The New Year And What I'm Thinking

"Speak up, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the oppressed and needy. .. Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need."   --- Proverbs 31:9, Proverbs 21:13

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A new year! Are you excited about this one? I am. 

Oh what we'll see, I muse; things we've never before witnessed. In fact, lately this verse swirls around my mind:

“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”   ---Luke 10:23, 24

Yep, probably many warrior-in-spirit Christians died wishing they'd been born a bit later so they, too, could fight these modern battles. Though yes, I'm sure their bravery left ripples of strength via their later generations-- and from Heaven, they know this.

What a privilege to be alive these later days in Time! To not just watch these battles between good and evil, but to do our specific parts:

To stand.

To warn.

To fight.

To pray.

To encourage.

To spread hope.

To teach.

To love.

To give.

To speak out.

To grow stronger.

Not much scares me these days, well, except for Hider Christians. You know, those who don't fight battles or pray or even care about the world's oppressed folks being crushed-into-submission in the streets. I've talked with Hiders and am afraid for all who fulfill this scripture:

"Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold..."   --- Matthew 24:12

Well anyway, Tom and I ended our 2021 perfectly : we watched the final episodes of Grimm. (We viewed the series via Prime.)

Wow oh wow.

Now, this show isn't for everyone, but Honey? It certainly was for me. In each episode the main characters battled against evil using their own specific gifts. 

Every gift mattered! If those folks with tiny-appearing gifts hadn't used them, battles (and lives) would've been lost every week.

All giftings were vital.

And what I loved? Each of Grimm's characters knew and accepted their purpose. Who they were--and were not.  They relied upon their calling/purpose and courageously fought evil with all their heart. Not allowing fears to keep them from scary battles they, instead, burst past them---and grew stronger in the doing. 

They did not just sit at home on their couch because they didn't feel like fighting, nor did they simply wait for the bad stuff to go away.

And in 2022, may all these courageous things be said of each of us.

"Fight the good fight of faith."  ---1 Timothy 6:12

The Grimm battles/fights? So easy to picture them, instead, as battles in the spirit realm, ones we all fight sometimes.

Oh, and if Grimm doesn't seem like 'your cup of tea' to help you stand strong these days, I hope you'll keep searching until you find everything which does.

Release the negative memories of 2021 (or 2020). Keep any lessons learned, but let go of all the woulda coulda shoulda's and all the sadness. Move ahead in an undiluted strength of joy. Move ahead boldly in Today.

A phrase I believe we'll use often in 2022?

"Wow! I never saw that happen before."

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For those who enjoy the movie, It's a Wonderful Life, you may like this Youtube Video from History Hunters.

"So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”   --- Deuteronomy 31:6

Do whatever it takes to love people more, not less. "...Faith, hope and love. The greatest of these is love."

Wishing each of my readers the best new year, ever! (Oh, and remember my 'be slow to speak'  phrase for 2021?  In my next post I'll share the phrase God gave me for 2022.)

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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

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 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15