Day 1 Starting Over

 

1/1/2026

"Come, and let us return to the LORD; for He has torn, 

but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up."  

Hosea 6:1

"Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy;

break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD,

till He comes and rains righteousness on you."

Hosea 10:12

 

Awakening on this first day of 2026 brought new hope! The evening ended on a more positive note, as plans for cleaning up the old house, getting rid of stuff that's been around forever, half-broken, out of date, basically clutter were made and first efforts began. I went to bed last night encouraged. Then getting up I discovered that my son was busily cleaning up the basement and his room. This may sound unimportant or rather routine to some people, but nothing comes easily these days. This is definitely an answer to prayer. By late afternoon, however, we reached a snag, but I pray with all my hope it can be resolved by tomorrow. 

Each year I think about my focus for the year. Breakthrough and new beginnings were choices, and at the global prayer meeting this morning they were ones many of us have been praying about for this year. Along with that I felt that intentional and attentiveness to the Word would go along with my plans. It's not that I am not intentional in how I live my life, and I definitely am attentive to the Word of God, but I want to be more so. Since our group prayer meeting on Monday evening I've already added names of the Lord to my notebook, and as I read the Bible through this year, I want to think about His character and how He is changing me. I was reading through the last two chapters of Revelation last night, and scriptures say that the closer we get to the end of the world, the climatic end, people will either be more and more in love with Jesus, desiring to live closer and closer to God, caring more about people and their salvation, or they would become more evil, not caring about anyone else, more vile and depraved. I have already seen a level of this behavior I never thought possible, and yet each day I read about it more and more. I cannot tell you how sad that makes me, because I don't understand how people can be that way. It breaks my heart. So each time I glimpse a disturbing headline, I cry out to God on behalf of the persecuted, the victim, and the one who is hurting others and himself/herself. I pray for salvation, conviction by Holy Spirit for changed hearts and lives. I pray for deliverance from evil. 

Today our CEO in the global prayer meeting used the scriptures in Hosea, as I noted above, and he spoke about examining our lives even more closely using the writings of Charles Finney, the theologian. He taught on the sins of omission and commission, and we again prayed that our hearts and lives would be pure and spotless before our Father God. It was a wonderful beginning to a new year full of faith, hope, and love. 

I am not one to make resolutions, as they are seldom kept, but my personal prayer is to grow closer and closer to God in my personal quiet time, as I seek to hear His voice concerning my life and His desires for my life in service to Him and for the glory of His Name. I invite His Presence, and it is sweet. He is faithful to meet us whenever we call. 

I want my children to remember the faithfulness of our God to them over the years. Sometimes when I'm praying for them in the evening before bed, I whisper the words "Remind them, Father, of all the miracles You've done for them, all the messes You pull them out of. Draw them closer to You, Abba, and use them for Your service. They will be done on earth as it is in Heaven in their lives." And it is the prayer that I pray for so many friends and family members. 

I pray that this year will indeed bring breakthroughs in each of the lives of my family and friends, leaders, pastors, and all the people who need Jesus. He really is the only Way, Truth, and Life. I pray for each one who may happen upon this blog. Jesus loves you. I hope you love Him back.

Shalom.