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How do we prepare our hearts for the new year?
When the first day of 2021 rolled around, I was confident because I knew my One Word. I thought I had a good plan to move forward into a successful year. But I was utterly unprepared for all that 2021 held. Most of my writing plans went by the wayside. And my heart and mind and spirit? They were blindsided by everything 2021 was.
- Deaths of family and friends
- A biopsy
- Contracting Covid
- A boy-man making heartbreaking choices
- Deep discouragement
I don’t list this so people feel sorry for me; this is a cross-cut of all 2021 was for our family.
And I wasn’t spiritually prepared to grapple with all the stress these events brought on. I lived in reactor mode rather than trust-God mode.
So, how do we prepare our hearts and minds for the unexpected this year will throw at us?
How to Prepare our Hearts:
- Decide when in our day—each day—we will spend time with the Lord in His word and prayer. Having this daily habit prepares us for when the struggles come.
- Remember—maybe even journal—the ways we saw God show up in our life last year. These can be like an altar of remembrance for us when we face struggles this year.
- If we have One Word we’re focusing on, ask the Lord to give us verses to meditate on. Ask Him to give us eyes to see how He’s speaking to us regarding our One Word.
- Consider where we struggled last year and bring those before the Lord. Ask Him to renew our hearts and minds in those areas. For me? Fear. I’m asking the Lord to show me when and why I’m reacting in fear in a given situations and to help me change the focus of my thoughts.
How to Prepare our Minds:
- Determine in our thoughts that we will cling to the Lord, even if the worst happens in our year.
- Consider these questions that help us determine how things went last year. (PS I’m not endorsing the site of this link, but I thought the questions were great!).
- Pray through the areas where we struggled and ask the Lord for insight. What were our heart issues? Why did we grapple in that area? Where did we see growth in our relationship with God? With others? Ask God for direction as we work through these questions and other things God shows us.
- For goal-setters, ask the Lord to show us the goals He wants us to work toward and craft a plan.
We all want to thrive in this new year, don’t we? If we’re going to flourish, we must accept that we will face unexpected events. Hopefully, nothing truly terrible will happen. But, even if our worst fears become a reality, we get to choose how we will respond.
8 How To’s to Prepare our Hearts for the New Year—If we're going to flourish, we must accept that we will face unexpected events #tellhisstory #newyear #perspective Click To TweetNurturing our relationship with God
If we are intentional in our daily choices by nurturing our relationships with God and others, if those genuinely terrible times happen, we will weather them better. When we meditate on and live in the truths God teaches us in the calm times, we’ll be able to stand on them in the difficult times. Our God is always faithful, unchanging, and ever-present.
8 How To’s to Prepare our Hearts for the New Year—8 How To's to Prepare our Hearts for the New Year—When we meditate on and live in the truths God teaches us in the calm times, we'll be able to stand on them in the difficult times… Click To Tweet
In this psalm, David reveals his peace. This man who worshiped God in the field with the sheep . . .
This man who killed a lion and a bear because he was the shepherd of his sheep and this was his responsibility, and he didn’t make a big deal about it . . .
This is the same man who cried out to the Lord in his trouble. He knew God heard his cries.
David, in the midst of trouble, laid down and slept. He slept! And he awoke knowing that the Lord sustained him and would continue to sustain him.
Because of the relationship David fostered in the fields and the quiet times, He knew God would be with him in these times when his enemies came against him.
David knew peace because He knew the One who protected and provided for him.
Truths to remember
As we head into the rest of this year, let’s prepare our hearts by remembering these truths:
God loves us perfectly, passionately, and completely
He will walk with us through each day in the ups and the downs
As we draw near to God, He will draw near to us
Even when we are weak, our Father is always strong
Let’s do the work to prepare our hearts and minds for this year. Though we don’t know all we will face, we know the One who does. Let’s lean into our Father, trusting Him in every moment.
What about you? What helps you prepare for a new year? How do you find peace in unexpected times?
