Renew
–verb (used with object)
1. to begin or take up again, as an acquaintance, a conversation, etc.; resume.
2. to make effective for an additional period: to renew a lease.
3. to restore or replenish: to renew a stock of goods.
4. to make, say, or do again.
5. to revive; reestablish.
6. to recover (youth, strength, etc.).
7. to restore to a former state; make new or as if new again.
(Definition from Dictionary.com)
I think with springtime arriving, the grass, trees, plants and flowers transitioning from brown to green it is a natural thing to think about this time of year.
This is a word that has been spoken in my heart for the past month or so. It seems as though every morning, I hear the word whispered to me as I get out of bed and begin my 45 minute drive to work.
Renew.
For some, a renewal process is difficult, maybe even painful. For me…a renewal process is comforting.
There are certain areas of my life I find myself renewing over, and over and over again. It is in these areas that I sense God’s presence the most. Typically, (in my life) in order to “renew” I must “surrender” and while that is one of the most difficult things for me to do, it is refreshing. It is the realization that my way gets me nowhere, and God’s way will get me where I need to be. When I can’t get it right, God gives me His grace to try it again. The refreshing part comes when the burden of carrying the stress is removed. It is in knowing that when I let go completely, God has the opportunity to move completely, without hindrance or resistance from me.
This week in particular, I have been pretty emotional with the thought of Easter approaching. This past weekend, I listened to one of my beautiful, little second cousins explain what Easter was all about. “Jesus died on the cross to take away my sins and then came back to life,” she said as she skipped through the parking lot on the way to the beach. My son came home from youth group and said that they watched a clip from The Passion of the Christ and I almost cried as I flashed back to when I watched it for the very first time.
The thought of all of our failures, all of our shortcomings, our sins…removed. To “restore to a former state; make new or as if new again. To revive; reestablish.” Jesus died a horrible death on a cross…for us and all we have to do is seek his forgiveness. To ask him to make us new again, and surrender our old ways.
I’ve been trying to be the person God has created me to be. I figure God deserves that much! And while I don’t understand a lot of what goes on through my journey in life I need to remember that He has a divine purpose for me. And when I start to question His purpose? He gives me moments like this:
This morning as I was driving to work, I looked to the east and thought, “NO WAY!” and God gently whispered… “renew.”
–verb (used with object)
1. to begin or take up again, as an acquaintance, a conversation, etc.; resume.
2. to make effective for an additional period: to renew a lease.
3. to restore or replenish: to renew a stock of goods.
4. to make, say, or do again.
5. to revive; reestablish.
6. to recover (youth, strength, etc.).
7. to restore to a former state; make new or as if new again.
(Definition from Dictionary.com)
I think with springtime arriving, the grass, trees, plants and flowers transitioning from brown to green it is a natural thing to think about this time of year.
This is a word that has been spoken in my heart for the past month or so. It seems as though every morning, I hear the word whispered to me as I get out of bed and begin my 45 minute drive to work.
Renew.
For some, a renewal process is difficult, maybe even painful. For me…a renewal process is comforting.
There are certain areas of my life I find myself renewing over, and over and over again. It is in these areas that I sense God’s presence the most. Typically, (in my life) in order to “renew” I must “surrender” and while that is one of the most difficult things for me to do, it is refreshing. It is the realization that my way gets me nowhere, and God’s way will get me where I need to be. When I can’t get it right, God gives me His grace to try it again. The refreshing part comes when the burden of carrying the stress is removed. It is in knowing that when I let go completely, God has the opportunity to move completely, without hindrance or resistance from me.
This week in particular, I have been pretty emotional with the thought of Easter approaching. This past weekend, I listened to one of my beautiful, little second cousins explain what Easter was all about. “Jesus died on the cross to take away my sins and then came back to life,” she said as she skipped through the parking lot on the way to the beach. My son came home from youth group and said that they watched a clip from The Passion of the Christ and I almost cried as I flashed back to when I watched it for the very first time.
The thought of all of our failures, all of our shortcomings, our sins…removed. To “restore to a former state; make new or as if new again. To revive; reestablish.” Jesus died a horrible death on a cross…for us and all we have to do is seek his forgiveness. To ask him to make us new again, and surrender our old ways.
I’ve been trying to be the person God has created me to be. I figure God deserves that much! And while I don’t understand a lot of what goes on through my journey in life I need to remember that He has a divine purpose for me. And when I start to question His purpose? He gives me moments like this:
This morning as I was driving to work, I looked to the east and thought, “NO WAY!” and God gently whispered… “renew.”
Every day is a new day, with new beginnings and new opportunities.
Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
-2 Corinthians 4:16
1 comment:
Great photos and edits!
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