A hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a Tree of Life. I can honestly say that my heart is filled to overflowing with hope for the future of my children’s children this year. 2020 is going to be a year filled with overcoming miracles and amazing grace all around us. Why? Because I have received phone call after phone call thanking us for the Tree of Life and how it is restoring families and IMPACTING lives across our community.
The Gospel Message
The power of the Gospel of salvation is the power of hope in this generation. The more ridiculous the efforts of the adversary become against our children and families – the brighter I see the light shining in the eyes of people who KNOW the God of Israel! Happy are the people whose God is ADONAI!
In the process of creating the Tree of Life translation, we saw miracle after miracle after miracle. The only thing we had was the mandate to reach what we called, ‘the next generation.’ I was so arrogant, so blind, so dumb. I didn’t realize then that the journey was God trying to reach ME and restore my relationship with Him. I LOVE that God calls us all the ‘Children of Israel.’ I love that being child-like about Him for a lifetime is what makes Him smile. I especially love that His approach-ability through His Son is what makes the power of His Almighty Love able to resurrect even the most broken and destructive life.
I always knew God was real – even as a very small child. I can now see, in the eyes of my baby granddaughter, a light in there that I KNOW is God looking back at me. Somehow, I know she knows Him, even though I know there is a world waiting to tell her how much better their version of the truth is. I find myself wondering, ‘what must it feel like to know Him before I know what a garden even looks like?’ And, I realize that God is waiting for me to smile at Him and look up while I am searching her face to see if she even recognizes me yet.
I know what the Presence of God feels like, the Holy Spirit soft and near in the quiet place. I also know the tidal wave of passion that bowls me over when I am fighting for His Children to have a Bible of their own. That same feeling has not gone away, ever. God has been the most stable, steadfast, loving presence in my life for my whole life – even when making horrific choices and turning my back on Him. But, I really didn’t know where to find Him when I was little. I’m not even sure I was looking, certainly not intentionally.
What is your 2020 Resolution?
Please hear me today – as you are making your resolutions for this coming year. Are you searching for God to move in your life, yet? Do any of your resolutions include asking for His help? And, are you aware of the young people around you? Do they inspire you with hope? Do you know what inspires them? Do you ask them to pray for you? I am sincerely not trying to make you uncomfortable. I am just asking us to take a moment to think about how many CHILDREN we helped last year.
I am a child of God, His own daughter to be exact. And, that has taken me almost a whole decade to wrap my brain around. Now, how do I explain that to my husband? How do I explain that to my own kids? Suddenly, being God’s daughter feels like my highest title and most secret alias. Does anyone else know? Does anyone else see who I really am? Wow. Who needs a title when God is YOUR Father? But much more importantly, how does knowing God thinks I am His own affect what my priorities are – my wants and desires.
My Prayer
So, here is my prayer for the new year:
Shalom Abba,
My heart’s desire is for everybody to know how wonderful you are, how strong and loving. Please help me to find the path You have chosen for me, and help me carry Your children home to Your house, the place where Your glory dwells. Please make my heart loyal, reign in my careless words, show me who YOU love and I will love them, too. Tell me what You think I need to know – the moment I need to know it – and don’t let my heart grow hard with pride and unforgiveness. Help me trust You so much that evil can’t get a foothold in my thinking, nor my actions. Thank You for restoring the innocence of Your daughters by sending Yeshua through the eye of a needle – right into this broken world to set us free. Now, about this new season ahead, please let me proclaim Your message of hope to children – especially Your little ones. Please show me how to do that, because ‘ADONAI, He is God. There is nothing else I need to know.’ Knowing You are true, and I am Yours, is enough. I love you, really love you.
Shalom, shalom, Daniah
As the new year opens wide before us, don’t forget the calling of God on YOUR life to redeem all His children with the message of freedom through trusting faith in Messiah Yeshua. Now, write a prayer of your own and ask God how you can help us get the Good News out to all God’s children about returning to the Tree of Life! 😊
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