It has been so long since we talked!  More than a month!  My life in this little corner of “the land of pine trees and lakes” has been as full as yours has been.  Welcome to 2012!

January brings new adventures for me.  I now lead the Women’s Ministry at my local church.  Excitement and a little fear flood my spirit.  Being given this opportunity is so humbling.  I have had a heart for ministry to women for a very long time.  It swells with love when I see a group of women studying the Word together, learning from each other and loving each other.  Oh girls, we so need each other. 

It hasn’t taken me very long to discover that organization and discipline are going to be very important in my life this year.  I have often said that working full time gets in the way of my fun!  Full time career and ministry can be overwhelming.  Years ago, I was a Mary Kary Cosmetics beauty consultant.  I do love makeup! Women who do not need or want makeup are mysteries to me.   My sweet mom told me years ago that it takes pains to be beautiful and I took that to heart.  If you see me at WalMart without my makeup on, you need to stop and have a word of prayer.  I am in a crisis!! 
I wasn’t very successful at sales but I learned so much about life.  Ideas and concepts that I still use today.  The sales director for my unit, Karen, often said, “Work expands to the time allowed”.  Sage advise.  Example, a friend calls and wants to stop by for a visit.  You kick yourself in high gear and in that few minutes before she arrives, you get more done than you did all morning.  This is a principle that I am reminding myself of alot lately.

There is so much to be done.  2012 is so full of hope, dreams and uncertainty.  Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” (NLT)  That promise tells me that I’m not going to see very far ahead, and neither will you.  Our path will only be illuminated for a short distance.  There is a great plan for our lives that God designed before we were born.  He just doesn’t give us all the details up front.  We are on a need to know basis :)  What I do know is that we need God!  We need the Holy Spirit for guidance or we always end up in the dark and off the path.  It’s all about relationship.  God wants to be intimately involved in our lives.

The challenge for all of us this year and every year we are allowed to remain on this side of heaven will be to deepen our relationship with our Savior.   As brides of Christ, He is crazy about us and He wants a marriage, not a date.  Make time for Him.  Begin talking with Him everyday.  As you become better acquainted, you will find your conversation to not be quite so uncomfortable.  Start reading your Bible.  There are so many great Bible tools these days.  The Word is the same on your IPhone and Kindle as it is in your copy of the Word on paper.   Just begin.  God will send the understanding.  Isaiah 55:11 says, “It is the same with my Word.  I send it out, and it always produces fruit.  It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” 

Life can be tough.  With all of life’s conveniences, we are stretched more than ever.   My hope for all of us is that we will simplify our lives and make room for the love of a lifetime – Jesus. 

Live blessed my friends,
Carmen