Happy 2021!!

 

Happy New Year!! 

A new year is finally here... We've officially shut the door on 2020 and am halfway through the first week of 2021. Let's all take a minute to appreciate the fact that we made it through one of the hardest years I think a lot of us have ever had. I'll be honest, I've had some pretty rough times in 2020. Some of those rough things have even carried into the new year. A lot of people can say the same, I think. But you know what that means? The fact that you are still here, that you are reading these words right now on the very first, fresh day of 2021? You are stronger than you thought you were on January 1, 2020. Actually, our God is stronger and more sovereign that I think a lot of us perceived Him to be on January 1, 2020. I don't know about you, but there's no way I would have survived last year without Him. I'm thankful that we have a God who we can call our Rock, our Redeemer, our Deliverer, and our Fortress. 

Psalm 18:1-2 says, "I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." 

When I think of the word fortress I think of a giant stone castle with an impenetrable stone wall wrapped around it, maybe a moat too to make it extra hard to get inside. Take a minute to imagine a fortress. Whatever you see a fortress as. And then take a minute to process the fact that God is our fortress. We can - and should - live within the mighty and impenetrable stone walls of His love and protection and grace and strength. That is what our God is and that's why I was able to get through 2020 and make it to this day with hope still in my heart and the energy and strength to step into a new year. 

I want to go into the new year reminding us that He is our fortress because to be honest, there are parts of this new year that I'm not sure about. After a year like 2020 that threw us curveballs we never in a billion years thought would ever come our way, its hard to step into the new year with any sort of certainty of anything. The rug was pulled out from beneath us and no one ever put it back under our feet... We're living with the rug completely gone and with no idea when it will return. At least that's how it feels for me. I was telling a friend a few weeks ago how usually around December and especially after Christmas, I start to make a list of goals. My lists aren't huge, but there's always at least a solid five things on there whether big or small. But this year as I sat down to write down what I want to accomplish before the end of 2021... I could only come up with two solid things: Publishing a book and getting my driver's license. I don't even know what book I'm going to publish! That never happens. I always walk into the year with at least an inkling of what book I'm going to be working toward to publish. 

I'm worried that more things are going to happen. I'm concerned about how things are going to turn out this year... I'm concerned about what will happen after this month comes and goes. I'm mildly concerned about the vaccine and the implication it will have on our country and in my immediate life. I'm concerned for who will be our president on inauguration day. In the way back of my mind, I think I'm worried that it's not over. More bad things are going to happen. The rug will never return beneath my feet. This year will be as messy and hard and constant as last year. Nothing feels certain at all. That's why it's important to remind ourselves that God is our fortress. He won't be surprised by what happens this year, whether it's the best year in the history of the world or as equally hard as 2020. He will gladly open the doors of his fortress, let down the draw bridge and let us run inside no matter what happens this year. 

Because of how uncertain everything feels, I'm stepping into this new year with very little on my plate. I have very little expectations and goals for myself. In December this year I graduate and get my Bachelor's degree, which is exciting and daunting at the same time. Literally I want to take this entire year to figure out what I want to do once I get my degree because I have completely no idea. I have zero idea as to where God wants me to be or is leading me toward. I'm taking this whole year to breathe and live and just be. To stop worrying about money and a job and what I'm going to do with my entire life. I'm making this year simple for myself. Publish a book, get my drivers license, graduate college, pray about my future and let God lead the way. I'm giving the reins over to Him this year. The whole year is His to do what He wants to with. I'm going to live in His fortress this year and let what comes come. 

If 2020 has taught me anything, it's that my plans that God is not a part of are easily broken and squashed by the world. They're easily and gently pried from my hands by God Himself. None of the plans I had for 2020 worked out at all. The year didn't go the way I thought it would... but it went the way God wanted it to. His plans for my life last year went just right and He blessed me through everything he had to pull from my grasp and everything He gladly gave me and every door he happily opened for me. I would much rather have His plans than my own. 

So... 2021. Live in God's fortress and stronghold this year, give it all up to Him and trust that He has a plan for you this year and nothing can deter that plan from coming to pass.