Christmas week and 2018 are coming to a close and with it there is always a time of reflection on the holiday season and the year gone by. For many of us, we have celebrated this season missing loved ones who normally are part of our celebrations. Dear family members are now in heaven; friends have lost grandparents, sisters, and spouses, yet the calendar turns its page and we continue on with an ache in our hearts, but the hope that in Jesus, we will see our loved ones again.
A dear school mate, whom I went to school with from fifth grade through high school graduation, lost her high school sweetheart and “the love of her life” this week. She and her family are aching at the immediate change in their lives and circumstances, and yet her faith in God’s goodness is remarkable.
So as we step into this new year, with hopes and dreams, loss and tears, let us do so with our eyes turned to Jesus, our prize, and press forward. It is God who holds your future and will walk beside you, always. I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
She sent me this blog post that her husband wrote last year, saying, “Just reread this and wanted to share…he’s still leading us in this tough time…”
6 Words That Will Change Your Life
Have you ever come across something so compelling it sticks in your brain and stirs in your heart and you can’t seem to escape it? Such was the case for me a few years ago when I came across 6 words that changed my life.
The six words are very simple, in fact, only one of them has more than four letters. No one explained the words, gave a talk on the words or expanded on the words. They sat quietly on two easels in front of the room. The six words…
“Up Until Now”
“From Now On”
Why are these six words so powerful? Because these six words hold the power to a belief system that does away with shame, gives second chances and allows each of us to move forward in life and not get stuck in the past.
The words are simple.
The words are freeing.
The words are immediate.
The words are possible.
The words are enough.
The words are a reminder that today is a new day. Up Until Now you believed that you weren’t enough. You made a mistake, you said the wrong thing at the wrong time, you hurt someone you love, you ignored someone who was in need of connection.
You may think you didn’t do enough, say enough or listen enough. You may have said, “I’m not smart enough, good enough or cute enough.” Up Until Now your choices have been selfish, secretive and self-serving. Yes, Up Until Now.
From Now On!
From Now On there is something new. From Now On there is a new day, a new way of thinking, of believing, of seeing. There is a new awareness, new possibilities, there is hope.
From Now On you are, “Confident in this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus!” Philippians 1:6 NASB.
From Now On, “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT
From Now On, “We never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16 NLT
Up Until Now you may have been told things that have made you feel inadequate.
From Now On you will know that you are more than adequate in Christ.
Up Until Now you may have felt like you have never been enough.
From Now On you will know that Christ is more than enough.
It’s not that I’ve already reached the goal or have already completed the course. But I run to win that which Jesus Christ has already won for me. This is what I do: I don’t look back, I lengthen my stride. Philippians 3:12-13a GW
Paul uses some unique phrasing in the verses above. He says, “I run to win!” Then he says, “I have already won.” Wait, what? Is Paul confused? Bad grammar? Misuse of proper tense? Or, complete understanding of Up Until Now and From Now On?
Up Until Now I have been doing better, trying harder to win!
From Now On I run to win that which has already been won.
Those words are simple.
Those words are freeing.
Those words are immediate.
Those words are possible.
Those words are enough.