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My dearest friend,
The Lord has placed it on my heart to write to you, to encourage and uplift you, and maybe even to inspire you to live your life a little closer to Him throughout the New Year.
Though you stand on the verge of this land of the unknown, you will find this year to be no different from the last, in the sense that life offers no smooth rides. Deuteronomy 11:11a says, “But the land you are about to go into and take for your own is a land of hills and valleys.” (NLV)
Hills and valleys will be present just as they were last year. They will supply an abundance of opportunities, interests, learning, joys, sorrows, and, yes, even testing and discipline.
However, dear one, take courage from God’s Word. Deuteronomy 11:12 says, “The Lord your God cares for this land. His eyes watch over it from the beginning to the end of the year.” (NLV) And so His eyes are upon the land of your journey, for He cares for it from the beginning to the end.
In your journey, you will encounter lush, green hills of the Lord; stand upon their summits and take in those sweeping vistas, not necessarily as telescopic views into the future but as windows upon the present, to give you a God’s-eye-view of your circumstances, of God’s working in your life.
Just over some of those fruitful mounts may be valley lows and wilderness days. You may feel blighted by the frost of relationships or swept away by the winds of adversity, but the Lord of the hills and valleys walks beside you through each one.
Not all valleys are parched, devoid of verdant beauty. Someone once said, “The hills collect the rain for a hundred fruitful valleys.” The land of your new year is cared for, watered from heaven and watched over by the eyes of the Creator, and He will make all your valleys fruitful.
How is this to be? As the Lord told Israel through Hosea, He says to you, “All your fruit comes from Me.” (Hosea 14:8b NLT) And Jesus reiterated that assertion, “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit.” (John 15:5 NKJV)
Abide in Him, my sweet friend, in this year’s journey and you will be fruitful through all you undergo.
When you come upon a misty valley of uncertainty, depression, or unforgiveness, do not linger in there. You will miss the beautiful heights of glory just ahead.
And when a mount of circumstance rises up before you, do not be afraid to ascend that hill. You may be dismayed by its height and vastness but one step at a time will bring you to those heights of glory unknown before. And no matter how steep the way seems, keep your eyes on the way before you; your climb will be that much easier.
The Lord will lead you gently through each day, each season, each circumstance. As Jacob said to Esau in concern for the herds and the children in their journey, so you can take this verse to your heart as from the Lord, “I will lead on slowly at a pace which…the children, are able to endure.” (Gen 33:14 NKJV)
The Lord knows the way; He leads on gently. Not allowing more in your path than you can handle. Do not be disillusioned at the seeming darkness on your path; He will be your Light, your Guide, your Strength, your Peace, and your Comfort.
There are miles to cover this year, tests to take, new things to experience, gifts to discover, moments to breathe in, promises to possess, and sins to release.
May you go forth to possess each gift, each promise, and each day’s delivery of the Lord, to conquer each challenge you encounter, and to be the victor and not the victim of its confrontations. May your journey through the New Year be guided and protected and may it be filled with abundant blessings.
And remember, He will watch over you from the beginning of the year until the end.
With all my love,
Hooking up with…
Fridays…
Sundays…
Mondays…
Thank you for this reminder, Lynn.
Thanks so much, Carol, for stopping by. I always appreciate your visits. Bless you!
Beautiful, my friend.
“There are miles to cover this year, tests to take, new things to experience, gifts to discover, moments to breathe in, promises to possess, and sins to release.”
Yes to all of this. Even to the releasing.
Oh, thank you, sweet Sandy! So happy you took time to visit. Always love seeing you! Bless you!
What a lovely post and gift to me as your reader. beautiful reassuring words! Thank you
LOL So glad you knew it was for you, Jean! I’m so grateful for you. Thanks so much for commenting! Bless you!
You don’t know how much your postings mean to me ….. thank you Lynn!
Oh, Cynthia, you don’t know how that blesses and encourages me. Thank you so much, dear one. Blessings to you!
Thank you…your words touched me very deeply. It made me think about those times in each of our lives when we could be feeling alone and confused. To receive a letter like yours with so much heart could make all the difference in the world. What I’ve always admired about you Lynn is how non-judgmental you are of others and beautifully transparent in your faith in Jesus Christ. I feel blessed by your friendship Lynn! Love, JoAnne
Sweet JoAnne, my eyes are definitely pooling. Oh, how you have touched my heart with your kind and generous words! Being non-judgmental is one thing I strive to be. You have deeply encouraged me and blessed me, sweetie. Thank you from the bottom of this ol’ heart! Love you!
I really like how you linked the launching into the new year with Israel’s entrance into the promised land. It struck a chord with me.
Oh, Mike, thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I so appreciate your stopping by and commenting. Bless you!
So true, Lynn. God will be with us always, in the valleys and on the rocky mountain trails. And I agree with Mike. Very well done, as always. May God bless you this year as well, Lynn.
What would we do without Him through it all? Thank you, my sweet friend. You bless me. And may the Lord fill your year with wonderful blessings as well!
Beautiful New Years message. Reading it was a blessing and a reminder to get closer to my God and uncover all He has waiting for me in 2013.
Pamela, I deeply appreciate your taking time to visit and comment. Thank you so much! Blessings to you!
Thanks so much…what a beautiful posting and very real to me tonight as I struggle through this month. You are a blessing to so many of us!
Thank you so much, Lorraine. I’m honored to have you visit and I deeply appreciate your comment. Praying for you. Blessings to you!