Digging Deeper

I’ve never been the kind of person to make New Year’s Resolutions and actually be intentional in following through with them. Mine would be the simple: “Get closer to Jesus”; “Start exercising more”; “Keep up your 4.0″—it was never a serious or intentional goal to make me a better person that upcoming year. To be honest, I’m still not that person. I’ve always thought it was interesting and I’d enjoy seeing others follow through with the New Year’s Resolutions they’d made for themselves, however, making them myself just hasn’t ever been a priority or an interest. I’ve grown a lot over the years, but it’s hard to reflect and know for sure it was because I was being intentional with the change.

The most intriguing type of “New Year’s Resolution” to me is when a person chooses a word or a phrase to hold on to and be their theme for that upcoming year. Whether that be “love”, “perseverance”, “purity”, “hope”—there are so many more, but most of the time it is a word that the Lord has placed on their heart and made to be the theme for their new year. I’ve been asked before in church services to write down this said “theme word” for my new year and I’d pray about it just like any other person would—maybe even make up my own that I thought the Lord was placing on my heart in that moment, but again I never took it too seriously.

Fast forward to April 4th, 2023—I unexpectedly got my theme phrase from the Lord. Unfortunately, I didn’t use my 2023 wisely enough to efficiently dwell on this phrase. However, I am so excited to hold on to it, reflect upon it, and see it play out in my 2024. My theme phrase that the Lord placed on my heart was this: “The Lord will provide” —it’s simple, but oh so powerful.

The Lord continues to sweetly and graciously unfold the truth of this statement to me as the days pass by. So much is changing and has changed since my childhood. God provided me a loving home after 17 years of being mistreated, feeling unlovable, and unseen. God provided me with the ability to attend college each semester when finances just weren’t adding up to pay my tuition. God knew that I needed and provided me with friends after going through a traumatic experience with a boy. These friends were also there for me to grasp on and reach out to when I attempted to end my life. The Lord provided me with sweet Isabelle to do life with afterward—giving me someone to do devotions with when I don’t have the strength to open my Bible by myself. Even through my depression, God continues to provide for my future. He takes care of our hearts and He cares about the little things. God will always provide, friends. What is your theme phrase going to be for your 2024? I’d love for you to share it with me!

Jesus loves you and so do I,

Malia