Reality Check for 2011...

Today I am staring out the window to a snowy wonderland. It has been snowing for the past few days...a rare occurrence this time of the year here in England. Each day the snow gets all sludgy with tire marks or shoe prints going through it. But through the night another layer drifts down from the sky...allowing me to wake to a beautiful new blanket of snow. Snow makes everything look so beautiful-and gives a "new" look to things.

I've been thinking a lot this week about having a new look...not so much with my hair or make up.. but more so with my "outlook". You see this week has been a week full of ups and downs...from meeting new people (which is always exciting to me as I am a people person) to having to deal with physical pain after a procedure.

As a matter of fact, this whole year has been full of ups and downs...from marrying the love of my life... to learning to forgive very deep hurts brought on by others...to struggling physically and emotionally through a difficult illness. So in many ways I can't wait for 2010 to be over and get a fresh new outlook in 2011. And let me just clue anyone out there that is wondering...my FAITH has never faltered and my walk has never been more sweeter than it has over this past year...to HIM ONLY be the glory!

I look forward to the next year with excited anticipation...but am also ready for whatever may come our way. According to the Bible we are not guaranteed a prospering life in our health, our work or anything else for that matter. Can God bless us abundantly in anyone or all of this things if He chooses...absolutely...but stating that He is obligated to do it as if He was a geinie in a bottle is not what the Bible teaches. Nor does it teach that if you don't receive good things...that your faith is not strong enough. In the words of Job..."the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!" -Job 1:21

So what ARE we promised then? We are promised that one day...for those of us that know Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior ...we will live for ever with Him in a NEW HEAVEN and a NEW EARTH. (Rev 21:1-5). (btw-reality check: salvation is the greatest gift and if He gave me no other gift than that...I am blessed beyond measure!) We will one day be free from pain and God will wipe every tear from our eyes. Talk about a fresh start! I look forward to that day, but in the mean time, I will still choose to praise my Heavanly Father...no matter what may come...good or bad in 2011.

The question to ask yourself: are you obligating God to do good things for you in 2011 or are you asking God to do good things for you in 2011...prepared either way to PRAISE HIM? There is a big difference in the two questions.

If you are struggling and find yourself on the "obligating" side (and I have to admit that I sometimes have done this)...ask God to forgive you and give you a fresh "newness" in His word that HE....no one else...not me...not some man who is great with words on TV...but GOD HIMSELF...that He will speak the truth of His Word into your heart. Only then can you really feel grace and have a fresh new look or "outlook". Did I mention I love snow???? :)