Hi Friends. I’ve been contemplating the new year. It’s full of hope. As a family, we are enduring some difficult circumstances concerning learning how to live without someone we love very much, but I know God is faithful and that all things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. (See Romans 8:28) We love Him very much, so I see hope and victory in our lives. Sometimes the vision is a bit blurry through tears, but the battle is won.

In case you’ve forgotten, it’s been won for you as well!

With a new year travels hope and anticipation of what is to come. I’m waiting expectantly. My dreams consist of encouraging women on a deeper level. I want to know you, and I want you to know me. I have all sorts of ideas on how we can connect. Pretty soon, I’m going to be sending a survey out to ask some questions. I’m interested in knowing if you might want to participate in some research, videos, and interviews for a project that will go hand-in-hand with my book Nothing to Hold but Hope. Have you read it?

I know what grief looks like. Unfortunately, I can relate to it from many different perspectives. But grief can’t hold us back if we don’t let it. We can determine how much power it holds. How? Well, for starters, we serve the Victor! The Lord strong in battle! And He has given us the power to overcome. When we serve Jesus, we develop into overcomers. Amen and AMEN!!!!

You, yes you, reading this right now. You are an overcomer in Jesus name! (Tweet that to encourage someone!)

Today, I still lie in bed struggling with the cough leftover from bronchitis. I couldn’t attend church, so I decided to open up my Bible and have church all on my own…

In Luke chapter 4, Jesus stands up to read in the synagogue. He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah…

“And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord'”

-Luke 4:17-19

All of us has fallen into one of those categories at some time or another. We have been poor, (whether it be financially or spiritually) we have been brokenhearted, held captive by something, and in some way been blind or oppressed. But He came to give us freedom from all of that. In Him we have hope that He WILL make all things new. He fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah and died on the cross to free us all. It just never gets old for me. I’m marveling over that this morning…

He wants to free you! He wants to reach whatever part of you that is poor and needy, He wants to heal your brokenness and turn it to beauty, He wants set you free from whatever is holding you captive, give you sight (either physically or metaphorically) in every area you need wisdom, to lift you from oppression, and to proclaim the year of the Lord! He longs to make you new!

If you are struggling today, I want to give you hope. A new year is coming. Let’s praise the Victor for our victories!

Love,

Jennifer