A new year is coming…so quickly. As I sit here reflecting on this past year, I’m in awe at my incredible God. 2012 held so many beautiful things. And 2013 is promising much excitement: 2 weddings, travels galore: Maui, Oahu, Uganda, Germany, Italy, California; Jeff’s book comes out & friends’ babies will be born.
But then when I think the core of everything—those things seem but a shadow. All I really want from this year to is know and love Jesus more. To fall in love with Him again. To be so intimate with Him that when I look back at those awesome experiences, my heart rejoices in Him more than the things themselves. I want to learn how to better abide in Him. To better treasure His word & fight my sin. I want to pray with every fiber of my being “Anything—Lord, have anything, I’m Yours” and actually mean it and trust His wisdom and goodness in whatever He brings. To learn to lay everything down at His feet and leave it there….and not take it up and pretend to be in control again. I want to think of Jesus, to talk to Him and about Him throughout the day—to long for Jesus everyday. To put off the comforts of this world and live radically. To trust Him with everything. To be about His kingdom, and not my own. To see things as He does, to treasure Him above all….
Praise God that He is at work in us. Praise God that He’s given us His Holy Spirit and His word and His church to make us more like Him. Praise God that He has promised to bring us to completion. And that at the end of the day, we get God.
Lord, may You be my treasure. May I rejoice and give thanks that I have YOU.
“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.” || Psalm 73:25 ESV
What exciting things does 2013 hold for you? How do you want to grow in this coming year? How can you cultivate a heart that is more fully surrendered and in love with Jesus?
Mine is just about the exact same thing. I really want to know Him more because sometimes I feel like I’m just going thru the motions and there is no true intimacy. Also, to make better decisions about certain things and include God in ALL of them.
How amazing is it to see God’s spirit working in people’s live?!
I want all of that also, Alyssa. Thanks for sharing and encouraging all of us. Happy New Year! 🙂
This is perfectly what I also want in the new year Alyssa!!!! Beautifully made in his image and my prayer is for all in my life who are lost and wandering as I was not so long ago: that God will shew himself to them in a miraculous way where they can see and believe and trust Him as we do and truly understand the peace we do!!
This echoes some of my thoughts these past weeks. I want to be purposeful in pursuing my Savior. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
what does 2013 hold for me? Going back to college and hopefully going on my first Missions trip. Im definitely trying to make a habit of getting into the word daily. For me, most of 2012 was getting into the word when it was convienent for me and i really want to change that.
That was an awesome post! I couldn’t agree more. May the lord increase in every area of our life.
Amen!! I’m with you. : ) In 2013 I just want to love Him deeper and deeper and to deny myself and follow Him (Luke 9:23) daily, even more so than this year. God bless you, sister!! Keep writing! Your blog is super encouraging.
Reflecting on the past year and more recently this past holiday, I feel that you pretty much summed it up with “those things seem but a shadow”. I am discontent with where I am at, what I have accomplished, and the treasures life holds because at the end of the day, they don’t matter.
At the same time, they do matter. And the reason they do is b/c He instilled with us those emotions, those tie ins to everyday life. In fact, when God describes His plans for us, He desires for us to “prosper” and to give us a “future”.
In light of this, 2013 is going to be just as amazing and pale as last year. I like to pick a theme for each year and I think this one is going to be “authentic manhood”. I really want to focus on becoming a man the way God intended me to be for my wife’s sake, my children’s sake, my co-workers sake, etc.
Well, sorry to ramble. Just got excited to hear the same things going through my heart. Appreciate you & Jeff, though I probably won’t see you guys on this side of heaven.
In Christ,
Deep! Almost brot tears to my ears cos this is my heart desire. All I need is Grace
Thank you for sharing this Alyssa! What an encouraging and helpful reminder of what is important. It IS far better to seek hard after Jesus than anything else.
This really hit me to the core… I totally agree 100%. To have never met you, we have some strong similarities on views… You are so anointed, you and Jeff. The Lord is going to bless each of you. Y’all are going places 🙂 🙂 🙂 And I am honored to say y’all are role models in my own life…
This is so beautiful Alyssa! I feel like you’re putting the longings of my heart into words too. So, so beautiful. I love this blog. <3.
2012 was a painful year for my family, but I was often reminded of James1:12-17 and that everything, even the trials are a gift from above and I pray He grows me and my faith through those trials this year! I am praying that as my family grows, so will my faith and my diligence in being in the Word. Thank you for your sweet spirit and wise words! So happy that the Lord is heaping blessings on you and Jeff!
All you said…YES!! I was reading it saying, ME TOO ME TOO!!!!!!
Thank you for always putting my thoughts into written words!
Blessings to you for 2013!
