a year of worship – 2015 reflections

Intention and Reflection have to be two of my most favorite things in all the world. I literally get giddy and incredibly motivated when they are both present in my life. And so as each year draws to a close, I excitedly sit down with my journal and deliberately soak in all the moments the prior year had to offer…while praying and seeking ways to grow even more in the year to come.

Beginning in 2013, I adopted the tradition of choosing a word or intention for my upcoming year…something that I felt God had impressed upon my heart that needed to be more of an intention within my heart, mind, soul and life.
Three years later, it’s proven to be a worthy tradition, as I can look back and truly see God working (and continuing to work) in those sticky areas of my life.

My first word in 2013, was Joy.
In 2014, I choose Unstuck.
And this last year, probably my most impactful one, was Worship.

While I loved focusing on Joy — an heart attitude despite my circumstances, as well as Unstuck — getting out of unhealthy habits and instead creating new healthier alternatives….what I realized was that, while helpful and important, the focus those two years tended to be more self-focused.

And by 2015, I was tired of my failures, tired of striving, and ultimately kind of tired of myself…and I needed to escape the “me me me” that life had unintentionally become.

And so I felt God prompting me to the focus of Worship, the heart attitude and intentional act of taking the focus off of me, and placing it instead on the One who truly deserves it.

Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness.”
Psalm 29:2

2015 was a year to choose Worship despite whatever may come…in the difficult, in the beautiful, and even in the simplicity of our day to day life.

It was a year to recognize that what I did was not about achieving a particular result, releasing all of that instead to the One who is always sovereign and faithful, and understanding that my part was simply to be obedient in all things. {Which ultimately serves as an act of worship that truly delights the Lord’s heart.}

 

 

Of all the years of words, goals, intentions and reflections, I have to say, this was the year that changed everything for me…as I realized more than ever what truly matters, and what my life’s purpose is ultimately about.

But learning to live well in ordinary time isn’t a call to elevate moments; it’s a call to draw close to Christ. What gives moments meaning is not the moments themselves, but the presence of Christ with us in the midst of them.”
– Oswald Chambers

And in the end, it came down this, as I recently shared on Instagram…

 

 

I believe we often tend to create so many of our own struggles simply because we have the wrong person on the throne of our lives.

And exalting the Lord seems an overwhelming task when we think of it being over OUR WHOLE LIFE as just one big event.

But when we break it down to simply inviting God into the little details and moments of our lives, everything changes.

When we consistently thank Him, notice Him and HIS WAYS over our own selves and ways and expectations of how we think it should be…
and when we practice doing this in all the little things, and in all the little moments and spaces of our lives — a million problems are solved all at once.

I can’t express enough just how much this truth has been a life changer for me, taking the anxieties of my life and heart, and instead has brought such a peace and joy in it’s place…
in all the things, big and small.

And after all we’ve been through this last year, having worship be my intention, aim and focus…I realize more than ever that I am not so awesome…but rather, He is.

 

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