Anticipations of a New Year

I rarely make New Year’s resolutions. Like many people, I’m inspired by the idea of starting fresh, but I fear the prospect of failing.

For Crystal and me, 2013 was filled with change. As we look back, we can see how God was slowly tweaking and re-directing our steps. Some doors swung wide open while others refused to move despite our prayerful and fervent knocking. We learned how to live with less income, we figured out how to survive with less space and we managed to do more with less time. We took a hard look at what was most important to us and we chiseled away everything we felt we could do without.

In July, we re-located to a more affordable area of town. Soon after, Crystal moved from four days of work to two days so that she could spend more time with Joshua. In November, I quit my early morning job at the television station and began working as a server at a New Mexican restaurant so that I could do more freelance music and audio work at home. With each change, we could see the faithfulness of God. We never went hungry. We never missed a bill. The Lord continued to meet our needs regardless of the situation.

I believe our faith is stronger than it was a year ago. God has proven Himself to us time and time again. I know great things are going to happen in 2014. Sure, I have some well-meaning intentions. I’d like to write new songs and play a bunch of cool shows. We’d like to save enough money to buy a house. Crystal would be elated to have a larger kitchen and bathroom and I’d be overjoyed to have a room dedicated to music making (right now, all my studio gear is crammed in one corner of our bedroom). However, we realize that God may have different plans. Whatever happens, we are confident that He will take care of us and we believe that He has our best in mind.

I’m looking forward to 2014. The New Year is filled with potential. There is nothing wrong with making resolutions. I’m certainly not opposed to the idea of “trying to do better.” However, I’ve discovered the most exhilarating moments come with seeing God do the unexpected. The greatest joy arrives when God blows our expectations out of the water and enables us to do things we could never do on our own. To say, “Look at what I did!” accomplishes little, but the opportunity to say, “Look at what God did!” can create a ripple effect that shapes eternity.

"What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him." I Corinthians 2:9

"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10