I recently went on a quick cruise with my family to celebrate my 50th birthday. It was early in the morning, my favorite time when everyone is sleeping. I grabbed a hot cup of coffee and went out to the balcony as the ship was docking. I begin to speak and pray to the Lord and sat quielty to listen. I love to journal specifically on my birthday and allow the Lord to speak to me about my life, the last year of my life, and into the hope of the future.
I sensed that the good Lord wanted me to reflect on the last 50 years of my life. Honestly, reflecting on some of those years did not feel too comfortable and brought tears to my eyes, but I sensed it was necessary to point me to the future and I needed to obey God. I began to write, I paused and looked up. Our ship had fully docked and we were side by side with another ship. The name of the ship was down the side and eyeball level to where I was sitting. The sun was shining bright and reflecting off the name "REFLECTION". Ok God :) I get it! and so I began to write and...
Reflect on my God.
Reflect on my life.
Reflect on my journey.
Reflect on my future.
Reflect on my goals.
Reflect on eternity.
Reflect on my past.
Reflect on my hope.
Reflect on my sufferings.
Reflect on my victories.
Reflect on my dreams.
Reflect on my failures.
Reflect on my expectations.
Reflect on my fears.
Reflect on my insecurities.
Reflect on my heart.
Reflect on my learnings.
Reflect on God's Wisdom.
Reflect on my wounds.
Reflect on my healings.
Reflect on betrayals.
Reflect on friendships.
Reflect on challenges.
Reflect on obstacles.
Reflect on redemption.
Reflect on freedom.
Reflect on sanctification.
Reflect on my emotions.
Reflect on my health.
Reflect on my spirituality.
Reflect on my family.
Reflect on my desires.
Reflect on my realities.
Reflect on priorities.
Reflect, Reflect, Reflect on the cross and my Jesus.
What might your list look like? An interesting discovery as I worked through this list is deep reflection leads to awareness of any limiting definitions or barriers that could be holding you back from being all God has called and purposed you to be. There is alot of widsom to gain from reflection. You think about choices you wished you would have made differntly, regrets you have struggled with, promises you wished you would have kept, goals you wished you would have accomplished, and definitely what you want to do different in the future. For me, I realized at the ripe age of 50 that I have come to a place where I have nothing to lose and all to gain. Each day is a day closer to Heaven and to live my best life is to fully surrender to God, expand my tent pegs and give it all to HIM! Reflection allows me to learn from the past, leave it with its rightful owner and look to Jesus to write and author my future.
Carl Sandburg once said "It is good for a man to be alone". Well, sweet friend, I love my alone time, but it is also good for a woman to reflect. Go sit on the beach or by the lake. Take a hike in nature or look into the mountain tops. Take a walk through the wildflowers and pause to smell them. Whatever you choose, just get alone with yourself and God, drown out the noise, leave the distractions behind and seek His voice. Explore and reflect together and you might just walk away with an entire different perspective on life!
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" Lamentations 3:22-23
Remember this verse as you reflect! I love you bunches friend.
Jeannie
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