Come share your story at the Tell His Story linkup. Connect and be encouraged by like-minded friends! #tellhisstory #linkup Click To TweetMost weeks, I link up with Grace and Truth, Anita Ojeda, Instaencouragements, and sometimes Let’s Have Coffee. Come join and read more encouraging posts!
Each week we gather here as storytellers, word weavers, and encouragers to make His name known. Our story is God’s story and this small corner of the blogging world, where we come together each Tuesday, needs you. This is a place where poetry, snapshots, prayers, and stories find a safe spot to nod in agreement that what we have to say matters. I am glad you are here and would love to have you join the #TellHisStory community. Add your own encouraging post through the link below. Spread some love by visiting your neighbor and leaving your own encouragement. Click here to read more about the #TellHisStory community and find a button to add to your site.
Each week we gather here as storytellers, word weavers, and encouragers to make His name known. Our story is God’s story and this small corner of the blogging world, where we come together each Tuesday, needs you. This is a place where poetry, snapshots, prayers, and stories find a safe spot to nod in agreement that what we have to say matters. I am glad you are here and would love to have you join the #TellHisStory community. Add your own encouraging post through the link below. Spread some love by visiting your neighbor and leaving your own encouragement. Click here to read more about the #TellHisStory community and find a button to add to your site.
So much wisdom here. This little bit gave me pause: “I’m asking the Lord to show me when and why I’m reacting in fear in a given situations and to help me change the focus of my thoughts.” What a practical means of getting to the root cause of my reactions. When I’ve taken the time to identify the mental culprit, I can expose it to the light and respond in a God-honoring way when provoked again. Great post, Jeanne.
Mary, a belated thank you for your encouraging words. I’m seeing more and more that, when I (we?) take the time to discover the root of our fears, we can then deal with them. Yes, exposing them to the light and then responding in a God-honoring way is our desire, yes? Thanks so much for visiting!
Jeanne, I’m so thankful for your willingness to share from your life in such practical, personal ways. I also hope that 2022 holds seasons of refreshing for you and your family. ❤️
Thanks for your encouraging words, Lois. I’m praying for refreshment this year too. 🙂
sometimes He gives us just a glimpse of what’s ahead and that’s enough to drive us to our knees. and sometimes there is no glimpse, but a knowing that we’re going to need Him more than ever before.
again, we turn to Him.
Yes indeed, Linda. I think if God showed me more than the next couple steps of my journey, I’d be overwhelmed with fear. I’m thankful we can always come to Him in prayer and know that He hears us. He guides us. He loves us through every aspect of the journey.
I’m so sorry 2021 was so difficult for you and your family. I appreciate your sharing the lessons and insights you learned that have helped you stay faithful and go forward with hope and trust in God.
A belated thank you, Kathy. God never wastes a thing, does He? Trusting Him is the only way to navigate the tough seasons.
Love this so, so much, dearest friend!! 💚
Thanks so much, my friend!
I’m sorry 2021 was so hard. I feel the same in many ways, and it has definitely left me fearful of what’s ahead. I love your thoughts on preparing our hearts and determining to trust in Go d whatever happens. Fear is definitely one of the things I need to tackle this year.
Lesley, thanks for your words. I’ve struggled a lot with fear over the past year as well. I know I’ll be blogging about it as I see how cling weaves into my life. Yes, we need to trust God in whatever happens.
Isn’t it something how God teaches us the deepest lessons through the most difficult trials? My heart ached for you this past year. Thank you for passing on to us the insightful lessons you learned, Jeanne. I especially want to cling to the truths you shared. They really touched my heart. And as always, your nature pics refresh my heart. 🙂 In them, I can better envision the truth and unchangeableness of God’s character. Love and blessings to you!
Yes, Trudy, God does teach us deeper truths through difficult trials. I so appreciate your encouragements, my friend. Sending you love and blessings back!
I prepare for the New Year by reading over my Journal entries of that year on New Year’s Eve. It really brings the Lord’s blessings, strength & answers to prayer in focus especially through those harder times of that particular year.
