Devotionals for the Heart: Sara's Mission for the New Year

A Year with God
A devotional by Sara L. Foust

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

~ Romans 8:38 (KJV) 

We have just celebrated the turn of a New Year. We have set our resolutions for 2018 (and still believe we can lose 25 pounds by swimsuit season). Maybe your goals don’t refer to weight loss but, rather, to success in your career. I know I have penned a few writing-career-related goals myself. Maybe they refer to your family life, your marriage, travel, or how many books you’d like to read this year. But, do you have any goals that relate to your spiritual relationship with God? I have to admit, my first draft didn’t, and that won’t do at all. Once I realized what my list was missing, I dropped everything down and opened goal number one up for this: I want to spend quality time EACH morning studying the Scripture and in quiet meditation with the Lord.

Around here, that is a tall order! Some of you may know already, but I have five children. It is never, I mean never, quiet around here. And when it is, I’d better see where everyone is because someone is doing something they shouldn’t be. But, I realized toward the close of 2017, even though I was still reading my Bible during my morning study times, I wasn’t really digesting the words and internalizing them to grow in my faith. That has to change. So, for 2018, I will make a point of going to a room by myself and reading, even if it has to be the bathroom (ha!). Yes, I want my children to see me in the Word, but I also know that I need that morning one-on-one time with my Savior so that I can make it through the day.

We don’t know what will come this year. No doubt we will experience loss to some degree. We will experience joy, success, satisfaction to some degree. We will have trials that feel like vertical mountains we must scale. We will have victory, standing on the top of those “impassable” trials and looking back on them with pride that God helped us through each step. The verse above reminds us that no matter where we go, what we face, or how low (or high) we get, God is there. He will be with me, and you, each and every moment, each breath, each blink of our eyes. Because He loves us. Unconditionally. Unequivocally. Eternally. Perfectly.

Let’s make the decision right now to spend the year being cognizant of His presence in our lives, dedicated to growing in our faith, and continuously striving to work for Him. Do you have a goal that relates to your relationship with God? Please share it with us! 

~*~
Author Bio: 

Sara writes Inspirational Romantic Suspense from a mini-farm in East Tennessee, where she lives with her husband and their five homeschooled children. 

She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from the University of Tennessee and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Tennessee Mountain Writers. 

Her debut novel Callum's Compass won second place in Deep River Books' 2017 Writer's Contest. She also has a story, “Leap of Faith,” in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Step Outside Your Comfort Zone. Sara finds inspiration in her faith, her family, and the beauty of nature. 

When she isn’t writing, you can find her reading, camping, and spending time outdoors with her family. To learn more about her and her work or to become a part of her email friend’s group, please visit www.saralfoust.com.

SaveSave