Year End Journal Entry

Regardless of the title, this isn't anything to do with accounting!  At least not in the financial sense! I do think of taking time to think about Gods Word and what it means to me in my life as a way of being accountable, so in my mind it's kind of like accounting!  For example I am advised in
James 1:22-25 "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.  Anyone who listens  to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it- not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it- they will be blessed in what they do."

There've been many years of my life that right around New Years Eve I would take time to look over the past year and journal the experiences and do some self evaluation.  I would look to see, "am I growing as a Christian or have I  moved further away from God?".  Still to this day, I try to keep that tradition an ongoing thing.  And Simply and Honestly I believe God has  used this time of remembering and evaluating to help me grow in Christ.

I think a big part of why I do this is because on New Years Eve in 1982 I knew I had done some things that did not please God.  Our church was ringing in the New Year with what they called a watch night service.  I remember going forward to accept communion and feeling in my heart that I needed to ask God for forgiveness for the wrong that I'd done.  And THAT night is where I decided to follow Jesus.  Not just because Mom and Dad and my brother were all Chrisitians, but because I felt God calling me to Him.  That is when my Christian journey really began.  That is when I fell in love with Jesus and searched the Bible to see why do I believe what I believe?  How do I know that what I believe is right versus all the other doctrines and religions of the world?

Looking back on it now, that's some pretty deep stuff for a 12, almost 13 year old to think about. That must have been God leading me!  I spent most of my teen years reading in my Bible and honing in on the parts that answered my questions.  There was a new desire in my life to want to do right.  So that is where and when my journey to follow Christ for myself began. I think I was 15 or 16 when I started this year end in review/ journaling.

As far as this past year is concerned, it's been a year that I've experienced some close encounters in which I thought my life was coming to an end!  Never have I faced the things I've experienced this past year. Honestly, I feel God has given me my life back.

Here's a weird perspective on this new lease I have on life: my grandmother is exactly double my age this year.  She still gets around, both she and my grandfather are an inspiration to me of what faithfulness means, even in the face of hardship, they've remained true to God and to each other.  That wasn't the point I was making about my grandmother being exactly twice my age, but I had to share that!  My point is, if I live to be as old as she then I have lived half of my life up to this point.

With that thought in mind, I want to make the second half of my life count for more!  I am looking forward to the year ahead as a year to accomplish great things!  Throughout my life I can see God has  custom fit the events to put me here, now at this time in this place and at this age for a higher purpose than to just live a comfortable life.  I believe this is what you call getting out of your comfort zone!  Regardless may 2015 be a year spent for a higher purpose!
Proverbs 29:18 "When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild.
But whoever obeys the law is joyful."