Shelly A. Faust

A Prayer for the New Year

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Happy New Year 2016

I understand the feeling of regret at the end of a year that hasn’t been as successful as I’d planned. I know the guilt that lingers long after a stupid mistake or making a mess of things (again). I’ve hugged discouragement a little too tightly over disappointments and hurt. I’ve been overcome by the wind and waves of personal storms. And I’ve clung too long to sadness and despair when life delivered a truck load of hard stuff.

But I’ve also discovered the hope birthed in new beginnings. I know the joy that bubbles after sorrow. I’ve witnessed the beauty that arises from the ashes of the hard and the ugly. I’ve been saved (more than once) by the Anchor that holds firm and steady in the storm. And I have found Love that is perfect in a world full of imperfection and crazy.

Sometimes we have to dig a little deeper to find the beauty. We have to choose hope and take hold of joy. We have to stand strong, set our eyes on the Perfect One. We have to cling to the Anchor. And we have to let go of some things trying to keep us down or take us under.

So my prayer for you (and me) in this New Year is just that. That we’ll dig a little deeper and make better choices and stand stronger. That we’ll set our eyes on the Perfect One, hold tight to Jesus, and courageously let go of some things that aren’t ours for the keeping.

Will you start this New Year off by praying with me?

God, You are good. You are holy, and You are perfect in all Your ways. Your love is beyond anything we could ever find or get anywhere else. You designed and created us before the foundations of the world and Your plans for us are for good, to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Today, we look to the future, to the New Year, and we choose to trust in Your promises.  We choose to take action right now in this moment. By faith, we choose hope even when we feel hopeless because Your Word says it is an anchor for our soul (Hebrews 6:19), it lifts us up (Psalm 43:5), and causes us to rest in safety (Job 11:18). We choose to abide in Your Presence where there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). We trust that no matter what we are facing, You will bestow upon us a crown of beauty (Isaiah 61:3) and bring good from our hard places (Genesis 50:20). Nothing in our past is too big or too terrible for You (Romans 8:28). Help us to let go of the things we need to let go of. Give us strength to stand and courage to believe. Help us to set our eyes, heart, and mind on You and Your promises. We look to the New Year with great anticipation of all that You are going to do. Let us be wise men and women who choose well and according to Your Word. Use us as vessels of hope and encouragement to others, that they too might know of Your infinite, deep, and eternal love. We are forever grateful for all You have given and all You have done. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

a prayer for the new year

A Life Well-Loved

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Matthew 22, 37-39

I doubt at the end of my days I’ll wish I had earned more college credit hours, worked at a more prestigious job, accumulated more friends on social media or garnered greater reputation and respect. No, I’m certain I’ll ponder the time spent loving and regret the moments wasted holding onto things that prevented me from doing so.

I bet I’ll wish I had said I’m sorry more and let go more quickly of the need to be right or prove my point. I’ll probably wish I had remembered more often that this life is about so much more than me.

I’ll wish I had recognized the greatness of even the little moments shared with others. Because these moments come and then just as quickly go. A child is born and suddenly you’re watching him graduate. A daughter takes her first step and soon she’s standing before you a beautiful young woman. A parent holds you when you’re hurting and one day you’re hurting to hold them just once more.

Like sand running through my fingers at the beach, these moments cannot be stopped or contained. They cannot be bottled up or frozen in time or put on a shelf for another day. I can’t make them last but I can use them to leave a lasting impression, a legacy of loving, an imprint on tomorrow.

I can choose to forgive.

I can choose to love.

I can choose to offer grace.

I can choose to lay down pride and live humility.

I can and I hope I will.

I hope you will, too.

I hope we’ll both cherish these moments we have today and love like tomorrow may not come.

Because for some, it won’t.

And one day, it won’t for me.

But when we’ve given all we have and loved like Jesus loves and forgiven like we’ve been forgiven, today will have been enough.

At the end of my life, maybe I’ll wish I had more money or a larger inheritance to pass on to my family, but I bet mostly I’ll wish I could leave them more love. Remind them to be extravagant and generous and exuberant in these moments with their spouse and children and friends and strangers.

