This year I feel that God had given me four words for the journey through 2022:
Light,
Mountain,
Forgiveness,
Redemption,
There is a lot packed into those four words;
I loved the word, ‘light’ as it suggests that some darkness, which I have known for too long, will dissipate. I have spent a lot of time in my past working on some very hard areas in my life and so the promise of the word, ‘light’ feels rewarding and welcome to me. I can’t wait to find out what God wants to show me in the light. One area of light that recently revealed itself in my writing life came in the way of some inspiration as to who I could ask to illustrate a small booklet, about a poem I wrote about Saskatchewan. It’s long been on my mind; and there she was, illuminated in my mind as the perfect person. Personally, God revealed to me some words that were spoken to me regarding friendship that I needed to break off of my life. I’m looking forward to God shining His light on new friendships this year.
Psalm 18:28 “You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.”
On the other hand, I shrank from the word, ‘mountain.’ It sounded grueling and like more hard work coming my way. I’m sure that there probably is. Yet I have climbed mountains before in my life and was never alone. God has always been there. He’s taught me already that it’s one step at a time. Perhaps that is why He led me to buy a life journal to keep me motivated along the way. It’s definitely part of my ‘climbing kit’ and I’ll be looking for other tools as well, with the comfort that comes straight from His word, the best there is.
Ps 121:1-2 “I life up my eyes to the mountains-where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
The word, ‘forgiveness’ also seems daunting; yet I wasn’t surprised as God had already been leading me to learn more about what true forgiveness is and isn’t. Forgiveness has been hard for me. Great hurt can produce great pain and great resentment. These things aren’t as easily dealt with as many Christians would have us believe. But through some trauma healing, I find myself at a better place to consider how forgiveness can be a bigger part of my daily life. I look forward to moving forward in life without the baggage of unforgiveness weighing me down.
Luke 23: 34 “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
The last word, ‘redemption,’ came to me through a quiz I took, through Hallmark cards online. I answered a few personal questions about where I was at in my emotional and spiritual life and that is the word it gave me for 2022. I found it intriguing. I still haven’t looked it up definition-wise, but I do know that it is about being bought back; being forgiven and renewed; both of which. I think this word might end up proving the most rewarding and exciting of my year.
Lamentations 3:57-58 “You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear. You, Lord, took up my case; you redeemed my life.”
What direction will God lead me in my personal and writing life as I unpack those four words He has given me? I just know that in the next months that God wants to lead me into the light; He has a mountain for me to climb, (which will include that tough word, forgiveness) but not alone. I’ll be with Him in the climbing and maybe by the end of the year there will even be a glorious summit, where I will meet that beautiful word, ‘redemption.’
Gloria Guest lives in Caron, Sk. where she writes and blogs. She is a past reporter/columnist and has published a few other personal pieces, with a work in progress. She also takes editing classes from Simon Fraser University, working towards an Editing Certificate.
