A Prayer for the “New Year”

O LORD,
Length of day does not profit me
except the days are passed in thy presence,
in thy service, to thy glory.
Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides,
sustains, sanctifies, aids every hour,
that I may not be one moment apart from thee,
but may rely on thy Spirit to supply every thought,
speak in every word,
direct every step,
prosper every work,
build up every mote of faith,
and give me a desire to show forth thy praise;
testify thy love,
advance thy kingdom.
I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,
with thee, O Father, as my harbour,
thee, O Son, at my helm,
thee, O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.
Guide me to heaven with my loins girt,
my lamp burning,
my ear open to thy calls,
my heart full of love,
my soul free.
Give me thy grace to sanctify me,
thy comforts to cheer,
thy wisdom to teach,
thy right hand to guide,
thy counsel to instruct,
thy law to judge,
thy presence to stabilize.
May thy fear be my awe,
thy triumphs my joy.

Valley of Vision, pg.112

Mt. Ibuki

Year’s End

Thy goodness has been with me during another year,
     leading me through a twisting wilderness,
     in retreat helping me to advance,
     when beaten back making sure headway.

Thy goodness will be with me in the year ahead;
I hoist my sail and draw up anchor,
     with thee as the blessed Pilot of my future as of my past.

~Valley of Vision, pg. 111

*photo taken in beautiful Pennsylvania

 

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!!  

Enjoy this time with family and friends.  

until next year…

 

Preparations

I have posted here a few times about my bullet journal.  I absolutely love bullet journaling.  As preparation for a new year and a new journal, I decided that I wanted to read the new book that has come out.  I downloaded the sample on kindle and didn’t want to stop reading.  I was going to buy the kindle version, but after reading the reviews, I decided that it would be best if I ordered a hard copy.  I was so excited to see that it was available from Amazon Japan!  I received it the day after ordering!!  So far, I am loving it and learning much!

Hope

It seems I’ve taken a little bit of a blogging break. It was not intentional. I have been without a computer for almost two weeks.  It is now in the repair shop and I hope to receive it soon. I hope you are enjoying this holiday season!

one word for 2018

abide

“to continue in a place”

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing…If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you…As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” 

~from John 15

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue [abide] in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 

~John 8:31-32

“The Greek word for abide used in John 8: 31-32 and John 15: 4-5 is the same word that’s used for living in a house. The idea is that we don’t just visit the Word for 10 minutes a day. We live in the Word. Meditate on it. Chew on it as we walk through the day.”

~Taste for Truth, pg. 10

Happy New Year!!

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

~Philippians 3:13-14

May we press on together to new spiritual heights in the year ahead with our God Who makes all things new.

A Clean Slate

I love new beginnings…a new week…a new month…a new season…a new year.  In the past I would be on the search for the perfect daily planner or one that appeals to my eyes.  Now that I have fallen in love with bullet journaling, there is no need to go on that search.  All I had to do was turn over a new page, put a tab on it for 2017 and set up my next month.  

I do love having a new wall calendar.  I don’t often write on it, but we like to have a calendar where we can see it in a hurry to check the date and make the occasional note on.  I was thrilled when I found a Thomas Kinkaide Streams of Living Water Calendar at Amazon Japan.  It is now hanging on my refrigerator.  

I’ve also been spending some time reorganizing some things to make my life a little easier and more efficient in this new year.  What are some things you have done to prepare for this new year?  Please share in the comments.

 

One Word

Wishing you…

 

“Thus saith the Lord, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters…Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” ~Isaiah 43

photo credit