Reviewing 2012 & Eagerly Expecting 2013!

HAPPY (belated) NEW YEAR!!!

  Yes, I know today is now the seventeenth day of January. Yes, I know that we are well into our way into the near year. But... It has been a busy couple of weeks & this is the first time I have had time to sit down & reflect on what God has been doing in my life... So... Here we go!

2012: A Year in Review

 Please check out my photography blog for a photo post of highlights from 2012. Thank you! :)

 My highlights/ favorite events from 2012 were...
The annual CHEF Conference (& Scottish Ball!) in June,
Traveling to Yellowstone in June
Making some new friends,
And...
Beginning a Courtship with Mark in August!

Favorite memory from 2012: Dancing at the CHEF Ball with my best friend!!! :)

The most impacting lesson I learned in 2012 was to: learn to surrender my precious dreams to God! [You can read more about that journey here, here & here]

Verse of the Year: Isaiah 55:11 (For context, click here)

Best books I read in 2012 were: Jesus Culture by Banning Liebscher & It's (Not That) Complicated by Anna Sofia & Elizabeth Botkin

Summary: 2012 was a hard year for me. Full of lots of decisions, stretching, trials & pain. But it also had its highlights, that's for sure! Not as much growth as I would have liked. God taught me a lot during the year- about Himself, His Faithfulness, myself, life, family, love, friends... He was (& still is!) Faithful, Sovereign & Good. He had a Plan & a Purpose (Romans 8:28) for the Path He took me on! Looking back now, it sure was a crazy ride, that caught me by surprise (in a good way!)... :)

My top 5 most popular devotion blog posts of 2012 were: Avery John Notgrass, What is "True Modesty?" Part II, Guard Your Heart, Joshua Steven Eddy: Go With God & A Multi-Generational Vision.

My top 5 most popular photo blog posts of 2012 were: CHEF Scottish Ball Photos I, Conference Photos Part III, Conference Photos Part I, Last Conference Photos- Part IV & CHEF Paintball Event.




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So, in hindsight... Some questions for you:
What were the most significant events in your life & your family in 2012?
What did you read that most impacted you the most in 2012?
How did your relationship with God change in 2012?
What was the most important life lesson you learn in 2012?
What was the most significant decision you made in 2012?
What habits (good & bad) did you form in 2012?
What is your favorite memory from 2012?

2013: Expectations!

New Year's Resolutions: None (I don't believe in them).

Some of my goals for 2013: Make improvements/ growth concerning my character, journal daily (not going too well so far), pick a verse for the year (soon!), read 52 books (one book a week) in the year (4th year running, still unaccomplished, as of yet!), as well as some personal goals, not to be blasted all over the Internet! ;)

Expectations for 2013: Growth. Change. Major life changes. Um... Yeah. We're gonna leave it at that! ;)

Prayer request: Character growth! I desperately need to grow in the areas of maturity, trust, discernment & wisdom!

Verse of the Year: ??? (undecided, as of yet!)

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So, looking ahead... Some questions for reflection:
What are some of your "New Year's Resolutions"?
What do you expect God to accomplish this year, in your life?
What areas of your life most need improvement?
How are you a different person, than you were a year ago?

Have a blessed New Year! May 2013 be the best year yet!!! :)

Don't Waste Your Life!

My beau & I have spent the last several days answering some questions concerning our courtship. Questions about our faith, doctrine/ theology, experience, values, preferences, expectations, convictions, traditions, strengths, weaknesses, habits, interests, talents/ gifts, personalities, standards, behaviors etc as we get to know each other better & pursue the possibility of marriage.

 [Once we're finished answering them, we're going to discuss them with our parents] And believe me, there are some hard questions in there! Some that made me drop my jaw & say, "WOW. Did they really just ask that??" [For a complete list of the questions, click here]

Anyway, one of the sections was about values, goals, dreams, plans etc. Some of the questions in that section were as follows:

1. What do you value most highly in life? Second?
2. What is your "life purpose"?

3. How you intend to use your interests, experiences, skills, and talents to serve and glorify God?)

4. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 20 years?
5. How would those who know you well describe your personal character?

These made me stop & think- Why am I on this earth? What has God sent me here to accomplish? What am I to do with the time He has given me? What are my goals, aspirations, dreams, "plans" etc?

Then I got to the next question-
 

 "When the Lord calls you home, how
would you like people to remember you?" 

