¹ This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: ²“Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” ³ So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. ⁴ But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.  Jeremiah 18:1-4

Take a minute and reflect  back on what may have been one of your darkest moments.  When and where did you experience your brokenness?  It may have been the loss of a loved one, the end of a tumultuous relationship, the loss of a job, or a financial hardship.  Could it have been a health issue, drug addiction, depression or eviction from your home?

You may have felt like giving up and running away from your situation.  Maybe you were tempted to drown your troubles by drinking  some wine or some other alcoholic beverage.   Or did the temptation of doing drugs try to lure you back in for a temporary fix? Perhaps  you were tempted to call someone who could only bring more misery and destruction into your life. Did you get so broken that you even considered taking your own life?

Now take a look at yourself today!  Do you see how God sustained you and covered you so that you could be restored? Although you might have felt alone and empty, He did not ever leave you and He surely did not forsake you.  Even in your brokenness, it was God who kept you from taking a drink from the bottle.  Even in your brokenness, it was God who did not allow you to succumb to a temporary high from drugs.  It was God who kept you away from the person or persons who would be of no good for the plans God had in store for you.  Your life was and still is in His hands!

There have been a “few” times in my life, where I was ready to give up.  I could not see the light at the end of the tunnel and I would become more discouraged day by day.  It got to the point, I did not even know what to pray for.  I would just say “God, I am still here”, but I would feel so tired and worn down.  I would try to smile on the outside while all the time I was a mess  on the inside.  Then God started to show me how He was moving in my life.  He moved me from one location to another.  He put new people in my life; people who did not mind telling me they were praying for me even if they did not know me! Then there were some people who had to be moved out of my life; the ones that thought they knew me.  The ones who would speak negative things over my life and try to steal my confidence and rob me of my joy.  Well, God took care of that, too! Sometimes just as quickly as He will move someone into your life, He will allow relationships to come to an end. Even in the brokenness that we experience, God has a way of restoring us and elevating us to a new place in Him.

Imagine the joy and freedom I felt, when I  started to realize that God was working things out for me.  He was restoring me even in the midst of my brokenness.  My restoration did not come suddenly; it was a process.  A process similar to the clay on the potter’s wheel before the pot is finished! During this process, I learned how my brokenness was making me stronger.  Today, I can proudly say, I was broken to be restored.  I give God all the glory and praise for what He has done in my life and for what He is getting ready to do.  You see, even in my brokenness, He was already making me into a better person for Him! I am restored!  Thank you, Jesus!

*******

Dear Lord, I pray for those who may be experiencing a brokenness.  I pray they will call on the wonderful name of Jesus.  Set them free, dear Lord, from the situation that has broken their hearts and broken their spirits.  Set them free from the addictions, from the depression and from the bad relationships.  God create in them a clean heart and restore them to be who you have purposed them to be.  God, I ask that You show them how mighty and wonderful you are.  God, I pray for healing in the mind, body and soul.  Where there is lack, I ask that you supply their every need.   God, I thank you for the restoration even in the midst of their brokenness! Amen.

Happy New Year!

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! (Psalm 118:24)

The New Year is officially here! What plans have you made to embrace the days and months ahead?

 Could it be that some of the things you did not accomplish in 2011 was because you did not go to God for guidance and clear directions?

 In all that you do, seek God first! Before making any decisions, big or small,  go to God.

 As you celebrate this first day of January, take some time and tell God thank you! After all, He did bring you through another year.  No matter what your circumstances may have looked like at times, He brought you through. No matter how your finances may have been, He brought you through.  No matter what the doctors might have told you, God brought you through. And, no matter how friends and family may have treated you, it was God who brought you through the year.

This year, will you spend more time with God and acknowledge His presence in your life?

Will you take better care of yourself in 2012? Do you need to start an exercise plan and/or change your eating habits?

Do you need to walk away from some relationships? Take time to think about how your relationships affect you and how they affect the work God has for you.  If there is constant negativity, gossip and continuous pity parties in any of your relationships, is it time to walk away?  You should spend your precious time with those who lift you up and encourage you.  You should not waste your time with those who leave you feeling defeated and depressed.

Do you go to church? Is it time for you to establish a fellowship with other believers in your community?  Seek God first and He will lead you to the place of worship where He wants you to be.

If you are attending church, what are you doing to serve God? Is there a ministry in your church that you want to participate in?  Sometimes we sit back and wait for others to ask us to join the choir or the usher board.  I challenge you this year, to be bold in the name of Jesus and join the choir, join the usher board or join the ministry that you know you will be a blessing to God and a blessing to others.

2012 is here.  There is no going back to 2011. We can’t undo what was done last year but we can make a change this year. We can strive to do better and to be better.

Will you work on strengthening your relationship with God? Take more time to read His word and apply it to your life.  Talk to Him more this year than you did last year.  Listen to Him and be obedient to what He wants you do to. Increase your level of worship to give Him more honor and more praise.  And, if you should stumble along the way, ask Him for forgiveness and keep striving to get it right.

I am so excited about 2012! I pray that you are, too and that you are ready for an amazing year.  Blessings to each of you this January 1, 2012.

Happy New Year and happy days ahead!

 Remember, this is the day the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it.