“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet have taken a hold of it.

But one thing I do;

Forgetting what is behind and straining  to what is ahead, I press on

toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward

in Christ Jesus.”

Phillippians 3:14

This verse… these individual words of amazing hope…  speak volumes to

my heart…

If Paul, who zealously went after Christians, rounding them up and killing

them for what He thought was true, could keep straining forward after His

heartbreaking past,

then I, We, can keep straining forward too..

God met Paul in all his ugly…

God redeemed Him, loved him, and had a plan for him that nothing could

destroy.

God took Paul’s worst…

And used it for His best.

If Paul would have kept bringing up his past and complaining  and

grumbling over all the sadness …

all of the unrighteousness he had done, then Jesus’s death on the cross

would have been for nothing.

Jesus’s death was, and is for YOU.

Just like it was for Paul.

His death is the only thing that can set us free.

It matters.

He wants us to live, and breathe and receive all that He is.

If not…

We have not… we are useless in His plan.

He chose you,

He chose me.

He knew all about us before you were even born.

He knew all that Paul was, and yet,  He never chose anyone else  to replace

him…

He chose Paul.

Today is a new day.

It’s a day of reckoning with our past…

He has destroyed every hold on your heart.

He wants to bless you… with so much love.

It’s so time to let the sadness go.  It’s time to let His love, that covers

every ounce of your heart, mind, and soul, lead the way…

Let Him have all your pain.

All your regrets.

All the people you may have hurt, or who have hurt you.

All your fears.

All your failures.

He has plans for all of that…

Do not stand in His way…

He wants your heart…

He already began this new way when you prayed and asked Him to come

into your heart…

“See, I have already begun!  Do you not see it?” 

Isaiah 43:19

Dear Heavenly Father,

How I thank you for seeing my every pain …

For reaching in the  my pit of  my despair, and redeeming my heart, and

my life…

Thank You that my sin will not, and cannot keep me from YOU.

“So do not fear, I am with you: do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right

hand.”

Isaiah 41:10

Today,

I receive Your victory over what was.

Today,

I will strain to what is ahead.

I will press on toward the goal for which You have called me.

I am safe in Your arms…

I am ready to see where this road will lead me…

Letting go of the past, I will press on…

I am sorry for running away…

For not trusting You.

Oh, Father,

I want to know You more…

As I humble my heart into Your mighty love, I pray for my destiny to be

unleashed in my soul.

That I would crave the things you once whispered to my heart.

Not turning back, I pray YOU would break the chains that tried to hold me.

For Your glory’s sake, I pray You to set me free…

Right here in this moment,

I am Yours…

Draw me near, Father, soften my heart, and let me see all that You are,

and have been…

How I praise You for never letting go of me…

and I love You.

Happy New Year…

In Jesus Name,

I pray,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

“For my grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it

is

the gift of God.”

Eph 2:8

#BESTGIFTEVER