2016 My Year of “Yes!” and “Amen!!”

Happy New Year!

2015 is gone... and along with it went some joyous memories like my son graduating from college and heading to law school, a new great nephew was born, and being accepted and starting my doctoral program. But I also suffered a great loss; 2015 took someone who was dearly beloved to me, my baby sister, Karina. I miss my sister terribly...nothing can replace the bond that we shared and to say goodbye to her physical presence has been extremely hard for me, but I am holding steadfast to my faith in God and his ability to mend my broken heart and to work things for my good. I continue to recall God’s promise to me that He will never leave me or forsake me and that He sent the Holy Spirit to comfort me. I know that my sister is in the loving arms of our Father and that I will see her again, because that is His promise too.

God continues to show His faithfulness towards me by again giving me a Word to serve as an anchor and to encourage me to keep pressing toward the mark in 2016. He reminded me of the scripture found in in 2 Corinthians 1:20, it reads; “For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding ‘Yes!’ And through Christ, our ‘Amen’ (which means "Yes") ascends to God for his glory.” This scripture is so powerful! It reminds me that through Christ I have access to each and every one of God’s promises in His Word and that by agreeing with my “Amen” I will bring God glory.

As I move forward in 2016, I say “Yes” and “Amen” to God’s promises to me through Christ; His promise to turn my sorrow into joy, my mourning into dancing, to prosper me as my soul prospers, to perfect everything concerning me, and the thousands of other promises in His Word! As these promises manifest in my life, I will give him all the honor and glory that He is so worthy of by telling others about his grace and mercy towards me and how it is available to them too.

The first promise I will take hold of is one found in Lamentations 3:22-23, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” In this year 2016, called by some as a “Double Portion of New Beginnings”, I choose to greet each day knowing that I serve a loving and faithful God who will give me the grace to start anew... I am grateful to Christ that this promise is a “RESOUNDING YES!” and to that I say, “AMEN!”

Blessings!