Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes
Hello, my dear sisters in Christ. A blessed Thursday morning to you all!
The hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season is, for now, at a lull. In a day or two, the hurried climate will again pick up, and will reach its peak at the strike of the new year.
For many of us, these days just before the New Year should feel a little slower, less stressful, and calmer (save for those whose little kids are at home tirelessly turning the place upside down, to which I can totally relate.)
But I know that after all the planning, shopping, food preparing, cooking, and, of course, caroling, we can take a little breather, knowing that we’ve reached our goals, we’ve given out our gifts, and we’ve fulfilled our parts in the Christmas Vigils, Sunday Worship songs of praise assignments, Christmas Day Worship, and all the other wonderful acts of service we’ve done these past weeks and months.
In a day or two, we won’t be able to help it but to be again swept by the frenzy of welcoming a brand new year. Some last minute things-to-do might even sneak up on us and we’ll be suspended up in the air of busyness yet again.
So I’d like us to do something before the anticipation of a new year sets in: REFLECT.
A moment of reflection will surely help us welcome 2024 in the spirit. Reflection has been shown to help in taking on a right mindset and attitude. As daughters of God, we should desire to step into the new year completely attuned to His good and perfect will.
Don’t worry, this won’t take too long.
Go somewhere quiet (your bathroom will do if you have to.) Take a pen and paper, or open your Notes App on your phone, whichever you prefer, and do this:
Make a list of all the things, happenings, and people you’re thankful for in 2023. Take your time. Don’t rush. This is the point of reflection – we take time, we pause, we ponder. Trust me, you need this moment for yourself. (Think about “me time,” which is actually, for SPA purposes, “soul time.”
As you make your list of blessings, don’t brush aside the difficult times, they only made your victories sweeter.
Psalm 103:2 (EASY) says, ”I say to myself, ‘Praise the Lord!’ Never forget all the good things that he has done for you!“
Reflection makes us grateful. It also allows us to face the new year with confidence, knowing that God CAN and WILL make us again MORE THAN CONQUERORS (Romans 8:37).
I pray that you’ll be blessed and inspired as you take a moment to do your SPA (spiritual self-care) in the still and quiet company of our good Heavenly Father. Amen. Praise the Lord!
Helping and inspiring women Livingstones to achieve deeper godliness by developing a habit of engaging in personal spiritual self-care.
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