Because the love of Christ we’ve received is so generous and the gift of salvation is so extravagant. When our lives are lived loving Him and loving others, we offer Him in our living.

If we’ve done this, if we’ve loved well, when that day comes and we find ourselves perched on the edge of eternity, we’ll not be weighed down with regret but soar in the memories of a life well-loved.

And this love we will have left behind will continue pouring into the lives of others.

Even until we meet again.

Because we will meet again.

Father, You are good. You are love and mercy and grace. You are holy and wonderful and there is none like You. Help me to love like You love. To be generous in mercy and extravagant with grace. Let every part of my life – all of it – be a reflection of You. Let not my heart be weighed down when marriage is hard or parenting feels heavy or friendship feels broken. Remind me to love anyway. Give me the courage to forgive quickly. Help me – in the midst of all that today brings – to keep my eyes on eternity. Remind me to lay down my life every morning, to bow my heart and will and emotions in surrender to You, Jesus. Remind me that this life is about so much more than me. Give me wisdom to invest wisely with Kingdom-currency into these moments that carry the potential of a great eternal return. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Scriptures:

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” ~ Matthew 22:37-39

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” ~ John 3:16

His Words Tucked into Ordinary Moments

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Pause to Listen

It’s early and my youngest and I begin our one hour trip to his weekly Robotics class. We talk homeschool and weather and baseball.

“You know, the Bible says that God orders our steps,” I share, “and I believe He has ordered your steps by placing you on the exact team with the exact coach He wants you with.”

“And,” I continue, “I’m sure He plans to use you there if you will allow Him to. Maybe you could pray for your team before games or whatever else you feel the Holy Spirit asking you to do. I know He has called you to be a leader. He will show you what to do when the time is right.”

He nods his head in agreement and I hope these words I tuck into ordinary moments find their way to his heart.

He waves goodbye and two minutes later my phone rings with the news that class has been canceled. My hearts sinks. What kind of mother drops her child off for class when there is no class?

I make a u-turn and quickly swing into the first parking spot I see.

“We are so sorry! We handed out notes last week and apologize that you did not get one.”

My mind wanders back to last week and I remember our early departure to get back home in time for a Valentine’s party.

I smile and try to hide my embarrassment, frustration, and a million other emotions as we make our way to the nearest Chick-Fil-A.

Some small talk with the friendly counter attendant (who, by the way, is also a homeschooler) provides a possible opportunity to turn our day around when he encourages us to visit the park across the street before we go home.

“There’s a park across the street? Thank you. We might just do that.”

As I sit down the Holy Spirit reminds me of some words shared by my friend, Lisa, on her blog recently. This unexpected moment invites me to pause and listen and I find confirmation as I open my Bible and record these scriptures in my journal:

If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will turn your back on knowledge (Proverbs 19:27).
Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, take into your heart all my words which I will speak to you and listen closely.” (Ezekiel 3:10)

I hear my own words from this morning whispered back to me in a question.

“Do you believe I am the One who orders YOUR steps?”

I close my eyes and surrender the restructuring of my day. Yes, Lord.

The next couple of hours are filled with discoveries and beauty and moments created just for us at a park we didn’t even know existed. So obvious are the little personal touches and gifts prepared for Logan and me by the One who loves us so well.

A sparkling reservoir hidden in the middle of the city.

sparkling reservoir

reservoir

Park benches and picnic tables and perfect spots for future lunches after class.

bench

picnic table

Hiking trails and deer tracks and logs chewed apart by beavers.

hiking

jumping on trail

trail in the woods

deer tracks

An empty skate board park desperate for some action.

Skate park

Innumerable places to linger. And listen.

lake

A new idea and some divine direction.

linger and listen

He does order our steps.

And when we choose to pause and listen?

We find His Words tucked into our ordinary moments.

And we find hidden nuggets of wisdom in unexpected places.

Maybe you’re facing a situation that isn’t going exactly as you planned it. Maybe life isn’t turning out like you thought it would.

Listen closely, friend.

The God of the Universe is also the God of this moment.