Thank you for writing its amazing how inspiring someone else can be when you really need it! Thank you for being so uplifting. I pray for 2013 to bring new journies for me, I want to fall in love with God again. And spread his word and love farther than the eye can see. thank you <3
This article really touches my heart. 2012 was not an easy year and was unfortunetly the worst year of my life. I’m only 15 years old so I guess I don’t have a whole lot of years to consider but still, it was bad. One of my grandmothers passed away and just a month ago we discovered that my other grandmother has stage 4 lung cancer and probably won’t live much longer. On top of this, I have a 22-year-old brother who is a heroin addict and seemingly lives to make my family’s life worse and worse. He actually ended up in jail in November so I keep hoping that this will be the last straw and he will be clean for the rest of his life. I saw him overdose and practically die in October but fortunetly God kept him on this earth. I can’t help but feel that if God keeps saving him, it HAS to all be for a reason and my brother will find Him eventually. Anyways, the worst part is that this whole year I haven’t had any faith in God. I used to be on fire for Him constantly! I read the New Testament several times and read the majority of the Old Testament. I went to church and helped out in the ministry and was leading my friends to Christ! I was truely living for Him, even when the situation got tough with my brother and family. I messed this all up and ruined my relationship with Jesus. I can’t stop questioning Him when I pray and read His word and go to church. This year (although it doesn’t have to be a new year to change one’s own life) I’m really going to try to regain my love for God. I’m going to spend less time online because there’s a lot of decieving and athiestic views on the internet that leave me falling further and further away from God. I need to start going to church again and taking time out of my busy life to worship and talk to God. I’m excited because for the first time all year (better late than never!), I have hope for the future and my relationship with Jesus. Thanks for your great website. It’s extremely encouraging and it will assist me in becoming an actual follower of Christ once more. So…here’s to 2013 🙂 Happy New Year everyone and God bless! <3
Hello Mrs. Alyssa,
Thank you for your blog, I very much enjoy hearing christian wisdom. As for this new year I do not have any big plans other then graduating college with a AA in Accounting (something big in my family considering my sisters, and I will be the first). This year my relationship with god has hit a wall. For 2013 I just want to get to a higher level with god then 2012 started out with. Again thank you for your wonderful wisdom, in god.
BrittneyP.
I need to reach to God more than ever this year and really know him. I want that feeling and belief in my heart for him that you have. I have alot of work ahead of me.You are so young and yet have taught me so much than I ever would have learned had you not come back to Jeff. I am so excited about this year too! Seeing my nephew so happy and content with the path his life is taking him and doing it with his best friend and watching him love so unconditional, makes my heart fill with joy.
Happy New Year with Love~
I recently became involved in a church where I work with 1st through 8th grade kids and I want to be able to lead them in the right direction when they ask for my advice on things. I feel like I am in no way, shape, or form equipped to handle what these kids need from me but I know this is were God wants me so I am learning to trust in Him and grow in Him to better lead these kids.
Really good post!
Hello
Blessing from the Galilee (Holy Land) your words really touch the hearts
All i want in my life is to be close to Jesus and love him more and more everyday….who ever will choose Jesus and make what he says will enter heaven
Only Jesus can give us real peace and not the peace that the world want to give us…praise the Lord from all your hearts and he will lift you up…..ask for faith and peace in your hearts.
Jesus Christ the Lord and saviour bless you from Israel from our Christian community…amen
Nicola
I really want to feel God in my life this year. I got baptized this last year & it was a great step for me & I loved the feeling of the spirit washing over me. Last year was a big struggle in my relationship & we got married & I want to make Christ the foundation for our marriage. I decided to go with a one word resolution/theme word for 2013 & I chose “trust”. I want to trust in the Lord & know that He has a plan for me & that I am where He wants me to be. I want to trust my husband completely again & trust this path that I am on. I know that Satan wants me to falter & I want to be strong enough to realize that & to trust in what God has in store for me. All in all, I am really looking forward to this year. I think it will be a good year full of positive things.
Alyssa,
Thanks for this encouragement and mountain of truth! This was pretty much my prayer this morning as I was really reflecting on previous years and the way that knowing Jesus has changed everything and made my joy abundant. I am so blessed by what you are doing here on your blog, and I look forward to seeing all the ways God uses your gifts and abilities to further the kingdom for his glory!
Here’s to a year of getting more deeply known, more deeply dependent and more deeply surrendered to Jesus!
You are such a blessing! Thank you for writing out your heart to the LORD and for his children!!! I am no where near perfect but I have been trying to give my all to God but I know I’m still holding back! I want to trust him more, love him more, and be fully abandoned to him!! Thank you for all your blogs and reminding me he is for my good!!!! May God continue to bless you and keep you! And keep on using you for his kingdom!! God bless.