Happy 2020! Let's Be Front-Liners!

I am amped up about this new year! I share these words that I texted my children yesterday. Since I’ve attained the “wiser, older” status with all these years under my belt, I get to pour it on -- believing they are words straight from heaven-central:

“Praise God. I am so excited for 2020. I see it as a year of overcoming, many victories won, and what the enemy meant for evil, God is going to bring about so much good (Genesis 50:20). I see dreams and visions coming true for my family. I see above and beyond all we can ask or think according to the power that works (God’s power) in us (Ephesians 3:20). So, let’s power-up! Miracles upon miracles, blessings upon blessings, I decree and declare over my family in Jesus’ name. I have something stirring inside me that believes and sees it for all of my family – from the youngest (Bryson) to me, the oldest. There is an anticipation building inside me that this is going to be a miraculous year for our family. God is setting up His people for a powerful, mighty move of God. Let’s agree together to not settle for less than His power working in us this year – being instruments of His peace everywhere we go and we see others through the lens of Jesus and we encourage them, give them words of life and peace. They will leave our presence with new hope and expectation for their lives. I decree and declare it so, in Jesus mighty name. Amen. I love you so, so much!”

I encourage you to stand up strong and take faith-filled words and declare them with fervent belief over your families. Display and live out holy, righteous boldness in faith this year.

Some of us are skeptical about 2020 because 2019 was such a rough year. We can take the woe-is-me approach to this new year OR we can be a front-liner on God’s team and we can let Him strategically position us for a major harvest of blessings – and while we’re being blessed – we’re positioned in His army for bringing in an army of lost souls to His saving grace, too! We’ve been in boot camp, so to speak, and we graduated with flying colors. I have holy butterflies fluttering inside me because I'm determined to be on that "front-liner" team.

I sense, for those who are willing, that God is opening our eyes with 20/20 vision for our assignments this year -- having depth of perception, skills that discern the enemy with the ability to take him out with precision. I'm believing for now-moments where God will download breakthrough strategies for this year.

I sense that radical faithfulness to standing strong in the heat of the battle in 2019 was seen by God. Despite what we went through, we trusted God. He was and is watching us TODAY – this first day of the new year. I believe He has been singling out front-liners and I'm raising my hand! Pick me, Lord!

I sincerely believe this will be a new year of such closeness to God that we’ll hear His heartbeat and we'll see through His lens for His people. He is giving us 20/20 vision and we shouldn’t be afraid to step out boldly in faith. Remember Moses and his fears? “Then Moses said to the Lord, "O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant. But I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue." The Lord said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who made the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you must say" (Exodus. 4:10-12).

I believe that in this new year and new decade, we will respond to God's nudges and His whispers to stepping up and going where He sends us. We will conquer because He goes before us. He is our Father and will not leave or forsake us. So, won’t you join me and be a front-liner this year?

Grads -- Your Future is So Bright, You Need Shades

I have been enamored by all the graduation photos of all who are celebrating this momentous time of the year! Congratulations to all of you -- children AND parents. It's a great feat to have made it to this Rite of Passage that took a village to see it through. I know. I've been there too.

Graduation Day is so exciting! The ceremony is filled with speeches about pursuing your dreams, trusting yourself, taking risks and embracing change. Graduates get to celebrate the past and look forward to the future. This year, my granddaughter graduated from high school. I’m so proud of her. Right along with those who celebrated their child being the valedictorian of their class, I celebrated that my granddaughter was the valedictorian of her class – she was home-schooled. I have a great, great nephew and many family friends who are also graduating.

Whether they are getting ready to go to college, pursuing lofty goals and dreams or are sashaying into the next season of their lives, they all have expectations of how their lives are going to go. They've pictured it in their heads. Some pictures are of traveling the world or pursuing a dream job. Some pictures are of a white picket fence with four beautiful, well-behaved children and an always-loving husband or wife, and some see themselves owning a Fortune 500 company by the time they turn 25. And, there is absolutely nothing wrong with pursuing their dreams, but as those of us older, wiser folks know, those dreams may be absolutely opposite of what God's plans are for their lives and so we pray that all of these wonderful graduates pursue God's will first and foremost -- to be God-pursuers.

To all Graduates and Dreamers – keep these words in mind – “Before you ever came into being, God called your name. He formed you with love and intricately designed part of who you would become. You truly are made "in an amazing and wonderful way" (Psalm 139:14). Your journey on this path is not by coincidence. You are here because God looked out over all of history and chose you for a particular time and purpose. You could have entered the world a hundred years ago or a thousand years from now. But you are in this generation, this time, and there will never be another you or another opportunity to do what only you are chosen to complete. So go out there in boldness knowing that you don't have to be like anyone else. You don't have to do what any other person has done. You are chosen for one life — yours. And the wonderful news? Whatever God chooses for you to do, He will equip you. Being chosen means you will be given all you need. Being chosen means that success is simply obedience and trusting God will do the rest. Being chosen means that you have a great big God as your partner every step of the way. Those who love you will be cheering you on every step too! The best is yet to be for you and we can't wait to see it unfold.

