2023 Reflection & 2024 Hope
Vision. That was the word God gave me at the end of 2022 for the year 2023. I started asking God for a word to focus on back in 2020, and it’s just anther way to stay close to him and seek his presence. As I sit here reflecting on 2023, I can’t help but smile. This past year of course presented challenges and crazy life turns, but “safe” was a word I felt through it all. How? Because this year, God presented himself as Dad to me in a beautiful way, a dream (keep in mind my word was vision this year). 2023 reflection and 2024 hope
If you haven’t read A Father to the Fatherless, I recommend you read that first and come back to this post (I explain the dream and seeing God as a dad). I asked God for a dream earlier in the year about some career/ personal choices I needed to make, and I really wanted a direct answer on what to do (I know that’s not how it usually works-no problem in asking though, right? 😅). Well, two nights later I had a dream, I not only wrote everything down (to remember when I get to that age where I may forget a thing or two), but will cherish for the rest of my life.
Long story short, God met me in the biggest fear of mine (the middle of the ocean with sharks), and revealed to me that He is always with me and I will be safe. That’s the condensed version for those of you who like a to the point account. For my friends like me, every detail of that dream and the revelation after are in A Father to the Fatherless.
2023 Reflection & Lesson
Why am I sharing all of this? I mentioned how I initially asked God for a dream because I wanted him to show me what to do. Once you read the full story, you will start to understand why he didn’t give me a direct answer, He gave me so much more, him. He knew I was missing a father in my life, and decided to make it much more personal and come as Dad.
By him meeting me in my biggest fear, he let me know that no matter what lies ahead, I am safe with him and he’s not going anywhere. I don’t need to know exactly what to do (something I’ve struggled with before, and start trying to make things happen myself). One, the spirit leads and two, I can rest in his safety. This isn’t just for me friends, it’s for you too.
No matter what choices, challenges, and opportunities came my way this year, I was always able to circle back to my word for the year vision, which reminded me of the dream God gave me, which lead to me basking in his safety. I could say, “This seems challenging, I don’t know if I can do it.” Then I would remember, “No matter what, my heavenly Dad is there and I am safe.”
Trust + Safety= healthy relationship
Ironically, I’m ending the year with the book, Trust by Dr. Henry Cloud. How was I able to press through challenging obstacles this year just from a dream? Because I put my trust in God. All year He has repeatedly been intentional with showing that He hears my prayers, and He’s right in the middle of whatever I’m talking to him about. I could write a whole other blog post on ways he’s accomplished that. Most of all, he’s tailored them to me, which shows how much he loves and cares for me. I trust his judgment and that he hears me. I trust that he hasn’t left my side, and he never will. That trust is why I feel safe with him.
I’m not completely done with the book, Trust, but in just 61 pages this book has left an impact on me. To see the phycological and spiritual entwinement of trust has been life-changing. It’s also allowed me to see God in every page. Dr. Henry Cloud says,
Trust is built through someone feeling understood. Trust that allows us to know that “this persons knows me. This person knows what I am feeling, what I want, what matters to me,” and more.””
Dr. Henry cloud
He also says,
For you to trust that someone will do what you need in a relationship, you have to feel they really make an effort to listen and understand your needs. You need to feel that they know what it feels like to be you in whatever you are doing.”
Dr. henry cloud
I see the love of God all throughout those quotes. He made himself in the form of man, and faced the challenges we face. He made himself relatable. Do you see how feeling safe and trust go hand-in-hand?
the end of 2023
Overall, I’m leaving 2023 with something I asked for, God to reveal himself as a Dad to me. But, I’m also leaving 2023 with something I didn’t ask God for, a deepened understanding of what it means to trust him and feel safe. That summarizes the Ephesians 3:20-21 verse,
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish immeasurably more than we might ask or think.”
Ephesians 3:20-21
walking into 2024 hopeful
You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope. Get out of my life, you evil-minded people, for I intend to obey the commands of my God. Lord, sustain me as you promised, that I may live! Do not let my hope be crushed.”
Psalm 119:114-117
Encouragement:
I pray this encourages you in your walk with the Lord. My hope is that you can see that God is after an intimate relationship with you, and will stop at noting to pursue you. His love is ready, and it’s always available. Let’s all walk into 2024 basking in the love of God, and pouring that out unto those around us. HAPPY NEW YEAR, friends. Praying his peace fills you this year.
with love,
Em
