What a year…. I mean when 2020 started Kylie and I kept telling each other we thought God was going to do something big this year but we did not think pandemic ?!
Even now I am writing this while suffering from another health crisis. A pain in my head that has doctors and my family at a loss once again and is draining my energy, but God gave me a word and an encouragement to share… and He gave me the strength today to communicate it effectively. How good is He? If He calls you to something, He is faithful to bring you through!
Anyways... this year brought so much crazy and darkness: I mean fires, inequalities, a mental health crisis, isolation, murder hornets (what was that about?), the threat of war and…
a PANDEMIC
Sometimes it makes you wonder… God, where are you? Why would you let this happen? And what I want you to know that God is not afraid of your doubts or your questions. Even His disciple Thomas doubted Jesus as He stood in front of him and rather than condemnation Jesus extended his hands to show proof… even though Jesus, being God, owed man nothing (John 20:24-29). Second, I want you to know that I have asked this throughout 2020. I have fallen on my knees in tears and ask God how on earth He could create good out of this, and today – after a day of tears – I got an answer: in your weakness, in the weakness of the world my power and strength is seen more perfectly and clearly (2 Corinthians 12:9-11).
So then I started thinking… how have I seen God’s strength this year in the weakness?
1. I started this year with 65,000 college aged Christian men and women. As someone who does not know many Christians my age it blew my mind and was so insanely encouraging! Christianity is not extinct; it is on FIRE. This young generation has so much passion and drive within them. God has given them a spirit of a lion, not timid or afraid but bold in their faith and desire to know God more. It was just such a God- thing to start this year with worship and in the presence of so many believers. God is not close to being dead y’all!
2. While the country was shutting down the Church of God was opening so many doors (metaphorically). Going online my church was able to reach and bring 9,109 people into a personal relationship with God. That is more than all previous 8 years of the churches existence combined! The average attendance weekly was 22,182 people, on Easter they reached 53,792 homes (anyone else have chills??). They went from being in 3 prisons in Ohio to hundreds of prisons across 45 states. Alissa why the heck are you giving us these numbers…. Because I want you to see hard proof that God was not silent or absent in 2020. He was in the government and His hand was over His people. Not even COVID which shut down the whole world could stop God. He does not have borders or boundaries. He is not stopped.
3. Passion.. AGAIN? Heck ya! Passion 2021 was not silenced. In fact, God made it that much bigger by moving it online. Now travel and cost is not a problem because He also gave a generous spirit to a donor that paid for all expenses! He is breaking down doors to reach people! He is pursuing you… are you pursuing Him?
4. In my own life going online and through my blog He gave me the ability to reach people through a small virtual Bible Study. This gave us a community even in isolation. A place to come and safely discuss troubles where we could receive godly encouragement and advice! Not only was he present in the world but also right in my own life building relationships that proved so essential in my survival of 2020! God cares! Not just about the big picture but He cares deeply and desperately for you!
5. He took care of His creation. He let creation rest and restored it. And man is it beautiful!
So this is my encouragement going into 2021 – shoot the years are going by so quick –
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
There is an occasion for everything
And a time for every activity under the sun
A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot;
A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build;
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to avoid embracing;
A time to search and a time to count as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away;
A time to tear and a time to sew;
A time to be silent and a time to speak;
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace…
Right now, we are in a time of dying, killing, mourning, searching, waring (if that’s a word lol) and planting. Soon we will see all of God’s work that went on behind the scenes of 2020 come to light. We will see new birth of nations and people, just as life has gone new life will come, and it will be beautiful. We will see healing, healing of our spirit that has been broken, healing of relationships that were split, healing of the deepest part of our core. We will see laughing as we are released and finding freedom and joy and contentment even in this stage. We will see finding, peace, love, and blooming.
This year has been a hard period of time. But it is just that… time – and even time is not more powerful than God. As believer we need to seize this moment in history. God does not make mistakes, there is no luck or chance, only God-moments. If you are alive and reading this right now know that you were made for a time like this. You were made to be a light for Christ in this darkness. You were made to be here and show a hopeless nation the hope and joy found only in Christ. You were made to ROAR the name of Christ to all nations.
Don’t let the trauma and heartache of this year dim your light. Don’t let the darkness win. Enter 2021 with joy and trust that God will work everything out for the good. Enter confident because as a believer you are on the winning team! To live is gain – you have the chance to keep growing in relationship with your creator and to make heaven full! To die is gain – you get to be home with God.
So do not be afraid, do not lose hope, just grasp the hand of your loving, just, all-powerful creator and walk out of 2020 and into 2021 knowing God will always be right by your side.
I’ll see you in the new year loves! Happiest of new years to you and yours, and praise God for this year and the year to come!
Love you all! and God does too.
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