Maybe He’s reordering or restructuring some things.

Maybe He’s inviting you to draw a little closer.

And maybe, right smack dab in the middle of some place you don’t even know exists, he’s got a park bench with your name on it. 

Let’s talk:

  • Have you discovered hidden nuggets of wisdom in unexpected places?
  • When was the last time you paused to find His Words tucked into your ordinary moments?
  • What can you do today that will help you to be intentional about hearing His voice?

When Loving Is Hard and You Hardly Feel Loved on Valentine’s Day (or Any Other Day), Remember This

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We have forgotten anniversaries, fought on Valentine’s Day, skipped over birthdays, and much more we are not proud of. I mean, if you’ve been married almost twenty-three years and have never slammed a door, gritted your teeth in frustration, or slept on the couch, pretty please with sugar on top tell us your secret.

Over the course of these twenty-three years, our love has grown but growth doesn’t come without some discomfort and pain. We don’t always feel love and we don’t always show love but we have decided to choose love.

Love is sometimes messy and hard and uncomfortable.

Love doesn’t always look like the commercials on TV or the movies on the Hallmark Channel.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says,
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

1 Corinthians 13

Love is decided daily, sometimes moment by moment.  Love is a choice to not give up, sometimes give in, and always give away.

True love is true. It’s honest and dependable and messy.

It isn’t found in a heart-shaped box. It isn’t commercialized and showy or only one day a year. It gives more than flowers and balloons; it gives of itself.

We’ve found that we can love extravagantly in our words and actions and yes, even our inexpensive but thoughtful gifts (or notes on the bathroom mirror). We can love each other well every day.

Do we always succeed? N to the NO. We are two imperfect people trying to get it right who often get it terribly wrong.

Forgiveness and grace are some of the most extravagant gifts we can offer each other as husband and wife. Without them, there would be no “us.”

But in all of our shortcomings we have discovered One who has never and will never let us down.

We have found a love that never ends. A love that always forgives. A love that loves without conditions. A love that never waivers. A perfect love matched by no other. A love that enables and empowers us to love each other and others well.

A love that reaches down into our darkest, messiest, ugliest moments and offers hope.

Maybe you feel unloved today. Maybe you have had more dark and messy and ugly days than you’ve had good days. Maybe you feel alone or hurt or angry or betrayed. Maybe you can’t see hope for the future and aren’t even sure if you want to.

First, can I say I’m so sorry? I don’t know your story. I don’t know the things that have happened to you or the things that have been done to you. But please, don’t stop reading here. I have good news for you. Really, really good news.

Your story isn’t over yet.

There’s another chapter waiting to begin.

It’s time to turn the page.

God loves you. He loves you more than anyone on earth ever could. He loves you no matter what you’ve done in the past or what you did today. He loves you no matter your social status, your education level, the number of times you’ve messed up, or what others think about you. I could go on and on. There is nothing that can keep God from loving you. He IS love. And He wants to lavish His love on you today. Forever and ever and without condition.

All you have to do is say yes. Receive His love. Surrender your heart and life to the One who will never leave you and never stop loving you.

Jesus has made a way for us. He paid the ultimate sacrifice on the cross for our sins so that we can walk in relationship with our heavenly Father. He has secured eternity for us if we choose to accept it.

Can we pray together today?

Dear heavenly Father,
Thank you for loving us. Help us to understand Your love and teach us to love others. We surrender our heart and our life to You today, right now. We’ve looked for love in every wrong place. We’ve tried everything and nothing satisfies or fulfills us. Fill us today with Your love and satisfy us like only You can. Thank you for Jesus and all that He has done for us. We believe in our heart and confess with our mouth right now that He is Lord. We also confess our sins to You now and believe that we have forgiveness because of Jesus. Thank you for mercy and grace and love. Thank you for saving us and never leaving us. We love You. In Jesus’ name we pray – Amen.

Scriptures:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

“Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals. How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” Psalms 36:5-7

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;” Lamentations 3:22-25

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:9-10

“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” Ephesians 2:4-5

“Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.” Psalms 136:26

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:16-21

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