Dec 31, 2013

Wise Words for the New Year

I have just a few more hours of 2013 left.  Just enough time to crank out one last post that I have been meaning to get on the blog for awhile ... some good quotes, some words for the wise that I want to ponder and practice in the coming year.
Lysa TerKeurst:  Wise women tuck Godly wisdom into the words they speak and even more into the words they choose not to speak.
Lysa TerKeurst:  Having a pity party is a good clue you are relying on your own strength and not God's.
Elvis:  When things go wrong, don't go with them.
Lysa TerKeurst: Truth is the only healthy place from which to speak. Assumption is the birthplace of godless chatter.
Jon Bloom:  Christianity is not so much about you desiring God as it is about God desiring you.  I wonder if you believe that.
Jon Bloom:  Jesus so loved you and desired you that while you were still a sinner he died for you (Romans 5:8).  And if you love him at all it is because he first loved you (1 John 4:19).  Delve into that glorious mystery!
Proverbs 21:23:  Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles.
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And I have never done this before, but I am going to pick a word for 2014.  It's one that I feel like the Lord has been pressing on my heart for over a year now and challenging me to study and to practice.  That word is - Mercy. The verse I keep thinking about is Micah 6:8. I am challenged by the fact that is doesn't just say show mercy.  It says LOVE mercy.  I am gonna keep circling that command.  Mercy doesn't come naturally to me, but I want it to!  
He has shown you, O man, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.  
This mercy challenge for me will look like  ... me cutting people more slack, my not accusing in my heart, me giving people the benefit of the doubt, me holding my tongue, me being gentle, me being slow to anger, my resisting the urge to compare, my not showing favoritism, my praying for people more, and my saying so.  And sharpening my eyes to see moments that need a kind and healing word and being the one to say it.

Help me, Lord, in 2014!

7 comments:

Amy Faye Brown said...

Loved this post. So encouraging and challenging. If I've seen that verse from Micah once in this past week I've seen it at least a dozen times. It's popped up everywhere. Maybe it's what we Browns need to take heed of.
Oh, just curious, was this quote from the real Elvis or the one next door?

Kimberly said...

Thanks, Amy! Which reminds me - Wouldn't it be nice if you and I could be a part of the same bible study group? I think we could really challenge each other a bunch ... in good ways!

As for Elvis - Ha! Fair question. I am gonna have to say the real Elvis... it's a quote I pinned this year and it gave credit to Elvis. Fingers crossed that that was accurate. :}

Amy Faye Brown said...

I would love to be a part of a study with you! Let's figure out how to do it!

Emily said...

Loved this post!!!! I almost want to share it on Facebook, as THOUGHTS FROM MY AWESOME SISTER! :)

Kimberly said...

If I only I could stay in such wise thinking moods! Help me, Lord!

We should pick a book and make our own little page to comment back and forth with about different parts we get to. Share good quotes when we find 'em. A "virtual conversation". I wanna go back through Unglued if I can get a copy again. :S

Amy Faye Brown said...

Choose the book and let's do it. I've never finished Unglued so that's fine if you choose it.

Kimberly said...

Oooh, that's a lot of power! I will give myself a week to see if I can't find it around here. But if you see another title that interests you, do tell!