New Year, Same Me

I always end a year meditating on less. Less stuff, less weight, less striving, less fear, less ME. It sounds so beautiful, a life of less. It sounds like the way we were designed to live. I'm bad at this way of life (allow me to turn your attention to the pile of empty Amazon Prime boxes in my garage). But if I could clear away the clutter—both in my home and in my soul—what would the Father do with the empty space? Fill it with peace, with grace, with eternal perspective? With more opportunities to be generous? To serve the least of these?

YES. More of that. Sweet Savior, more of You.

In His presence, there is fullness of joy. I pray for less of everything else to make more room in my life to be present in His presence. So here we go. 2017. "I hoist sail and draw up anchor, With thee as the blessed Pilot of my future as of my past. I bless thee that thou hast veiled my eyes to the waters ahead. If thou hast appointed storms of tribulation, thou wilt be with me in them; If I have to pass through tempests of persecution and temptation, I shall not drown; If I am to die, I shall see thy face the sooner; If a painful end is to be my lot, grant me grace that my faith fail not; If I am to be cast aside from the service I love, I can make no stipulation; Only glorify thyself in me whether in comfort or trial, as a chosen vessel meet always for thy use." [The Valley of Vision]