At the end of every year, my husband and I spend time reflecting, praying, and asking God for a word or scripture that will guide our lives for the upcoming year; what we call our mandate for the year. Last year’s mandate was a very interesting one. It came from the book of revelations:

I know your deeds; you have a reputation for being alive, yet you are dead. Wake up and strengthen what remains, which was about to die; for I have found your deeds incomplete in the sight of My God. Remember, then, what you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know the hour when I will come upon you.

Revelations 3:1-3 NIV

With that mandate, I knew going into 2023 that it was destined to be an interesting and challenging year. What I did not know was that 2023 will be one of the longest years I had yet to experience! Although the days, weeks, and months flew by relatively quickly, the losses, disappointments, and failures I experienced in the year made each day feel so long and drawn out. Many times, it felt like what little I had left of my joy, peace,and sanity were being chipped at bit by bit and each of those times, the mandate was clear, “Wake up…strengthen what remains.” As I grasped dearly to promises and encouragements from scripture, songs, sermons, family, and well wishers, I was very cognizant of the first part of the mandate as well: “you have a reputation for being alive, yet you are dead.” Throughout the challenges of 2023, I kept asking God to show me the areas of my life were my deeds were incomplete and boy did those trials show me! I learnt so much about myself and my relationship with God as everything and I mean everything I have come to know about God was tested. I trust that in this beautiful year 2024, I will have ample opportunity to share more details of the lessons from 2023.

2024 will be another interesting year. There will be more to learn but this time, I am ready. I am prepared to trust God through the process and relinquish the reins to Him. It will be a year where I will need to learn to listen and obey. The leadings and promptings of God will be such rich currency to navigate 2024 as the world plunges into a financial recession. As morality continues to decline both in the church and in the world, walking in step with God will be important as I continue to strengthen what remains. My mandate for this new year is as clear as day: God is asking that each day I conciously and intentionally make a choice to accept Him. What does this mean? I am sure I will find out this year won’t I?

Well, I look forward to each day of 2024 and I receive each day with joy and thanksgiving and with anticipation of what God has in store for me. My guiding prayer for 2024 is found in none other than Psalm 86

Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Psalm 86:11 NIV

And I pray this for you as I pray this for myself today and for all 366 days of this year (Yes, its a leap year…exciting!).

Yours truly