Flourish

God has done so much! He has shown me so much over the past year. What it means to listen. What it means to serve. What it means to love, trust, have faith and wait. Recently, it was on my heart to share Christ’s testimony in my life by sharing one of my favorite moments with my personal connections on Facebook. Later, I was compelled to create a little picture video to share on social media. As I did both, the reminder of God’s goodness was keenly made known.

Each moment captured, each challenge shared, saturated with grace. God’s grace and love for me, allowed this imperfect vessel to experience His perfection and love, with each step forward and each fall. His passion for me empowered me to rise up from those moments of weakness or pain or hurt or disappointment. Not for my sake, but for His glory and the growth of others.

Now, moving into 2018, He has spoken. He has shared with me this is the year to flourish. I had asked what it may be, as I hadn’t felt a solid sense of what His heart for the year was. I knew, however, it involved fully entering into all the promises He has for each of us and living from a place of His victory while serving and loving others. Flourish. This is the word presented during Sunday’s streaming service. “Will we choose to flourish?”

I listened, took notes, and captured Scripture. Still not completely certain this was His word for me. This morning I read an online newsletter from a gal I was recently connected to, and there it was, “2018 is your year to FLOURISH!” Whobity whaty?! I went to BlueLetterBible.org and typed in “flourish”.

The resulting Strong’s synonyms: flourish, bud, blossom, grow, break, fly, spring, break forth, abroad, abundantly, break out, spreading, spring up, wealth, riches, shine and gleam. To which grow, break out and spring up stood out to me.

What lies ahead is certainly a time for growth in the promises of God. God has been sharing repeatedly I have got to let the past rest in the past, and break out from the learning ground in the “wilderness”, in order to fully enter into the place He has prepared. Last month I had taken a trip to Florida and spent some time on the beach. I could sense He was speaking to my heart, “It’s time to let go and move on. Move on and allow something new to grow through you.” Later, after sharing my personal testimony, I could sense the Lord allowing me to put the past away and focus on what is in front of me. You are not defined by your past. You are not defined by hurt. You are not defined by your mistakes. You are only defined by God’s Word – there is so much more for you.

It likely goes without saying, spring up equated to rise up in my mind – a reminder from Him to continue to allow His Spirit in my life to do so, and respond as He leads. Being a word person, I also took a look at a the google result for “flourish”… [to] grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment.

My thoughts went to the Rise Up Commitment. Indeed, the Scripture, environment and each component of support divinely knit together for the ten week season, are intended to allow for healthy and vigorous {energetic, dynamic, strong, enthusiastic, spirited} development! Praise the Lord!

This morning, He helped me to see, in order to continue on in the faith required, trust He will provide all that is needed, and enable putting away old things, breaking out and shining in every area He is calling to for His glory and the sake of others, there first needs to come several resolute conclusions; conclusions that may stimulate or nurture your growth as well.

First, understand who we are in Christ.

Second, allow the shadows of our former life to be cast away by the Light we now rest in.

Third, not only understand intellectually who we are in Christ, but receive, embrace and allow His new identity to manifest in our lives.

Fourth, allow God’s purpose to become the purpose we desire to live, trusting and allowing His Holy Spirit to empower us to live His calling.
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Lord, help us take Your Word seriously and allow it to become flesh in our lives. Increase our faith and trust You to keep, sanctify, transform and flow through us. Help us to not set our own reasoning above Your Word. Bless each of us with the grace to get back up when we fall. Lord, cause us to flourish in all the ways You are calling us to, for Your glory and the growth and well-being of others. In Jesus’s Name we pray, amen!