Colossians 4:17

Happy New Year to all of my beloved sisters in Christ!  I hope that you were blessed over the holidays and that you didn't go up a pants size.  The jury is still out on that one for me, I can still zip, but they are a bit snugger than they were in October.  I love the holidays.   Thanksgiving, Christmas, Christmas Eve, and New Years, but they do take their toll on me.  I get behind because I get so consumed with the festivities and spending time with loved ones that I let some of my responsibilities fall by the wayside.  When January 1st finds me, I'm usually ready with a long list of things I can improve upon in the upcoming 364 days.  This year is no different.  I beat myself up over the past year's shortcomings.  I painfully remind myself of the things that I said I was going to do this year but didn't.  While I start the new year with new ambitions, it is littered with the guilt of not accomplishing all I wanted to at the beginning of last year!  That being said, I'm putting my foot down.  No more guilt.  I'm going to hold my head up and be honest with all of you about my shortcomings and hopefully journey on with what the Lord has planned for me for 2015.  I'm somewhat excited.  That brings me to this blog and our memory verses.  This week we are supposed to be working on week #14.  I'm behind.  So after consulting with a very wise friend I'm giving myself permission to get back to where we belong and start here.  I will list the verses I didn't blog on at the end of this blog.  God of course always reminds me of how real He is and just how close He is to me all day every day.  Imagine my surprise when this was the verse.

Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you.  

Colossians 4:17

Ladies!!!  I cannot stress this enough!  If you are walking in the truth of the gospel and call yourself a Christ follower,  YOU HAVE A MINISTRY!  Not only do you have a ministry, it is special and unique and appointed just for you by God himself.  If you don't know what your ministry is, ask God, ask a friend who knows you well, ask your Pastor.  You have a ministry.  His word tells us that He's planned things for us to do while we're here.  Ephesians 2:10 says For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  He planned for you to have good works to do before he even laid the foundations of the earth!  Does that not blow you away?  Doesn't that make the hair on your arms stand up?  Before God himself created all of this world He planned out what you would do on this earth for His kingdom?  I've been thinking on this for a few days.  When I read the scripture I immediately wanted to start writing.  Mostly because I was really excited, but God put the brakes on and let me think on it a few days. 

Have you ever experienced burn out in your life or ministry?  Have you ever felt worn and tired?  I know I have.  This world is a tough place to be and a tough place to serve.  Experiencing all the brokenness that people carry and the hurt that they deal with on a daily basis can be discouraging and down right heartbreaking some days.  When you encounter person and after person and situation after situation it can really wear you down.  I don't know when or how it happens, but it happens to each and every one of us at one time or another,  we leave Jesus behind.  We start trying to do things in our own strength!  This has happened to me on more than one occasion.  So here's where my New Years resolution comes in.  This year I want to be on Jesus' heals every minute, not dragging him behind me.  If I'm chasing after Jesus there's no way I can get worn out in ministry.  If I'm one step behind him, He'll always be there to guide me!  I won't get lost.  I won't wander down the wide road.  I'm excited for the ministry opportunities that God will give me this year.  Will I serve perfectly?  No.  But I'll serve willingly and joyfully and expectantly.  I'll serve with all I have.  I want to be poured out in this ministry that God has given me.  Poured out for my husband and my children.  Poured out for my girlfriends and my church.  Lord help me to joyfully serve in the ministry that you have just for me and not to selfishly serve myself in 2015.  My life belongs to Christ.

These are the verses I missed.  There's one in particular that I will most likely revisit as it has become a life verse for me.  I'm sure it won't take you much to figure out which one.  

WEEK 10  I will hold you by your right hand I, the Lord your God, and I say to you, don't be afraid.  I am here to help you.  Isaiah 41:13

WEEK 11  Let the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart be acceptable in your sight O Lord my Redeemer.  Psalm 19:14

WEEK 12  God has said, "I will never fail you, I will never abandon you."  Hebrews 13:5

WEEK 13  He is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.  Ephesians 3:20