"My determined purpose . . . "

I love the beginning of a new year. I love the feeling of starting anew, of looking out into a new year "with no mistakes in it . . ." as Anne Shirley would say. I love the feeling of wondering what tomorrow, next week, six months from now, holds for me.

The unknown.

It is always amazing to me at the end of every year to look back on where I was a year ago, and see how much has changed since then. Most of it change that I would have never seen coming. I wonder . . . where will I be twelve months from now?

I don't like making resolutions at the new year. Everyone makes them, and then three weeks later promptly breaks them and continues on with life just as it had been three weeks before.

Instead, one of my favorite things about starting a new year is seeking the Lord about what He would have me focus on in the coming year. Every year for the past 5 or so that I have been doing this, He has never failed to press upon my mind a certain area of my life, subject, character quality, or bible verse that illustrates what He wants me to focus on. And this year has been no different.

But before I share the vision that God has given me for this new year, let me say a few other things.

This year, more than ever before I have felt that the year ahead of me is going to be BIG. Admittedly, every year walking with my Savior is big, how could it not be? But I mean even bigger than normal. This year more than ever I will be faced with the challenges that come from making unpopular choices and not doing the "politically correct" thing with my life. I am now a nineteen year old soon to be twenty year old girl, who is single, and not dating anyone. I am not going to college, and have no plans to do so in the near future. I am not pursuing a career, but am content to be at home where God has me right now, serving my father.

I am not doing it the "right way" according to what most everyone around me would say. I am not making the most of the opportunities that I have, to be someone great, to do something amazing that will impress many. I am not a "success" in the basic sense of the word.

But, whose standard am I living by anyways? In the end will it matter if I have satisfied others sense of political correctness, or, if I have brought joy to the heart of my Maker and Savior by pursing his desire for me and for my life?

The verses that the Lord gave me as my main focus and passion this year, I am more excited about than I could say.

They are Phil. 3:8-12. I love it in the Amplified, so that is what I am posting it in here, and I would ask that you please please please, read it in its entirety, and slowly. Take it all in and read it as if you had never read it before. I know it is a little long, but really, it is amazing.

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8Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One),
9And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law's demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith.
10[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [[a]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]
11That if possible I may attain to the [[b]spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].
12Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.

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Isn't it amazing!?!

I count everything loss when compared to the priceless privilege of becoming deeply and intimately more acquainted with Him. (paraphrase mine)

To know He who speaks, and waves are calmed. He who breathes, and life is created. He who paid the ultimate sacrifice by laying down His life for me while I was yet in my sins, unaware of what He had done, in order that I might have eternal joy with Him.

This is my "determined purpose".

To know and be conformed to Him.

"When You said, seek My face, my heart said to You, Your face, LORD, I will seek.” ~Psalm 27:8

~Jessica Shae