Here’s to a Blessed New Year! Funny when I started this blog a year ago, I never in a million years would have thought 2020 would have turned out as it did. I had to go back and read those words again to remind myself God is still in control. Wishing everyone a Happy New Year, well, maybe it the cynicism in me, but telling someone to be happy is like telling someone to not worry.
Happiness is a choice; so is worry. We can choose to be happy despite our feelings or our circumstances. Doesn’t mean we are doing cartwheels, but our hearts can still be thankful as hard as that may be at times. We can be thankful IN circumstances – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 because the joy of the Lord is our strength – Nehemiah 8:10 ( hmmm, that may be another blog post soon, stay tuned).
So as we enter into 2020 we can choose to advance with fear or faith, happiness or worry. And as uncertain as the future may seem, one fact remains that is certain, God still sits on the throne. He is in control. He holds our future. So what’s to fear? Fear is not from God – 1 Timothy 1:7. Will we be fearful at times? Yes! We are human and God knows this and it’s at those times He wants us to come to Him, to draw near, to toss out our kedge anchor and pull closer to Him – James 4:8-10. God is not surprised by us becoming fearful. I have tried to be “brave” in front of God. Know what? It’s exhausting. There is a quote, “When I acknowledge my fear, it loses it’s power.” (unknown). When I acknowledge my fear to my Father, it loses it’s power and I am free to live in faith. God is gracious and won’t condemn us when we become fearful – Psalm 145:8.
So instead of wishing everyone a Happy New Year, I am wishing all who read this a Blessed New Year!!
Photo by Travis Rupert on Pexels.com
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The Kedge Anchor - Anchored in Hope
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul…” Hebrews 6:19
The Kedge Anchor - About
Welcome to the Kedge Anchor. This blog started from a time in my life where I no longer liked changes. Changes, like the waves in the ocean can turn us upside down sometimes and the currents of this life can take us to places we really didn’t intend to go. But changes are a part of life and the older I get the less I like them. Maybe you can relate. Sometimes storms form over the ocean and totally churn up our lives like the ocean floor. And when all is finally over, we feel depleted, drained, exhausted. Turning to God’s word first is always a good place to start and gain footing again. And sometimes God leads us to other sources for encouragement, family, friends, church family, and oddly enough, for me, back to the still calm waters (of the ocean).
Kedging is a nautical term “to draw (a vessel) along by hauling in on the cable of a light anchor that has been dropped at some distance from it, or (of a vessel) to be drawn in this fashion “ https://www.thefreedictionary.com/kedging Kedging is done in calm waters when one needs the boat to move forward or in the case when one is going against the wind. The sailor casts the kedge anchor out in the waters and pulls the boat towards the anchor.
In a season of wait, when we feel like we are at a stand still and perhaps we aren’t hearing God’s voice or when we are in the middle of the storm, we can draw to Him. (James 4:8) We can cast our anchor (of hope) out and take a step in faith toward God, read the Bible, recall a favorite verse, and cling to HIs words. He is our anchor for our soul (Heb. 6:19). When the storms and currents of life are changing our course and we find ourselves going against the wind, we can remain steadfast in His Word and love.
Be encouraged. You are not alone.
“Draw near to God and he will draw near to you…” James 4:8
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