Dreamers and Graduates -- you are chosen for one life - yours. God gave it to you. Now show off that life by making it the best life it could ever be for God, others and YOU!

When You Choose HOPE, Anything is Possible

HOPE, means “the exciting expectation that something GOOD is about to happen”. Yesterday, I knew what that's about -- based on my grandchildren's GREAT EXPECTATIONS about what last night held for them. When the tickets could first be bought, my grandson, Payton Wallace purchased tickets for his whole family (me and his friend included) to the premier showing of the new Star Wars Rogue One movie. Needless to say, he is quite the avid Star Wars fan. Check out his bedroom decor' here! He has looked forward to the new movie since he first heard it was coming out. When my Austin grandson, Brennan, heard about Payton going to the 10:30 pm showing last night in Frisco, he one-upped Payton and bought tickets for him and his friend to see it at the 7:30 pm showing in Austin. I love the "cousin" rivalry! Needless to say, their hope and great expectations became reality when we all saw it last night.

This post isn't so much about Star Wars as it is for us to be putting our hope and great expectations for our lives out there. Those of us who have experienced “expecting” a baby – know quite well, that it's a process. We don’t get half way through our pregnancy and say – “I’m through with this – I’m done with ‘expecting’!” No, we know it’s a process, and if we patiently wait for “the appointed time” of delivery, we’ll be blessed with a precious bundle of love and joy. Payton and Brennan, and the rest of us for that matter, did our best to patiently wait for this new episode of Star Wars and it was worth the wait.

This post really isn't about STAR Wars, but THE STAR of the show in this beautiful season of Advent -- expecting and waiting for Him. The birth of Christ gives us the hope, and possibility, that we can live life in a radical way – the way of trusting, believing, and expecting that all He’s promised us will be ours if we patiently wait for His perfect plan for our lives. During this beautiful season, may we find that place of peace -- a time of loving and deepening our relationship with God – delighting in Him. It’s a radical way of living, but the infant in the manger is a beautiful “memory” – our King of Kings is not there. He grew up, and He sacrificed His life so that we can live a life of hope and GREAT EXPECTATION.

Don’t give up! Keep your hope up! Get your EXPECTOR expecting! Remember ….. it’s a process! Your “baby” (your hopes, your dreams) will get here….and you’ll soon be blessed with God’s bundles of love and joy.

I'm Not Telling You It's Going To Be Easy! I Am Telling You It's Going To Be Worth It!

We were married for just three months, when my sweet, young husband announced that we should start our family. “We want to be young parents and grand-parents”, was his rationale. Indeed, we were just babies when we had our babies (we were 18 & 19 with the first, & 20 & 21 with the second). What a contrast we were to how “on purpose” couples are in planning their families these days: 1) Finish college; 2) Secure a well-paying job, with great benefits; 3) Once there is plenty of savings and security…..then they start their family. Not so with us -- two kids that were inexperienced in life, child-rearing, business and finances. But, we had plenty of faith, self-confidence, determination, ambition…..and most of all, profound love for each other. We were flying by the seat of our pants……and what a flight it was.

My first pregnancy was beyond uncomfortable. I was a receptionist and I HAD to work to support my “college-man” husband, besides we had a baby on the way -- so “morning sickness” which came with nausea and hanging out in the ladies’ room, was no excuse. I’d greet someone as they came into the office and would have to make a mad dash for the ladies room. Whew! Then there’s the planning, dreaming, and THEN, the labor and delivery….CRAZY pain that seemed to last forever (really, only hours), that eventually became CRAZY sweet. The baby boy that we only dreamed of having, rushed in and stole our hearts. We were completely in love with that little man.

Why am I sharing this little excerpt from our life story with you? Because it’s a story of child-like faith, dreams, taking risks, making lots of mistakes, of puppy love that turned into real, authentic love that knew no bounds. It’s a story of God loving us so much, that He even made our mistakes to prosper. It’s a story of believing that what God starts in our hearts….He is faithful to help us complete it. It’s the same story of anyone who starts out with a dream – perhaps a CRAZY idea that is driven by passion and determination. And, along the way, in an effort for the “birth” of that idea (baby) -- whether it’s a business, a ministry, an invention, or heart’s desire -- there is tremendous hard work, pain, waiting, dreaming, and struggle….but there’s no turning back. You’ve given your ALL for this “baby”, and though the months of preparation, dreaming, getting ready for the launch or the birth -- seems like it’s taking FOREVER…..in due season, when it seems it’s not going to happen, the greatest PUSH of your lifetime is required, and then that “baby” you’ve dreamed of having, will make its debut and your dream becomes reality.

Today, I urge you to keep pressing in, forging on, stretching greater, and “Be not weary in well-doing, for in due season, you will reap if you faint not.” (Galatians 6:9). This "baby" you’re carrying will get here. Be faithful to the dream and vision. Do your part as God does His. Soon, your baby will rush in and, all you’ve worked so hard for, will be here – the "baby" may not look anything like you thought he would, but he will be just the way God created him to be JUST FOR YOU! When it does, all the pain, all the sleepless nights, all the worry and anxiety, will be something of the past. I’m not telling you it’s going to be easy! I am telling you it’s ALL going to be worth it.