Compassion 2014

New Years 2014...my word for the year was COMPASSION!  Now, this is not a word I took lightly.  I seriously focused on this word all year and so did God!  I know God gave me this word because I had much to learn in order to do his will.  One thing I'm sure of is that God has a plan for my life and yours too!  Every New Year we make plans and goals and resolutions that we usually don't stick with but God has a plan and he never derails! His plan is to prosper me. Prosper means to thrive! Succeed! Flourish! Bloom! (I like that!) To flower! (Yes!) To bring me good!  All the days of my life I can live fully and completely in Him!  He promised! He never breaks a promise!  He also promised to never bring me harm.  Sin brings me harm.  He promised to give me HOPE and a FUTURE!  Hope-to have confidence in, to desire and consider it possible, a source or reason for such a longing or desire (JESUS).  I just love this! It makes me so excited! I have learned that NOTHING is impossible with God and that ALL things are possible with God!  His word is true!  What does this have to do with COMPASSION? EVERYTHING!!! The problem is that if I told you everything that God's done for me and taught me in this last year I'd have to write a book!  So, in my longwinded way I'm going to try to give you a glimpse of compassion.  I've always believed that I was a compassionate person, and I am, but not compassionate enough, obviously, and not compassionate like Jesus!  A tender, loving heart no doubt.  But...lets travel back a bit.
A week or two ago I was feeling somewhat misunderstood.  I was walking through my room when my eye caught a picture on my husbands night stand.  My picture! I was compelled to stop and look at her.  I was immediately filled with compassion!  Now, understand, this is a new feeling I'm having towards her.  She's not usually my favorite nor is she usually a recipient of my compassion! I mean, I like her ok, but I'm not so sure I actually love her!  At least not most of the time.  Like a flash of lightening God took me back in time!  You know, like in the movies when everything fades into a bright light and you began seeing your life!  Ok, it wasn't really that dramatic, but you get the picture!  So many moments and memories! My eyes filled with tears and at that moment I understood her, I felt love for her, I felt COMPASSION for her!  I attained in  that moment the full realm of God's love, how he feels about me and you, and I understood why and how he could have such compassion for us! I understood that the reason I could feel such compassion was because I KNOW HER! I UNDERSTAND HER!  See, I know everything she's ever said, done, or had done to her.  I know where's she's been!  I know every tear she's cried and every smile she's faked!  I know how incredibly strong she is and yet how very weak and vulnerable she can be!  I know how terribly funny and crazy she is and I also know her deep struggles with depression and suicide!  I know her sins!!!  I know her tender, repentant heart!  I know how deep her sorrows run and how hard she's fought! I've seen her broken heart!  I know she's often misunderstood!  I've seen her so full of life and I've seen her drained of life!  I've seen the devil in her and I know her mean side!  I see Jesus shining in her and I see how much she truly loves Him!  I know why she is the way she is!  I UNDERSTAND HER!  I KNOW HER!
Then it hit me! Like an ocean wave crashing onto the shore!  This is how God see's us!  THIS!  This is where his compassions come from!  This is why his compassions are new every morning!  HE UNDERSTANDS US!  HE KNOWS US!  He knows every hair on our head! Every tear he's held in his hand!  Every sorrow he's bound up in his love!  Every sin he's covered with his own blood!  Every sheep gone astray, he finds! He rights every wrong and every right he blesses!  Every broken heart he renews!  Every rusted vessel he restores!  NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING we will ever do or say or feel or think will ever get past him!  NOTHING will ever separate us from his love! He takes every piece of our life and puts them perfectly into the pages of our story that makes us uniquely who we are! He rejoices over us! He sings over us! He never blinks, never closes his eyes!  He doesn't want to miss a thing because he loves us!
HE KNOWS ME!  Yet he still loves me and has great compassion for me!  His compassions they fail not!  Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!  Shew! I'm out of breath!
As I've looked back at my pictures from childhood till now, I've felt every emotion!  There were times I felt sorry for her, times I didn't understand, times I just wanted to hold her, and yet times I wanted to punish her!  Times I've even beat her up!  I've judged her, criticized her!  Mostly, I've hated on her for a long time!  I always wondered how I was supposed to do as scripture says and love my neighbor as myself. Geez, there wouldn't be much compassion there!  God wants us to love who we are because he created us in his image! We are perfect in his eyes! I've never been able to give myself love, grace and compassion until now.  God has opened my eyes to a whole new level of compassion for others as well.  To make a long story short...(laugh, snort), I'm a work in progress! Now I see my picture and I see a beautiful girl.  Still a child, still growing!  CHANGED! KNOWN! LOVED!  A girl in a woman's body with a desire for her God, a love for her Jesus, and constant need for the Holy Spirit!  She has a longing to know him more and a desire to serve with compassion!

A trek through 2014 leads to a wondrous continuation into 2015!

Go forth and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20

It all starts with you!
My words for 2015-Doer, giver, Faith!

Sing it with me: Stevie Wonder Isn't she lovely remix-Isn't she/he lovely! Isn't she/he wonderful! Isn't she/he precious! Isn't she/he lovely, made from love!  Lovely, truly the angels best, heaven blessed! I can't believe what God has done, through Jesus he's given life to all!