As I sit and enjoy the tree for the last day before we pack Christmas away for another year, I reflect on all that has been wonderful about this season and year.
2015 has been a year of being stretched beyond what I thought capable and yet here I am at the end, thankful for it all.
TRUST was the One Word laid on my heart last December and I focused my thoughts, actions and behavior in learning to do that well.
Totally Resting Until the Savior’s Time is an acronym my Hubby wrote out years ago and it kept rolling around in my thoughts throughout this year.
In practicing TRUST, I’ve unknowingly been learning patience as well.
Trust means not moving out in my own direction but resting in the assurance that He’s got this thing.
I’ve had some pretty crazy upheavals, adjustments on the fly and unforeseen incidents this year that could have blown me out of the water and one in particular that rocked my world. But I made it through and I’ve seen time and again that if I wait for His timing, direction and answer, I’ll find it.
- I’m learning to be patient with not have the answer now or yesterday but waiting for His timing.
- I’m learning it works out when I get out of His way. Situations I don’t have the answer for have worked out okay, and in many ways, better than I could have planned myself.
- I’m learning to slow down, observe, take in the situation and slow my reaction down.
- I’m learning the old adage of counting to 10 before letting it fly. And that counting process along with stepping away… even if it’s just mentally… helps me look beyond ‘me’ and notice the bigger picture in play.
- I’m learning to change my perspective and the part I play. I’m learning to take the other ‘characters at play’ into play. I’m noticing their roles and trusting the Director for my cues and lines to say.
With a house full of teenagers and people ‘becoming’ I can be quick to toss in my opinion and throw them off their own performance. I can upstage the process and miss what God is doing in them.
See I don’t have to give all the answers. I don’t even have to know the right answers. But I do need to TRUST His voice, His direction and His leading in letting others know the answers.
And that’s where the patience part steps in. I like it done…yesterday. I like to know the plan, write the plan and get the plan done.
God says, “Wait…. I’ll give you what you need, when you need it….not a moment before and not a moment too late.”
Ugh… because you know what? His timing mechanism doesn’t always tick at the pace I’d like. And again there’s that word, TRUST…
- I have to trust He’s got the best plan.
- I have to trust He knows the when, where and how to get it all accomplished.
- I have to trust He’s got this figured out and that there are many parts in play… not just my own.
Trusting in His timing requires patience, endurance and courage.
- Patience because it’s not always done in our timing.
- Endurance because we have to keep plodding on and doing the right thing until He changes the situation or changes me!
- And courage because we’re choosing to step out of the security of our own plan to follow His.
Trust is believing He has a better plan than I do. It’s choosing His way over my way.
This has been a good year. I can say with confidence He has changed me for the better. It hasn’t always been easy nor painless but it has all been good. He has turned it out for my good.
“He knows us far better than we know ourselves… that’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” ~ Romans 8:28 (The Message)
Jump into the conversation:
- What has God done in you this year?
- If you’ve had “one word” this year what has it been?
- What’s your big take-away from 2015?
Tripping Over Typeset 
The one word I have had in 2015 Rachel is MORE. As in: pray MORE, MORE of the Holy Spirit, trust MORE (common ground there). And then I came across a book called MORE – written by Simon Ponsonby, this is a slow read because I have to stop and take it in. I have had to read some paragraphs several times. What I am learning is that I need to pause MORE, ponder MORE, be overwhelmed MORE, and just simply worship MORE.
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Isn’t it funny how we think of a word one way in the beginning of the year and then God works on us all year long and then we see a different emphasis at the end of the year. There’s new meaning there and a new work done! That’s good stuff, David! Thanks for jumping in and sharing. It’s great to see how God is growing us MORE and MORE! Happy New Year to you and yours!
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And a Happy New Year to you and your family too.
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Thanks Rachel for this devotional. Just said goodbye to our last visitors, my daughter and son in law. Hate seeing her go. You see, everyone came home the Sunday after Christmas. Yes 15 people under one roof , five of which were under 5. Quite crazy and more energy and noise than this home has seen in a year. Some left yesterday. Now with our last on their way home it’s time for me to prepare for Tomorrow. Then I realized oh yeah I said I’d fill in for women SS teacher. And I’m doing Children Church. Plus the normal stuff I do… Well I have today. Thank God. 😄. I said all that to say, I will use your devotional as a guide to promote discussion in the SS class. What you said is very fitting for the beginning of the new year. I think I will ask them to write their own acronym for trust and go from there. Then use your questions at the end as well. Anyways, praying for you as you begin a new year, God will be specific in His guidance for you. This year as with every year, He has a particular plan, design, purpose for each of us. May you sense His Divine hand directing your every step. May you also find times of rest especially refreshing, and profitable. Think about you often and pray God best for you. ❤️. Robin Ps… By Next Christmas there will be 3 new babies.
Sent from my iPad
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Thank you, Robin! Yes, I miss you connecting with you! I have watched as you have had a very full year as well! 🙂 That is very exciting to have a full house for a week! I know how much you love your babies! I’m so glad you were able to have time with them all together. Good times for sure!
Congratulations on the new grandbabies! How exciting is that! 🙂 Yay!
I’m thankful this has been a blessing to you!
Happy New Year to you and your family! Love ya, Rachel
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Love this. Getting out of His way is hard enough but when His timing is a bit slower and we hear crickets . . . . oy. Am learning to trust and love. Thanks for the reminder!
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Yes, that makes it more difficult for sure! 🙂 Thanks for jumping in and sharing! Happy New Year to you!
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Great reminder for me… rather than upstage God’s process for my children, observe what He is doing in them.
Thank you.
– Amy
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Yes, it’s a process! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
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I’m also raising teenagers Rachel and I loved what you said: “I can upstage the process and miss what God is doing in them. See I don’t have to give all the answers. I don’t even have to know the right answers. But I do need to TRUST His voice, His direction and His leading in letting others know the answers.”
Sometimes it’s so tempting to TELL instead of FACILITATE the discovery of the answer. Trusting the Lord with everything is the pathway away from worry, fear and anxiety. I’m so thankful that He is patient with our learning process. God is always at work!
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Yes, so you get me! 🙂 I find that for so many years as a mama I have “told” them what they will and will not do and now it’s a letting go and guiding them along in the decision making process. I can’t choice their career or their path on which they will travel but I can pray, listen and rely on the Holy Spirit to direct them and us, as parents, in helping them become! Thanks for jumping in and sharing! I always love to hear from you!
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It is so cool to read how our words shaped us. What a great word. Another blog friend chose Trust as her word for this year. I will have to share your post from last year with her!
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Thanks, Tara!
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