EMBRACE

EMBRACE

In the latest issue of Ali Edwards' newsletter, she challenges her readers to come up with a word to focus on for the rest of the year.

My word is: EMBRACE.

I too have had the "tradition" of choosing a theme for my year. I do not choose my theme on my own. Instead, I reflect and meditate and ask God what OUR theme for the year is. I know that I don't live my life on my own or for my own sake. I live it for God - for His greater glory. So, in prayer, I ask Him what He wants me to seek during the year. I ask Him what He wants to teach me. One year it was about generosity. Another was about bearing fruit for Him. This year, I feel, is about embracing Him and everything that He sends my way.

You see, the past year, particularly the second half of 2006, my overall attitude towards my life and situations was more passive resignation. I was resigned to what had been dealt me. I was resigned to my fate so to speak. I could have moved past resignation and accept, truly accept God's will but my stubborn heart and mind would not budge. I was defiant. I was going to be miserable. In the end, I was ok - not well, just ok. I settled for resignation.
But I don't want that for myself this year. Resignation seems the easy way out but it is heavy!!! It is a load and a burden. And now I am just tired, tired of not feeling joyful. Resignation is not who I am. It isn't who I want to be. I want to regain my joy. I want to regain my spirit.
So, this year, I ask the Lord to help me embrace His will. I don't want to just accept it. I want to welcome it with my whole heart, embrace it tightly, as a child embraces her most cherished toy. Yes, that is what I want to experience again. I want to be able to embrace God, hold on to Him and not let go. I've missed Him so. I know He's missed me more.

Embrace.
I want to be lost in my Father's embrace.
I want to embrace Him as tightly as I can.
I want to be able to embrace Him as lovingly as He embraces me.
This year, my Father and I will embrace.