Epiphany

The last time I had an epiphany was on my birthday last year.  I was sitting in a hotel room in Chicago and it dawned on me that I had some work to do.  So on a piece of stationary from The Whitehall Hotel dated 10/18/2012 I made three columns entitled:  Physical, Financial and Professional.  Underneath each heading I wrote out very specific goals, things I need to accomplish within five years.  This sheet of paper is hanging up above my desk at home.  The physical goal has been accomplished and while I’ve given myself five years for all three, I really need to light a fire under my tail to accomplish the remainder.

August is set aside at my church as the month of prayer.  The theme this year is Contending:  Believe …Stand…Prevail.  Obviously, prayer is important all year long but there are additional meetings and so forth in August.  One of the things that we do all year long is Soaking Prayer on Monday nights.  I don’t normally attend for one reason or another but I was drawn to it this past Monday because we are in the month of prayer.  To “soak” is to just rest and welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit.  It’s not a time for you to speak to God, but for God to speak to you.

I really needed God to speak to me regarding my remaining goals.  I need to hear his voice and determine if I’m headed in the right direction and if I’m not, I need him to turn me around.  I can’t afford to waste anymore time.  What I need is to be able to find and maintain a balance.  Last year when I started school I was gung-ho and hit the ground running.  Then, when I started working out I was gung-ho and hit the ground running and I didn’t take any classes this summer.  I need to be in the gym and I need to go to school and I need to work full time…and be a Mom and everything else.

I was reminded that God has a plan for my life (Jeremiah 29:11) and it is His intention for me to have an abundant life (John 10:10).  He promised me that I would be the head and not the tail, above and not beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13) and He will do whatever I ask (John 14:14).  Additionally, whatever I’m going through now cannot even compare to the awesomeness that is coming (Romans 8:18).  He will not leave me alone (John 14:18) and I am more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37).

To contend is to remind God of what he promised and to live with the expectation that He will fulfill those promises. 

I’m not worried and I’m not afraid.  I recognize that I have plenty of work to do and 2014 will be the year that I’ll have to prove that I’m able to do the work because in 2015 I’m expecting big changes to take place.  It’s not going to be easy and I’m not looking for easy.  Where’s the satisfaction in that?