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EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED IN 7 STEPS

Hey friends, how are you today? How was your weekend? I had a pretty good weekend; the weather was fabulous in my neck of the woods, filled with sunshine and warmth.  This time last year, our temperatures were in the 20s° and we had over a foot of snow on the ground.  Today it is raining, and our high temperature is 45°, yes, today I give thanks to the Lord for today.  Happy 1st day of the last month of the year.  December is here, friends.  Wow! This is it! The last month of the year.  We will do away with 2020 in 30 days and usher in a new year. Although there were moments, when this year hardly seemed to move, recently as we close the gap, reaching closer to the beginning of a new year, time seems to gallop away at high speed.  2021 is right around the corner and many can’t wait for January.  Many people, including myself, believe that 2020 had more than its fair share of disasters beginning with the coronavirus.  

2020 was an unprecedented year, not only because of unforeseen difficulties, but perhaps too, because most of the calamities of the year was totally unexpected. We were not ready for the year, most of us floundered  when our regular schedules were interrupted. Depression skyrocketed, even among Christians, relationships suffered because we were unable to forebear with each other. A lot was expected, but many people were not equipped with the necessary tools to succeed.  Will 2021 be any different? But are we ready for the unknown?  Or do rest in the hope that 2021 will be better? What if it isn’t? What if nothing changes and this is our normal? Or (shock horror) what if it gets worse? How do we face the balance of 2020 and 2021 if the Lord deems this year to be served as the model? 

How can we preserve our sanity if nothing changes? 

Spend time with the Lord.  We will read the Word of God for ourselves, although devotionals are good, include the Word of God, as part of the devotional. 

Pray. Pray specific prayers, talk to the Lord.  Share with Him, the happenings of life, the desires, the ups and the downs.  Truthfully, He already knows anyway, He is the best therapist, I know.  Talk about the heartaches, the frustrations; talk about life and while there, we will acknowledge Who is God.  We will remind ourselves of His might, His power, strength, goodness, His love. 

Be thankful. While we talk to the Lord, let’s not forget to be thankful for our blessings.  Some days, it may require that we dig a bit deeper to count our blessings.  Some days life wants us to believe that there is little for which to be thankful,  but we will take the time  and we will find them.

Keep a journal.  Keeping a journal helps us to keep track of our blessings. It provides us with an opportunity to recount our past prayers and see the hand of God in our lives. It reminds us to keep an account of time and retrospectively ‘see’ that thing we could not live without, we are now better without it.  

Surround ourselves with good people.  Whether they be friends or family or both,  ensure there are people that encourage and build up.  People that will benefit our lives by drawing us closer to the Lord.  People placed there just for our edification.

Ensure there are people that need us in their lives.  Those, we encourage and build up.  Those who use our shoulders on which to cry.  There must be people around us, that will take our eyes off ourselves and place it on them, to edify and draw them to the Lord.  If there are kids, they make the perfect mission field.

Enjoy life.  Let us control what we can control.  We can control our attitude, we can control our behaviors, we can control our beliefs.  We can control our perception of life.  We are not without some choices, let’s choose to make choices that will cause us to flourish and bloom as we approach the end of 2020.  

We can better prepare for the new year, by changing how our perception of 2020. Perhaps we did not do as well as we hoped, but as long as there is life, there is always hope and an opportunity to do better.   Life is to be lived; we may not be able to control our circumstances, but we can control our outlook.  

What are you most looking forward to in the new year?

Check me out on Instagram. Let’s continue the conversation over on Instagram. Follow my Instagram and I will follow back, just let me know in the comment section. I would love to meet you 🙂

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36 responses to “EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED IN 7 STEPS”

  3. Wise advice, stylish lady. My favourite prayer suits every occasion – Lord grant me the serenity to accept what cannot be changed, the courage to change what can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

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  4. Oh my! We are on the same train of thought this week. I would love to feature this post on my blog as a follow up to what I posted yesterday. Please read my post: https://refiningjourney.video.blog/2020/12/03/avoid-the-slip/

    Let me know your thoughts. I would love to share your post on social media for Refining:

    Refining


    https://www.instagram.com/refiningblog/
    https://www.facebook.com/underHisAuthority

    Feel free to contact me: refiningjourney@gmail.com

    Your sister in Christ,

    Genna Stotts

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  5. What a great list, friend! I especially like the idea of watching who we surround ourselves with. It’s so important to be empathetic, but I find I’m happiest when I’m around people who understand that we don’t have to be happy all of the time, and yet, we choose to be. It’s an interesting overlap. Also, you look wonderful and so put together as always!

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  6. Hard to believe this year is almost done! I like your reminder to be specific when we pray. God is concerned about even the tiniest details of our lives and so He answers even the tiniest prayers.

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  7. That’s a good question. I know there are some things I would like to see happen and planning must go into some of those things. But over the last few years I have noticed the truth held in letting the Lord direct our ways. In other words not pinning my hopes on my plans but being ready to let God changes my plans according to his own.

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  13. Solid advice, Brenda! And you are so right: it is the choices we make that will cause us to flourish and bloom as we approach the end of 2020. We can be like the amaryllis–a little progress each day!

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  14. I feel a strong sense that we are heading into VERY difficult times ahead. These are but the beginnings of birth pains as the whole creation begins to seriously groan like a woman in labor, awaiting for our Lord’s return. Keep looking up, because He IS still in control.

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  15. Call me negative, but I truly do not expect 2021 to be better. God is at work, and our comfort is not the goal. These are all great things we should be doing now so we can be part of God’s perfect will. Weatherwise, it was 28 degrees this morning. Warmer there than here! 😀 But so rare for us, I am loving it. Frost on the grass was so pretty . The sun melted it instantly. Have a blessed day, Brenda!

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  17. Your seven steps are good ones, Brenda! Thank you. Seven is a good Godly number. So is the number three. Here are my favorite three steps, of the ones you mentioned; being a guy, it is hard to focus on seven! 😉. 1. Spend regular time with God. 2. Be thankful—attitude of gratitude. 3. Surround myself with good people.

    Blessings, and thank you for your recent blog party. I definitely picked up some extra traffic on my blog because of it!

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