It’s January 13th of the new year, but it’s day 1 for me in a new beginning. Without spending too much time dwelling on the past, I will just say that my time in God’s word these past months has been pretty dismal, due to some major life changes and some real questioning of God’s plan. Plain and simple–I was resentful of God’s direction, put up a wall, and was stubborn enough to let it linger.

So today is my Day 1 of using the Life Journal Reading Plan. Today’s scripture was Genesis 31-33 and Luke 13. Here is today’s journal:

As I read this passage in Genesis, I was struck by a repetitive theme–God saying to Jacob “I was there with you” and “I will be with you” and Jacob repeating that to himself and his family. “…The God of my father has been with me” (Genesis 31:5). Later on, as Jacob encountered change, he assured himself and his family that God would be there. And God was faithful, even to the point of showing his face to Jacob as they wrestled during a tumultuous night, on the eve of a day where Jacob was not sure his brother Esau wouldn’t kill him, let alone welcome him with open arms.

Often, I lose sight or forget the ways that God has been with me, shown me His face, and shown himself faithful in the past, especially when I find myself fearing an unknown future and the direction that God is commanding me to go–in this case, pregnancy, motherhood, and changes in ministry.

I need to have a heart of humility and gratitude, remembering where God has already taken me, a heart of trust that He will always be with me, and a heart of submission to go where He sends me.

My prayer today: Help me to remember the past, so I can trust Your future, so I will walk in obedience.