Ponder and pursue

Hello friends! Again, I've decided to give this week's column an early release on the blog. Here's to hoping that 2015 ends swell and that 2016 kicks off tremendously! And if you like what you read, pass it along! Thanks again for joining me and supporting this writing venture of mine--much love!

Original publication date: Friday, January 1, 2016 
Random Writer 
Ponder and pursue 

This past week--the last week of the year--is always one that slowly creeps along...that time bunched between Christmas and New Year. In my opinion, there’s no time to begin a diet after that Christmas feast, especially since that tray of finger foods awaits you at that New Year’s Eve party.

From a media standpoint, this was the week when everyone looked back on the year that was. (For some reason, some media outlets tend to start at the beginning of December as if nothing will happen over the course of the month, which really bugs me.) And as morbid as it sounds, I always try to make a point to watch ABC World News on the last night of the year because they have the “in memorial” section that shows who died over the past year. But on the other end of the spectrum, it’s rather sobering--while I’ll never be as famous as those folks, it makes you put things into perspective while taking part in some introspection as to what kind of impact you made over the course of the year.

2015 was odd, at least for me. Things I never imagined would happen actually occurred. I lived through my very-first power outage to kick off that year--37 hours of living in a cold and dark house. It makes you appreciate the under-appreciated, like those workers who venture out into the cold and ice to restore power to houses.

People near and dear to my family--relatives, church members and family friends--passed away last year, which led to a somber start to 2015. Meanwhile, my dad turned sixty years old this past year, while my parents reached the thirty-year milestone in their marriage.

I actually focused more on Lent and Advent in preparation of Easter and Christmas, respectively. It’s one thing to just dive into those holidays, but I fully believe observing those two seasons served as a spiritual motivator in 2015.

Additionally, I celebrated my tenth anniversary of graduating high school and 14 years of spiritual rebirth. I “adopted” a little girl through Compassion International, and for the first time in my life I became a pet owner to Toulouse (those two fish I won as a white elephant gift several Christmases ago don’t count). It’s crazy how that little cat has stolen my heart, no matter how obnoxious he can be at times.

Through it all, the Lord has blessed and brought me through. Even during that period of time toward the end of the year when fear, anxiety and worry overwhelmed my  heart and mind, He was there to hold me and help me overcome. And for that, I’m extremely thankful.

But as 2016 has arrived, it’s time to look ahead. While I certainly don’t know what’s in store, I want to make it a point to make it an active year, at least a little more so than last year. With the Holy Spirit’s leading, if there is something I’d like to attain, I have to make an effort to pursue that goal. Whether it’s in the realm of spiritual growth, relationships, career, etc., being proactive (as much as is allowed by the Lord) shows how much that particular thing means to you. If you didn’t want it, you wouldn’t pursue it.

I will, however, add this to that statement I just made: pursuit can lead to failure, rejection or both. Don’t expect it, but be prepared for it. It can happen as a result of others’ actions, or God’s work in it all doesn’t allow it. However, we must remember that God’s ways are so much better than ours and we have to cling to that promise if pursuit ends in a way different than we would prefer.

If we allow God to be at the forefront of our lives and purpose to place His Word in our hearts and minds, 2016 can be a great year. Let’s thank Him for the year that was, and allow Him to lead us in the year that’s ahead.