Wrapping it Up

IT’S THAT TIME

It’s that time of year once again; time to wrap it up. Every year I take the month of December to do a little review. I look at the things God said to me throughout the year. THIS IS NOT A PERFORMANCE REVIEW. This is not an assessment of my abilities, nor God’s. I don’t look for flaws. I look for successes. I look at what worked, what brought joy and what was the outcome of having listened and acted upon the instructions I received from Holy Spirit over the past year.

For me, there is one biggie that tops the list this year. Early on this year the Lord instructed me to not follow through with my plan to create content for one of my websites. I had a very ambitious plan to create slide presentations with audio and video. My aspiration was to update lessons I created for our home group. The original lessons were time consuming and energy intensive to create. So, re-creating and restructuring them for public use would definitely be a labor of love. My plan was to have three full courses of study uploaded by the end of 2020. That’s right, it didn’t happen. In fact none of it happened. It grieved me to lay aside my plan. I didn’t do it on a whim. After inquiring of the Lord and requesting confirmation that I was in fact hearing Holy Spirit correctly, I laid aside the aggressive growth plan.

Like many others this year my life has been directly impacted by certain events. I won’t go into the details. Suffice to say I was geographically relocated and my living situation drastically changed. Rather than having all the free time I wanted to devote to building my website I have spent this past year caring for my dad, who passed away in May and my ninety-five year old stepmother who survives him. The large chunks of time I would have needed to give to creating content has been given to driving to doctor’s appointments, grocery store trips and making sure she gets out of the house. This being done while attempting to keep her safe amidst potentially compromising situations.

MORE THAN ONE PLAN

I thought the reason for the delay was so that I could tend to my stepmom. That is only one reason. It’s a good one. It’s the only reason I need. But God’s ways are so far above our own. It was in October of this year, while I was in time of communion with the Lord that I received a tweak to my perspective. One slight alteration in my point of reference concerning the Tabernacle has dynamically changed everything.

A great deal of my teachings are on the subject of the Tabernacle/Temple, the Hebraic calendar, the Feasts, and Rosh Kodesh. One tiny drop of revelation shifted my outlook. As I pondered the effects of that one insight it occurred to me that it changes everything. The more I thought on that one aspect the more I realized the chain reaction to absolutely everything I teach pertaining to the Tabernacle, a subject I have studied for over thirty years. That one tiny ripple has grown and expanded. It has shifted not only my perspective which changes the way I present the subject matter, but also how I intend to convey the material.

The Tabernacle isn’t just a subject for me. It’s a way of life. It is the structure that my devotional life with God is based on and anchored in. It’s a part of who I am. One blog post isn’t enough space to share my life’s work. I do, however, intend to share it. With great anticipation I look forward to the rollout of 2021. Yes, I do plan on creating content and getting my insights published online. How quickly that is going to happen is in God’s hands. I don’t have a staff. It’s just me. So, despite having limited time available to me I am going forward, one step at a time.

As 2020 is wrapping up I have opened one package early, the gift of relief. I was so relieved that I hadn’t tried to spend the entire year trying to accomplish something that I would have had to delete and completely rework. Thank you God for gifts that come in plain packaging.

God knew what I did not. He knew that there was more information I was going to need. He knew that He intended to release to me a revelation that would impact my work so drastically that I would have to start over. I was spared a year’s worth of energy by having listened to and acting on the leading of Holy Spirit. I am so grateful.

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.

Proverbs 16:9 NLT

As this year winds down and we get ready for the shift into 2021 take some time to look back. Revisit the instructions, words and visions God gave you this past year.

Take time to grieve the losses that have impacted your life. Rejoice over the triumphs. Celebrate the life you have. Breathe. Take a deep breath. Let your lungs fill with the breath of life. Celebrate the fact that you are still here. Recognize that God has successfully carried us through this year.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

As we face the blank slate of 2021, make a plan to go forward determined to follow Holy Spirit’s leading. Seek the Lord for understanding. He will not let you down. He will surely lead you. He will be a light to your path. He will give you wisdom, all you have to do is ask for it.

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

James 1:5 NLT

The Lord bless you and keep you. May you receive a generous portion of wisdom and grace for the coming year.