New ways of walking in the new year

I'm looking for a new way to walk this year friends.

Guess what though?  Letting go of old behavior is hard to do—sometimes.  The reason being is that some of my old ways of my walking I liked. They felt good. Those ways had become familiar friends and were comfortable. They were what I knew.  They were my normal.

Every time I think about changing my stride I feel a foe surfacing: fear. Anguish too.  Even their cousin anxiety finds a spot to grab hold of me.  And my head whirls with thoughts of last year, and the years before that,"You change? Never. It's too hard and you never do it for long so why begin?"

So I ask my Father with lamenting heart, "How?  How do I do it?  How do I become your woman, the woman you can be 'oh so proud of?' 


How do I start and not stop?  How do I find a new way of walking this year Father? Please help this feeble child of yours,"I softly whisper.


While washing dishes by candle light she comes to me, Ann Voskamp. It's been a while since I've been over to her place.  And then I focus on her words and that's when I see it, what I need right there on the screen, on her blog page.

God is like that you know.  God always gives His children what they request when what they request is according to His will.

She understands the anguish of my heart.  She's been here.  I can always count on finding something on A Holy Experience that speaks to my personal experiences.  That's why I'm so grateful that God has called me to the ministry of blogging.  I hope that here in this dark space you find something that ministers to your heart and helps you as much as Ann's blogging helps me gracious one.  Sorry for veering off a bit.  Anyway . . . I find these words to hold true:

The spirit is willing, but the flesh . . . the flesh has a mind of it's own.

Here's the help that Ann Voskamp gives to those seeking to walk a new way in the new year:

1. SET BACK TO THE WIND

Set back to the wind, and let His Spirit gently carry when the feet are too weak to carry on.

Not to try harder but to pray new prayers that transport to new places: “Spirit, fill more of me. Lift me, Spirit.”

Set out into New Year knowing,“It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing”(Jn 6:36).

Set back to His Wind and let the Spirit Himself  fill the sails of life.

2. SET JAW

Set back to the wind and set jaw to persevere. “For we add to our faith, perseverance.”

The day will be long, the way deep. Discouraged, we’ll be tempted to turn back to familiar, rutted paths. But set hand he plow and refuse to turn back.

For, really, what can go awry? The Spirit’s got your back.

3. SET TIMES

Set, fixed, times to make certain tracks each day allows for the wind to move us, for inspiration to surprise us. Sporadic creativity or intermittent commitment generally fails to forge a steady trail. Progress is born out of rhythm, routine, regularity….set times.

It is how the saints met God: Daniel prayed three times a day facing Jerusalem (Daniel 6:10), the psalmist purposed to praise seven times a day, the early disciples prayed at fixed hours (Acts 2:15). If set times are the necessary catalysts for spiritual growth, so are set times critically compelling elements for life growth. With back set to the wind, and jaw set, set habitual times to pioneer new habits.  Uncertain times lead to certain failure.

4. SET SIGHTS

Every day keep the intermediate goals in clear line of sight.

Set goals into achievable segments, and fix sights on the these midway markers: one pound shed this week, 15 minutes of organization, one date night a week with a child. Set sights close…

“By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I am not turning back”(Phil 3:13 MSG).

5. SET OUT

Simply, finally, take the first step. Again and again.

The wind, hope on its wings, sweeps each new day clean before us, and sweeps over our tracks from yesterday, filling with grace.

“Jesus said…You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day” (Luke 9:62 MSG).

Seize the day!

I'm thankful for . . . 

~ new beginnings, new ways of walking

~ right here & now

~ the turmoil, the up and the down, the stagnate and for life


This post is linked to a Holy Experience.

xo, Angela blog subscription  | twitter | facebook