Welcome to 2021! I know that I have grown in my walk with Jesus over the past year. I look forward to growing even more this year! At the end of each year I ask God what the word for the next year is. 

A Look Back

In 2020 this is what I felt God said, “2020 is going to be a year of growth. While growing can be painful, it is necessary to put us on the next level in our relationship with Jesus and the work he has for us to do. Keep the focus. Don’t grow weary. Be persistent. Remember that perseverance produces character (Romans 5:3-5)” Man was that ever accurate! 2020 really was a year of growth. 2020 was a painful year for everyone. We had to persist in trusting God to take care of every need. I know there were times in 2020 when I felt beat down and needed God to come encourage me. There were times when I felt like giving up, and God was right there to tell me that he is still with me and everything will work out for my good. 

Of course there were also a ton of amazing things that happened in 2020. I was able to start this blog. I was given more time with my family. We went on walks, watched movies together, and just hung out talking about what God was teaching us. By June of 2020 we helped to launch an outdoor church. God taught me so much more about how brave and strong I am because he is with me and empowers me. Yes, 2020 was a year of growth. Yes that growth was painful at times; it was also fun and exciting to walk through. 

Word for 2021

What is the word for 2021 that the Lord gave me? 2021 is the year of the harvest. God even gave me a vision of what he means: 

A farmer was preparing the ground to plant seeds. He was breaking up the ground, and I imagined if the ground could talk, it would say, “Ouch! Why are you doing this to me? It hurts!” What the ground doesn’t understand is that it must be broken to be able to do its job, which is to protect and nourish the seeds that will be planted and the seedlings that will sprout. 2020 has been the year of breaking up our ground so that the seeds can be planted and a great harvest will come.

2020 had to happen to break off things that aren’t a reflection of Jesus so that we, the body of Christ, can go out and do what we are designed to do. We each play a part in the planting, nurturing, and overall care of seeds. The part you play is just as important as mine or anyone else. 

Revival is Coming

If you have been with me very long, you have read over and over again that I believe a huge revival is coming. You’ve read that I believe this revival is going to start in the church. The people of God will and have already started to wake up. They will see just how powerful they are when they walk in the love that comes from living a life filled with the Holy Spirit.

The church will learn how to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. Through that power, they will take the message of the good news of Jesus to the world; the message is the seed. They will show the love of Jesus and proclaim his goodness to people outside the church walls. The huge benefit of having the church buildings closed this past year is that it has given us the opportunity to build up our own personal relationship with God. While growing in love from God, He has begun to open our eyes to see the people around us who are hurting and need to hear about the love and peace that we have. 

Story Time

As a church, we have felt led to go to the city halls in the town we live in as well as the surrounding towns. A few weeks ago, Brett and I felt led to go to the town just north of us. It ended up being just the two of us who could go. Brett wanted to walk and pray around the square, which has the county courthouse in the middle. We started walking around the courthouse and praying. It was right before Christmas, so the square was packed with people. It was nice to see so many out and about! 

We turned the corner and saw two groups of people. The first was two older guys, dressed like old Confederate soldiers. They had a table with tons of Confederate literature. Right beside them was a Black Lives Matter group. I thought, we are here to pray for those guys and that organization. So we stood behind the BLM table and started praying for them. I prayed that the lies that are spread through that group would be revealed. Mostly I prayed for each person standing behind the table. I prayed that if they didn’t know Jesus, they would, and that each of them would have a revelation of God’s goodness. We then walked around another time and continued to pray that each person would have a fresh revelation of God’s goodness. 

A Time to be Brave

As we finished our second lap, Brett asked if I was ready to go. I sheepishly told him, “No. God gave me a message for one of the guys at the BLM table.” What you have to understand is that I am not naturally a person who goes up to people I don’t know to give them a message from God. Praying for them is one thing, but delivering a message is a whole new level. I was literally shaking. There was in a battle between my flesh and my spirit. I knew that God gave me this message, and I needed to deliver it.

That didn’t stop me from wanting to ignore my spirit and run the other way. The thing is, I have decided and committed to doing whatever God asks me to do, even if it’s terrifying. This request was terrifying for sure! I knew I was going to obey, but I had to first squash the flesh part of me that wanted to run. Brett suggested that he start the conversation and I could jump in when I was ready. I agreed and off we went. 

As I was walking toward the guy I was to give the message to, I started repeating, “God didn’t give me a spirit of fear, but of power. I am powerful. I am powerful because God says so, and I can’t fail because God told me to do this.” I repeated this over and over until we arrived at the table. I’m sure to the many people I passed I sounded like a crazy woman. I didn’t care. By stating the truth I was putting to death my flesh and walking by the Spirit. 

Time to Act

We arrived at the table and stood in front of the guy. Brett said, “Hi. My wife and I are Christians, and…” Right then, a woman standing at the other end of the table interrupted and, in a tone that didn’t feel loving, said, “I’m a Christian too. I just want you to know that there are liberal Christians out there.” In my mind I had an answer for her, but the Holy Spirit reminded me that I wasn’t sent to her but to the guy I was standing in front of. So I turned to him and said, “God has a message for you!” He looked surprised and asked what the message was. I said, “I agree with you that black lives matter, but what is more important is that your life matters. Jesus came to this earth to die for you because he loves you.” 

He responded, “Yeah, I agree with you. In fact my middle name is Righteous.” Brett said, “That’s awesome man!” We then talked for a few more minutes, and at the end I asked what his first name was. He told me, and I said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Can I shake your hand?” He agreed, and Brett and I left. The Year of the Harvest

The Year of the Harvest

Here’s the point. In December of 2019, I’m not sure I would have had the courage to do what I did. Yes, I was a Christian, and I wanted to obey God. I was learning to be brave and do courageous things, but I wasn’t ready for that sort of request by God. 2020 was the year of growth! 2021 is going to be the year of the harvest!

2021 will have its own set of trials and victories. We may face discipline from God and attacks from Satan. Know this: we can tell the difference between discipline and attacks. In Hebrews 12:11-15 (ESV) we read, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled…”

The Fruit of Peaceful Righteousness

Notice that the fruit of discipline is “peaceful righteousness.” When trials come, look at the fruit. Is the fruit filled with peaceful righteousness, or fearful strife? If the fruit is fear or strife, you know it comes from your enemy. You have been given the authority to cast the enemy out of your life. However if the fruit is peaceful and being used to make you righteous, then ask God to show you what lesson he is teaching you. Be moldable and teachable. You will then look back and be thankful for the growth. 

I pray that 2021 is filled with loads of God’s blessings and in one year from now you can look back and see how much you have grown closer to God. Let the new year begin!