I then go into the New year knowing He will never leave me & He has whatever is coming in the New Year in His hands.
Bless you Jeanne,
Jennifer
Jennifer, I love that you read over your journal entries from the previous year. What a great way to maintain a healthy perspective! And, I love that you hold onto God’s promises. So perfect for beginning a new year.
I’m not one to need a break,
and in my days I felt no fear,
but dear Lord, make no mistake
and GET ME OUT OF HERE!!
I’m fighting now for every breath,
and sleep is terrifying;
Lord, to say I’m scared to death
is not, I pray, denying
the faith and trust I have in You,
the hope for streets of gold,
but while I hold all this as true,
please let me be so bold
to ask, not that I prosper, thrive,
but that I see next year alive.
Awww, Andrew. Again, your words fill me with emotion. My heart feels for you and Barb as you walk this hard, hard road. I’m praying for you and Barb and the dogs, my friend.
Yes, Lord. Prepare me in every way for what you have for me this.
Amen to this prayer, Lauren!
I appreciate the practical ways you shared for preparing our hearts and minds, especially this, “If we are intentional in our daily choices by nurturing our relationships with God and others… When we meditate on and live in the truths God teaches us in the calm times, we’ll be able to stand on them in the difficult times.”
I so enjoyed your pictures! May I ask where the pictures were taken, Jeanne?
Lisa, I’m so glad you found this post encouraging! I snapped the photos on our drive through Utah en route to southern California over the Christmas break. 🙂
I am thankful that in those unexpected moments, we can find rest in God.
Yes, Melissa. God is always with us. I’m thankful for that truth, because, as you say, we can find rest in Him.
I like the idea of “an altar of remembrance”; it’s always encouraging to remember what God has done in other hard times. Thank you for the “truths to remember”, too often I forget when the going gets tough.
Wemi, it’s important that we remember how God has worked in our lives in the past, isn’t it? This gives us the courage to keep pressing on and in to Him because we know He’ll show up in this situation, just like he has in past situations. Thanks so much for stopping by!
So many losses you’ve had. My heart breaks for you, Jeanne. I relate to many of those losses myself, especially in the latter half of 2021 for me, snowballing into 2022 now. You give us great advice for how to prepare our hearts and minds to flourish despite the uncertainty ahead.
You’ve been on my heart often, Lisa. I’ve prayed for you during some of our own struggles, and I will continue to. May the Lord be your strength and help you flourish in the difficult seasons!
Jeanne, thank you for this tender post. Thank you for helping me to prepare my heart for the new year. Blessings.
Paula, I’m so glad you found this post encouraging. Thank you for stopping by!
Jeanne, such good advice here. The key of course is choosing to prepare, which keeps us out of reactor mode. I love the aspects of preapring our hearts AND our minds. So often the intertwining of thoughts and emotions undermines our best efforts to trust God. Thank you for such a practical post Friend!
Reactor mode, sadly, has been a mode I’ve lived in far too many times. I’ve worked to get out of that mode because it’s never healthy for very long. I’ve learned how intertwined our thoughts and our hearts are. We need to get/keep both in proper alignment with the Lord if we want to live healthy and in a way that honors our Father.
Jeanne, this post resonated with my heart. 2020 was a rough year for me and my family, but 2021 caught me off quard yet again. I like the questions to ask. That’s one thing the Lord has shown me, it’s good to reflect over the last 12 months. When we look back through a window of the past, it helps open a door to the future. And I’m hanging onto the promises you mention at the end.
Karen, I think many of us went into 2021 expecting it to be a fresh start. In some ways it was, but in many other ways, 2021 was a continuation of and deepening of some of the problems from 2020. I’m so thankful God is with us in every day of every week of every month of the year. I’m beyond thankful for God’s promises too!
Wonderful points on how to navigate our challenges! Learning to focus on the eternal instead of the every day can help me navigate all the rough patches. Still learning how to do that better! May God be preparing your heart at this very moment, Jeanne!
