I love how the Lord moves and shakes and messes with me. He is very good, very just, very amazing. And He often gives me a word for the year (or words). Last year it was:

1. Prayer
2. Patrick
3. Put Others First

I don’t know how well I did on those three things. It’s hard to gauge whether I prayed more effectively, or whether I loved my husband better, or consciously ALWAYS put others first. Because of my own narcissistic nature, that’s a hard one for me. But I’d like to think the Lord did some refining of my heart last year. I am surely not perfect, but some strides were made.

This year God’s words to me seems to be about provision/stress and obedience (saying yes) to His voice. Here are the Scriptures He’s given me:

“The Lord will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting; do not forsake the work of Your hands” (Psalm 138:8).

In a particularly stressful moment when I worried about provision, He said: “I will unfold My plan. It’s not up to you. It’s not on your shoulders.”

“The voice of the Lord is powerful, the voice of the Lord is majestic” (Psalm 29:4)

“Your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left” (Isaiah 31:21).

“For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us–by me and Sylvanus and timothy–was not yes and no, but yes in Him. For as many as are the promises of God, in Hm hey are yes; therefore also through Him is our amen to the glory of God through us” (2 Corinthians 1:19–20).

In response, I say: “Compelled by Your Spirit, I am going to say Yes to You.”

There have been a few times already in the genesis of 2009 where I’ve heard the gentle nudging of the Spirit. I didn’t really want to, but I chose to respond . . . once to apologize for something and once to let someone know I was praying for her. Both instances, I felt immediately happy that I obeyed and had the privilege of seeing God work. The encouragement was mutual.

And as for worrying about that goofy thing called money, it will be a faith battle for me. I work hard; that’s a given. It won’t be sloth that makes for low “paychecks.” Just the battle of being a freelance writer and the sporadic nature of publishing–which makes me nutty, but it’s a reality. So, if you would, please pray for me as I learn to trust God for provision? I can’t make it all work, and I may need to find outside employment soon. I’m at that place where I am wondering whether this call to write means I stay home and write full time. Maybe it means something else. I don’t know. God, what are You up to?