Chisel away this New Year

*** See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland *** Isaiah 43:19 It's a new year and with a new year comes new things! Not new things in a material sense, but new things, as in lessons learned, growth patterns discovered, and a new found trust. I have struggled with in recent months with trusting the Lord with my future- I have often asked God about his timing and how my life has ended up on a very different path, than I ever antcipated and in many ways ever wanted for myself. The Lord has quickly reminded me recently that I must trust in His timing. That the life He desires for me takes time to create, and that the journey is all about trusting in Him and His time. The Lord reminded me yesterday, that He chisels away at our hearts much like a carpenter chisels away the rough spots in the wood.(Isaiah 44:13) God is the same way with us...He chisels our hearts to mold us to be more like Him and to be His image on this earth. We often times have to step back and allow Him to chisel areas of our hearts that are hardened and even broken. In order to grow and trust Him fully is painful, and He has stated that the Journey would not be easy. I am reminded of how the Lord moved mountains, parted the red sea for Moses, allowed David to take out Golliath, allowed Jonah to be swallowed by a whale, allowed Job to lose everything, and prepared Ruth for Boaz. He did not just allow these occurrances to happen to these people, they were purposed...divinely planned-- He chose these individuals, taught them how to live faithfully and chiseled away at their hearts to have HIS destiny fulfilled on this earth. It has been my desire to live with this same kind of faith...that these indivduals did. It wasn't easy for them, and they each struggled in their own way to live out the faith that God had called them to display. For each of these stories it was their faith and trust that pulled them through and allowed them to overcome and their journeys to be testaments of the Lord's great love. Their personal stories are outlined to encourage us and allow us to live they did...by faith. With out faith we can not trust and with out trust we can not truly love. So here's to a new year- one that I can already sense, is gonna be filled with growth in his timing...where the streams in the wasteland become beautiful reminders of His grace-- His mercy-- His peace-- and His love--