The Roaring Twenties.

Well, here we are. Here's to it... A new era, a new decade. A chance of restart, refreshment, and reflection. 2019 was a year of learning; so much learning, experience, and trial and error. It was a time of growth. A time of discovering my own strength, my own limits, a lot about my own mind and my own faith. A lot of battles with mental health, relationships, community... But throughout the rollercoaster that was this past year, I have changed a ton. Change is good and necessary, however I believe I am still learning to come to terms with such change and am still working and in a process. I am broken and am still in a tough season of reopening the eyes of my heart to discernment and wisdom the Lord has for me.

I have just attended Passion Conference 2020 as many of you also have, and Louie's talk the second night really left a thumbprint to propel us all into the twenties. He discussed how God has always had both a word and a book, and He wants to turn a page in our life. Turning pages may be too hard for us alone, but it isn't too hard for Him to turn them for us. In order to turn a page, we must leave defeat behind because that is not our story. We often times can become caught in our past brokenness and insecurities, but His power can replace that with a story of victory. However, (and this is something I am very guilty of) many of us are afraid of Him turning our page because defeat is comfortable, safe, and self-focused. This year is the time to die to that comfort and have Him increase as I decrease. The time is now of the roaring twenties, but this time, it is the ROAR of the Lion of Judah breaking chains and declaring His victory into a new age.

In addition to entering 2020 with these words of wisdom, many of you know I keep a phrase to use every year and focus on, and 2019's was "stay encouraging, be strong." This year, God has placed the word patience on my heart. It was a word I even had on my heart towards the end of this year, but I really would like to dive in fully this year. I am very impatient and I have noticed how my impatience can effect circumstances when looking at problems from afar. I also believe I must learn to wait upon the Lords timing. To wait for that good season, to wait for full growth, to wait for the right community... So, I believe this patience virtue will be incorporated into what I will BE, but along with waiting I must incorporate action on my part as well, so what I want to STAY is in pursuit. Whether this be in pursuit of my spiritual life and chasing after what God has for me, in pursuit of good community, in pursuit of positivity, in pursuit of peace for mental health, in pursuit of my artwork and passions, etc. This is a word with numerous potential and application. I desire to grow in pursuit of things I am passionate about (art, writing, encouraging others) because I realize I have dwindled on the things I love this year. I want to chase after these things with a slow pursuit of patience and not a hurried chase mixed with impatience. In a quote I heard at Grace Midtown: "There is a reason people talk about walking with God and not running with God, because God is love, and hurry and love are incompatible."

I encourage you to come up with a word for positive thinking this year, and may it be a stamp upon your daily life. Allow God to run something by you, and have a time of solace where your train of thought may suddenly be interrupted by a word or phrase He may want you to chase after. As I heard at Grace Midtowns talk this past Sunday: New years resolutions fail statistically 80% or more of the time, and goal posts are constantly getting pushed back. New Years resolutions are weak to change your life, but the voice of God is powerful for change. We must ask Him how He wants to mold us and not have anxiety into the new year attempting to take on all the change ourselves. With that said, these words I have picked out for myself go hand in hand with what I hope God will use to shape this new start into something lasting and not temporary. And so, on that note...

Stay in pursuit, Be patient.

mw