A Different Kind of Year

As I begin this new year I have been hearing and knowing in my heart that this is a new season, a new change; letting go and stepping into what I know is best for the ones I love the most. I am excited, actually I am very excited!

God has been placing in my heart for a long while now a knowing that it is time to be serving my family, and only my family. I resisted this for too long, because it comes at a sacrifice; I am no longer serving in our church with worship leading or women's ministry (of which I have been doing for nearly 5 years at our current church and previous to that for 8 years at our old church). Serving in these ministries has been such a blessing in my life, and yet I know I needed to obey what God has been saying.

There is such eternal value in serving our family in our homes, in raising Sons and Daughters who live the gospel because it's deeply established and owned in their own hearts; it is Kingdom work, Kingdom building.

I know that stepping out of ministry will bring greater opportunity for focusing more fully on reaching the hearts of our four amazing children; time for our marriage; for taking in more of the little moments of life; time for hobbies shared with others and a whole myriad of other possibilities (more reading too!!) I am excited to see where this blog path leads and I am looking forward to seeing where writing takes me as well.

It's one of those things where you know you have to just obey what He's asking, even though you haven't got all the pieces of the puzzle in your hands (or even clearly in sight). This year may be a year to 'recover' & 'lay low' or He could reveal to me a completely new thing ... either way, the peace I have now in obeying His leading (instead of 'well-meaning' comments from others) is a relief to my heart and mind. Already my load is lighter and my perspective brighter ... such peace is found in obedience.



So, it's a breath of fresh air in my soul and I look forward to serving my King completely in and from my home (I strongly believe that serving in a church is not limited to being on a roster, although that is very good too. There are so many ways we can serve and contribute to the body of Christ while still keeping our focus on what God has first given us, our family. This is what is right for my life and the life of my family in this season, I'm not saying this as a rule for everyone).

 

 

It's going to be a great year!

 

I'd love to hear if you've made changes for this new year too!



 

 



Goodbye 2012 Welcome 2013

Welcome back to Sufficient Grace! It's seems it's been forever since I posted and said 'hi' to you all! Happy New Year! (I know I said I'd be back in February, but it's flooding here and we are trapped, safe, but trapped! It's great to blog in this weather!) I hope you've had a beautiful Christmas and new Year with your family, celebrating our Saviours birth and the opportunity for new growth in Him this year.

We have enjoyed the company of our family and friends over the Christmas holiday weeks and have been making such lovely memories together!

I ended 2012 with writing a card to each of my family members telling them what I have enjoyed seeing them achieve through the year; how God has done such beautiful work in their hearts; what I have appreciated them doing for others through the year; and of course, how much I love them all and am so blessed that they are in my life! Doing this really helped me to focus on the many blessings and positives from the year and it also set in concrete what it is I want to continue doing and what I would like to develop in my family for this new year. I know it also gave my family members a 'boost' in their hearts too, a very nice thing to do!

I don't necessarily make 'new years resolutions', rather I open up my heart to hearing from God where He desires to work in my life each year as a wife, mother, home-maker etc. Do I always get it right? Nup. But, God is faithful, He sees my heart and knows that I long to honor and serve Him in my family, and His grace sufficiently makes up for my many shortcomings!

I encourage you this year to continue to seek God in all your ways and plans, listening closely to the answers that He gives you and rest in knowing that God is guiding, leading and equipping us as wives, mothers and home-makers each day for the glory of His Holy Name!

 

I look forward to seeing the journey that God takes us on at Sufficient Grace this year. I do feel as though I am still 'feeling my way' through the blogging world as I have only just begun ... but I know that He gives wisdom and I am seeking Him in the path this blog needs to follow, trusting that it's not all in vein and He will be glorified in this little space.

 

 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your

own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him,

and He will make your paths straight.



Proverbs 3:5-6