Onward, Woman of Faith

I’m so glad 2019 is behind me. God was gracious and faithful throughout the months but at the end of the year, I battled pneumonia and was in bed for about six weeks. I wanted desperately to get up and get out of sickbay but my body just wasn’t having it. My optimism for the New Year was at it’s lowest. During this season I did my share of reading, praying and thinking.
I was reminded of some of my heroes in the faith, Corrie Ten Boom, Mary Slessor, and Elisabeth Elliot. Their examples of faith and fortitude, courage and conviction, and their unwillingness to give up in the face of overwhelming hardship and heartache, is astounding! God has been exceedingly merciful. Over the years the trials that I thought were so heavy at the moment, have been met by a loving and patient Savior who knew I hadn’t any idea of real hardship. In His divine appointments, He has always proven to be my ever-present help.

With that said, it’s time to move onward into the New Year. It’s time to get up and get going into the unknown and live out, should it be the will of God, another year. This brings our attention to the very real fact that there will be more battles to fight, more temptations to overcome, and more disappointments to embrace. But there is also in those realities, the hope of more usefulness for God, a deeper substance in faith, intentionality to the service of others and greater victories in embracing our Savior’s cross.

The apostle Paul said, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:14

Paul could not be dissuaded from his coarse. His eyes, hands, and feet were steadily moving towards his high calling in Christ. He was under no delusions! His race wasn’t finished but he was stilling leaning into, straining after, and reaching his way to the goal. For Paul, the here and now was completely consumed toward the then and there, eternity. But in the meantime, there was much more. More souls who would hear the gospel, more believers to encourage, more churches to plant and yes more battles and setbacks to overcome.

Ladies, what will 2020 look like for us? How will our homes be affected, or our co-workers be influenced, or our neighbors be persuaded as you and I press onward for Jesus? It is time to forget what lies behind and reach forward into the New Year.

Here are some tips that I pray you find helpful.

Daily read your mind full with the word of God. Pray each day conversing with Christ. Live each day squarely and soberly with the filling of God’s spirit. And remember, this is a high calling, and your Savior’s worth is beyond all comparison. Onward, woman of faith!