, God laid a verse on my heart and one word kept jumping out at me each time I read the verse.  The word?  More.  Here’s the verse:

Ephesians 3:20, NLT
Ephesians 3:20, NLT

Here is a portion of what I shared with our volunteers that evening:

This spring, I asked God to give me a word – a literal word – that will serve as the them for the upcoming ministry year.

This year, I clearly heard Him say “MORE“.  (Refer back to Ephesians 3:20)

I wonder what this will look like this ministry year.  What will God do if we ask Him to help us be…

more intentional as we partner with families…

more intentional as we build relationships with the children we lead…

more connected to those we serve with…

more committed to lead and serve with excellence?

Something I’ve quoted regularly in the last few months is, “With God, all things are possible.”  I truly believe that.

I am trusting God to do exactly what His Word says – to accomplish INFINITELY MORE than we would ever dare to ask or hope. Will you trust Him to do the same?  Are you up for the challenge?

What about you?  How would your ministry be different if you believed God can accomplish infinitely more than you could ever dare to ask or hope?  Keep the conversation going by leaving a comment below!