This is very cliché, we all trying to make sense of the last 365 days in the last hours of New Years Eve. But here I am looking at my old shoes and considering which are really old and which ones are to keep. I realize that in certain ways I do this with my habits. Also with my goals and even relationships. Earlier this year I tried to focus on the word “disengage” in an attempt to be more purposeful on what I needed to be and get rid of bad habits, sin, and even activities that were good but I no longer felt passionate about.
Sitting here trying to make sense of 2018 I find myself going back to 2017 and how the word: Enough still rang true for the past 365 days. I recently shared with my church family about it and I will share here again.
In 2017 my word was enough. This was the year of big changes in my house because we sold our businesses and trusted God to show us the next step. It was tough to keep my eyes on Jesus as the sole provider of my needs. Change is not something we like, but we fool ourselves to the idea that we want it and even like it.
The change in pace and lifestyle was hard at many levels. It is easy to put our worth and sense of purpose in what we do, own, achieve and even on relationships.
But the truth is that we have it ALL when we have Jesus.
This is not to say I am no longer excited about setting goals, achieve them or finding purpose in what I do, but my perspective have changed. I know God is for me and He will reveal His plan in His time and at the pace that I can handle.
To this day, when I tell myself lies about how I don’t measure up in society, or why did I bother studying when it seems all I have done is changing thousands of diapers and raising kids, or the times I feel too fat, rejected, too rural, and even dissatisfied with my lack of professional life— I remember that God is ENOUGH for me.
Choosing a word for me has been a way to get closer to God.
Just recently I was having a terrible day missing my family, finding myself rather ungrateful because I could not travel home for Christmas (again! For the 8th year in a row), and still wrestling with the fact God has not shown me yet what is next for some areas of my life. I went o be grumpy after telling my husband: this sucks!
In all His faithfulness, I woke up next day with God putting in my mind the lyrics of the song “Better” by Pat Barret. It says: “your love is better than life, You are the well that won’t run dry. I have tasted, and I have seen that you are better than all these things.”
You see, God answers prayers and repeats this word ENOUGH quite frequently. It shows up in my devotions, my friends remind me of it, or even music when I need it. It has become my mantra when lies assault me, when I feel lacking anything— whether material or relational. It is a pretty stark reminder that sets everything right: God is ENOUGH and He is all I need.
I just packed up four pairs of old shoes that need to go and I have a couple new pairs coming in the mail by the end of the week. I am not barefoot, there are enough pairs to wear and even if I did not the truth is that as long as I breath I have all I need. And that oxygen is solely provided by the Creator. It is His gift.
I vow to keep it simple: Love God and Love others. That is a precise and enough.
Let me raise a glass to all of you who keep reading this blog even when I disappear for moths at at time and wish you a GREAT year where you love more and embrace your shoes!
Do Love and Shoes!
“My Grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength come into its own in your weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9 Message)
ps. Check Pat Barret on Spotify, his album is great.