Lynn, maintaining an eternal perspective is wise. We were talking about that in church on Sunday. We are here on earth for a little while, but eternity will be our forever home. I sometimes struggle with getting spun up with the challenges here, when what I really need to be doing is asking God for His eternal perspective on the stressors spinning me up. I hope you’ll share more on your blog about focusing on the eternal.
Jeanne, I’m sorry for your losses. I think the last two years have taught me my hope is in the Lord—not in my circumstances. Instead of facing a new year, I need to face a new day, one at a time.
Deb, I so appreciate your wisdom. Focusing on facing each new day, one at a time, is much more doable than placing too much focus on an entire year. And yes, our hope is definitely in the Lord. Placing it anywhere else will only leave us floundering.
Such great tips to approach the New Year. I will be honest, I’ve had a hard time saying “Happy New Year” to anyone this year because I have an apocalyptic view of 2022. My church is preparing it’s congregation for difficult times ahead and they chose the word “Stand” for 2022. I like that word, and I’m choosing it for myself as well. No matter what happens this year I will continue to stand for God.
Amy, I understand the apocalyptic view of 2022. STAND is a great word to meditate on and learn to live into. Thank goodness that, though we don’t know what the future holds, we know the One who holds the future.
Jeanne, what a wise and wonderful post! 2021 was a challenging year for me, too. So, I appreciate all that you said and plan to contemplate the questions you posed. Thanks, too, for hosting again this week. It’s always a blessing to be here.
Donna, I’m sorry 2021 was a challenging year for you too. I’m thankful God walks with us through every day, every season. May God equip you and prepare you for this coming year, and may it hold much joy!
As a teacher, the new year in January seldom seems like a ‘new year!’ August, on the other hand, is when I struggle and grapple with all the changes. New colleagues (at times), new students, new curriculum, new ways of doing things, new routines after 10 weeks of summer limbo. And boy, do I struggle! Maybe I need to remember all your wise advice for August—I don’t prepare myself as much as I should.
Anita, this makes perfect sense! I agree that in the teaching life, August feels like the beginning of a new season, a new year. May we both be intentional about preparing ourselves both now and in the mid-year time frame. 🙂
As I read your post, one sentence came to mind … In a time when so much around us is unsettling, we need to have our hearts and minds settled on God. Settled meaning … His Word resides in us. We have established or fixed our thoughts on Him and decided to follow Him. Only as we are settled, will our hearts not wander. Jeanne, thank you for provoking me to think about this today!
Joanne, your thoughts resonated with my heart. Fixing our thoughts and hearts on Jesus and determining that we will follow Him regardless is what helps our heart to not wander. Thanks for this reminder today.
I’m so sorry for all the hard events of last year. I think these are all good tips.In answer to your question about what helps prepare for a new year–for me it’s the same as what helps prepare for each new day. If everyday I spend time in God’s Word and prayer, He directs and gives grace and strength for that day. I was thinking recently of verses in the Bible that talk about walking with God: a walk is a series of steps. I don’t have to worry about grace for all the steps ahead: just the one in front of me, and then the next. As to peace in unexpected times–reminding myself that God is in control, loves me, and has a purpose for all He allows helps me.
Barbara, I like your thoughts here. Yes, preparing for each day by spending time in God’s word, in prayer, in worship . . . these do equip us for whatever we face–in a day or in a season. What you said about walking being a series of steps and how God guides us reminded me of Psalm 119:105—His word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths. He only shines the way for a couple of steps forward. We must trust Him with the knowns and unknowns of life, right?
Spiritual preparedness digs into the days if prosperity so we’ll be fed when we enter the wilderness. Seems.as if those crises always catch us unaware and unprepared. Blessings to you as you lean into grace for 2022.
I love this, Michele. Yes, we need to prepare in the mundane days for the times when we walk through the wilderness. May we both lean into grace this year, friend.