This is my third year to take the One Word Challenge and commit to a single word to shape my year. No lengthy new year's resolutions written and forgotten by February. Applying one word to my life throughout the year has proved to be a do-able and not too overwhelming commitment.
In 2011, my word was anyway. For 2012, I chose see. This year, I had a bit of trouble deciding on my word. In fact, it's the 28th of this month and I am just now fairly sure what it is and what it means. It's directly related to last year's word; in fact, it's step two of the process. Last year, I made a commitment to really stop, notice, and see what was going on around me. See God working in my life. See my sweet boy growing up before my eyes. See and acknowledge the positive efforts of those around me.
For 2013, my word is tell. Tell what I've seen. Tell what I've learned. Tell my story.
Angus Buchan, a potato farmer from South Africa, came to our church back in September and rocked my simple mind. He was so bold, so fearless in telling his God story. He challenged us as Americans, as Christians, to go out and share our own God stories. Tell others how God is real and relevant in our lives. I was totally inspired by his teaching and ready to carry out his directive, until I realized I had no idea what my God story was... So, I'm challenging myself to post monthly and tell what God is doing in my life, how he's working, what I'm discovering. Hopefully, by the end of this journey, I will have a story worth telling.
Here's the first installment of my God story:
We have been on a tight budget for the last 18 months while Michael finishes his nursing degree. Over the past months, we have received unexpected doctor bills that were outside our budget, and in the same month received overpayment refunds from our insurance company within pennies of the amount needed to cover the doctor bills. We faced an increase in childcare cost from switching preschools and received a letter from our mortgage company that our mortgage rate was going down, lowering our monthly mortgage payment just enough to cover the childcare cost. Purchasing airline tickets for the boys' trip this Christmas was crippling, but two weeks later we received an unexpected gift that offset the cost considerably. God used insurance companies, mortgage companies, and the softened hearts of people around us to meet our needs. For 18 months, God has met our financial needs even when the numbers don't make sense on paper. He is faithful. Why do I ever doubt and worry? HE is my father!
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’32 For the unbelievers run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:26-34
Here's the first installment of my God story:
We have been on a tight budget for the last 18 months while Michael finishes his nursing degree. Over the past months, we have received unexpected doctor bills that were outside our budget, and in the same month received overpayment refunds from our insurance company within pennies of the amount needed to cover the doctor bills. We faced an increase in childcare cost from switching preschools and received a letter from our mortgage company that our mortgage rate was going down, lowering our monthly mortgage payment just enough to cover the childcare cost. Purchasing airline tickets for the boys' trip this Christmas was crippling, but two weeks later we received an unexpected gift that offset the cost considerably. God used insurance companies, mortgage companies, and the softened hearts of people around us to meet our needs. For 18 months, God has met our financial needs even when the numbers don't make sense on paper. He is faithful. Why do I ever doubt and worry? HE is my father!
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’32 For the unbelievers run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:26-34
We can trust God to meet our needs. Worrying isn't necessary, nor is it helpful. There is a sense of calm and a quiet confidence that comes from knowing He is in control.