 WOW. That really made me stop & think. It's one thing to talk about your goals, dreams, plans, aspirations etc when you're in your early twenties. It's quite another to think about your death- How you want to be remembered, what you want to be known for, what you want to accomplish in your lifetime etc. I really had to think about that one...

So... Some questions for you-

What do you want to be remembered for most?
What do you want your eulogy to be?
What do you want to accomplish in your lifetime?
What do you want to be "known for"?
What is your Calling?
What is your life's Purpose?
Why are you here on this earth?
What are your goals, aspirations, dreams, desires?
What has God pre-ordained you to do while you are on this earth?

I am not trying to be morbid or dark here. Just something to think about. It is never too early to address these sorts of "heavy" topics. We do not know when our time will come or when the Lord might return (Matthew 24:36-44). Life is "but a vapor..." (James 4:13-17).[For more on this topic, read here & here].


 I think we should be "known for what we do," more than for what we don't do. I don't think it's good enough to be known for being the "good girl," for not "doing bad things." Our standards should be way higher than that. Instead of being known as the one who simply "didn't do bad things," we should strive for a higher standard- being known for the good, right, honourable, righteous, God-honoring things that we do. [For more on this topic, read here]

DON'T WASTE YOUR LIFE.

DO HARD THINGS

The Meaning of the Word "Shalom"

In the Old Testament, the Israelites greeted each other with the word "Shalom," which is oftentimes interpreted "peace" in our modern-day English. But there is so much more to the word than that!

Below is the link that one of my mentors sent me back in November. May you be blessed by reading it!

Shalom!

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Meaning of the word "Shalom" Most know that the Hebrew word shalom is understood around the world to mean "peace." However, "peace" is only one small part of the meaning. "Shalom" is used to both greet people and to bid them farewell, and it means much more than "peace, hello or goodbye".... Hebrew words go beyond their spoken pronunciation. Each Hebrew word conveys feeling, intent and emotion. Shalom is more then just simply peace; it is a complete peace. It is a feeling of contentment, completeness, wholeness, well being and harmony. According to Strong's Concordance 7965 Shalom means completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. Shalom comes from the root verb shalom meaning to be complete, perfect and full. In modern Hebrew the obviously related word Shelem means to pay for, and Shulam means to be fully paid. Of course, there is only one way to find TRUE shalom - and that is in the Word of YHWH. Many search for fulfillment, happiness and contentment in material possessions, money, sex, entertainment, etc. But those things do nothing to fill "that little hole in our soul" that only GOD can fill! Those things only serve to distract and prevent us from finding true peace...the shalom that can only come from Him who created and put all things into place. If you'll recall, Yeshua is called Sar shalom, Prince of Peace, which perfectly describes the ministry and personality of our Messiah (Isaiah 9:6). Luke 2: 8. At this time shepherds were there in that region were they were lodging and keeping watch there at night over their flocks. 9. And behold a Messenger of Elohim came to them. And the glory of Master YHWH shone upon them and they feared with a great fear! 10. And the Messenger said to them, "Do not have fear, for behold I announce hope to you! A great joy which will be to the whole world. 11. For today is born to you in the city of Dawid the Savior who is Master YHWH, the Mashiyach.[1] 12. And this is a sign to you; you will find an infant who is wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." 13. And at that instant the great host of heaven appeared with the Messenger, glorifying Elohim and saying, "Glory to Elohim in the highest, and on earth peace and good hope to the sons of men. (AENT) [1] One of the most powerful statements about YHWH and His Mashiyach in the entire Aramaic NT. YHWH is the real Mashiyach, who chose the vessel of Y'shua the man. However, within Y'shua the man is an occurrence of the One Divine Nature of YHWH, also known as the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit). This is the literal meaning of the fullness of YHWH dwelling inside Mashiyach, and in accordance with Tanakh prophecy (Isaiah 53:1, Zechariah 12:10). The divine and human natures exist separately yet side-by-side within Y'shua. In other words, the word shalom is a mighty blessing on several levels! Proverbs 18:21 tells us there is life or death in the power of the tongue. Therefore, whenever you employ the word "shalom" you are speaking into someone's life all the wonderful things that shalom means! So, from us at The Refiner's Fire to you: Numbers 6:24-26: YHWH bless you and keep you. YHWH make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. YHWH lift up His face upon you and give you SHALOM. In the name of Yeshua haMashiyach SAR SHALOM - the Prince of Peace.