Jen’s Gem: With God, all things are possible.
How is 2021 treating you so far? I pray it has been a good week for you. I received many emails about my post last week and the first of my ten tips for making 2021 a great year discovered during my hiatus from work and my Elevate the Day ministry. I’m happy that you found them helpful. If you missed them, click here to read the post.
Today I’m going to provide you with the remaining five, which I hope will encourage you. As I said last week, these are simple tips but sometimes the simple things in life are the most profound. I think 2020 taught us that, yes? Here we go!
- Call a friend.
What’s your first instinct when life gets tough? Hide under the covers? Binge watch your favorite show? Both? There were a few days over my vacation that life just seemed to get a bit overwhelming. Lots of moving parts with the many hats that I wear was beginning to weigh me down.
My natural tendency is to cocoon and try to figure it all out on my own. However, what God showed me was that this is not the best thing to do. So I picked up the phone and called a friend who “talked me off the ledge.” Within minutes, I could see the light out of the tunnel and my spirit was lifted. Read Proverbs 17:17.
- Pump up the H2O.
Ok – I get it. This is about as boring as last week’s tip to eat healthy, but hear me out. I carry a water bottle with me wherever I go. If you don’t see me with one, it’s because I forgot it. I drink A LOT of water, but what happens when I don’t? I feel tired. I mistake dehydration for hunger and eat when I’m not hungry. My brain gets sluggish and let me tell you, I can’t afford for my brain to be sluggish!
Because I was out of my routine of working, I didn’t drink as much water as I normally do. As soon as I realized my trips to the Brita filter in my fridge were decreasing, I recommitted to hydrating as much as possible. Read 1 Corinthians 3:16.
- Give back.
I have a dear colleague who is an expert at developing give-back events. I’m in awe of her creativity and the results she is able to get for organizations that are in need of monies. She is the most generous human being I know and her thoughtfulness and compassion for others is unmatched.
Over the break, she mentioned that her son was having some troubles in math. As she was describing his frustration, my daughter’s face popped into my head. She’s a math whiz and I offered to have her tutor him. This week he received a perfect score on his math test. Amen! Read 1 Chronicles 29:9
- Pray.
Every morning once the coffee starts making its way into my veins, I spend time reading my Bible and in prayer. I am like a dog on a bone about this time because when it’s skipped due to life’s “lifeness,” let’s just say, it’s not pretty.
I suspect I’ve read many of the books of the Bible several times between my own study and Bible college. I relish this time alone with God to pray and listen to what He’s telling me. Sometimes it’s a confirmation of something. Other times, it’s simply – “Be still. I’ve got this.” I recently started rereading the Book of Esther. Wow! Talk about a warrior woman! Read Proverbs 31:10-30.
- Have faith.
With all of the craziness going on in our world, it can be difficult to believe that God is still in control. You may be thinking He’s the one on vacation! Our faith is being tested now more than ever. Storms come our way every day. It’s hard to know where to turn or what to do.
The apostle Peter was the only human being to ever walk on water, except for Jesus. When Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he was fine. When he noticed the storm, he began to sink. Let me encourage you to keep your eyes on Jesus when you face your own storm. These tornados we are in are no surprise to God. He knows exactly what’s going on and He’s got this. He’s got you! Read Matthew 14:22-33.
This week, I’d like to encourage you to check out the Scriptures I’ve referenced in this post and last week’s. Pick the one or two that resonates with you the most. 2021 can be a great year no matter what your circumstances. Remember, with God all things are possible! All things, my friend.