New Year's Eve...Happy New Year

The New Year has always been magical for me.  It's like the old stuff just goes away, even if only for a night, and the new just rushes right in.  We get a blank page, a new pen, and we can write away.  All of my life, I have set goals or resolutions at the new year.  Each year looks pretty much like the year before it.  Always striving to be something better, do more, or just make new habits.  This year, I've decided to do something different.  I was inspired by this blog: One Word 365

I thought long and hard about posting my word, but I felt like there was power in sharing it.  If I keep it to myself, I tend to tuck it under the bed and forget about it.  If people know about my WORD, they know what to ask me, or how to encourage me.  So, my word is Passionate.  When it came to me, I kind of didn't like it at first.  Passion to me invokes images of romance, and that's not what I wanted for the new year.  However, when I thought about it more, I thought about how passion involves strong feelings toward another.  My passion for God has dwindled over the past few years.  The passion in my marriage could use a boost.  Passion for my kids, my health, my finances, and many other areas of my life could be recharged.

The first definition of Passion in Merriam-Webster Dictionary is : the sufferings of Christ between the night of the Last Supper and his death.  WOW!!!  Let me be like Christ and give it all with passion and not passiveness.


His love for us was with great passion.  Another definition was "an object of desire or deep interest."  This is what has eluded me for some time - deep interest in anything.   It is not too hard.  God is awesome, and He reminded me of this promise during Sunday's sermon at church.

Deuteronomy 30:11-14 "For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. ¹² It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ ¹³ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ ¹⁴ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it."


Father God, as we move into the new year, I pray that you do a new work in our hearts.  In areas where we are dry, fill us with the water of your Word.  I pray that this will be a year of renewed passion for me.  I pray that you build in me passion for You, passion for your people, and passion to lead people to You.  It is not too hard, and I pray that you remind me of this truth daily as I seek You in Your word and through my quiet times with you.  I thank you, Lord, for renewed passion in every area of my life!  In Jesus Name, Amen!