Only two more sleeps till we cue the confetti for the new year. For the new decade.
This is one of my favorite times of the year – the slow week between the frenzy of Christmas and return to normal after New Year’s Day. It’s a week of planning, of dreaming and of starting healthy new habits. On the cusp of a new year, I often wonder what it will hold. What surprises? What challenges? The days glimmer with endless possibility.
Amidst so much unknown, one thing is guaranteed: God will call every single one of us to exercise big faith. It’s not just probable; it’s certain. How do I know? Because God calls every believer to live by faith. Look at these verses:
For we walk by faith, not by sight. —2 Corinthians 5:7
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
—Galatians 2:20
And without faith it is impossible to please God… —Hebrews 11:6
Maybe the days don’t look so glimmering after all. Because we want the sure path. We want to see where we’re going, know what’s coming and be able to handle it.
But God calls us to live in absolute trust in Him.
And it’s when God calls us to impossible paths, where we can’t see what’s ahead and we can’t manage on our own that we come to know God even more. We see His power and provision, His goodness and wisdom. And we fall in love all over again with the One who is faithful and true.
What does the year ahead hold? Only God knows. But we can step into in with full confidence that God’s got us too.
—Lisa Appelo and the She Found Joy team
P.S. Today, we want to invite you to dream with God about what 2020 could look like. Tell Him what is on your heart and ask Him what might be on His heart for you. If you don’t hear anything immediately, keep pressing in and waiting in the secret place for what God might want to say to you. Write everything down so that when the year is over, you can see how God was moving in those areas.
Lisa Appelo is a speaker, writer and Bible teacher who inspires women to deepen their faith in grief and find hope in the hard. Eight years ago, Lisa became a sudden widow and single mom to 7. She’s passionate about rich Bible study and teaches a weekly ladies Bible class. She’s a speaker with She Found Joy and has been published at Proverbs 31 Ministries, (in)courage, Risen Motherhood, Jennifer Rothschild and more.
As a former litigating attorney, her days are now filled with parenting, ministry, writing, speaking and running enough to justify lots of dark chocolate. Get your FREE 5-day Bible study on Flourishing in the Unexpected here and connect with Lisa on Instagram @lisaappelo.
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