“Love is our greatest gift,

not just for a season but,

for a lifetime!“

by Debbie Allen

  Every New Year, I am filled with fresh hope for what the coming year will usher into our lives. Living in a world whose foundations and people, are growing evermore unpredictable and unstable; I’m grateful to God for His unshakeable Words to my heart, concerning all my life’s paths.  He promises this: “I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil; to give you a future and a hope…” (Jeremiah 29: 11a).  In spite of this world’s threats of growing evil and chaos all around us, I believe God’s Hand always offers us hope; for the simple reason that we can know that His plans always come to us with our highest good in mind.  This promise alone, gives me the peace of mind and heart I seek, to step confidently into an unknown, 2022.

The first week of January, it’s always been my tradition to ask the Lord to give me a word, a thought, or an inspiration to guide me into the new year.  Something I would recognize as ‘clearly and plainly’ from His Heart to mine.  He’s never failed me yet.  On January 2^nd, I lay watching one last Christmas movie on Hallmark (Please don’t judge me!), Even though I’d seen this movie, a couple of times before, I’d missed the words that so captured my attention that day.  The heroine, distraught over a decision she needed to make right away, was being advised by a trusted friend that: “You don’t need to see the whole staircase…to take the first step.”

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“You don’t need to see the whole staircase…to take the first step.”

(Hallmark Movie “Five More Minutes”)

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With those words still echoing in my spirit, an image also flashed across my mind. It was a picture of my son and daughter-in-law’s decorated, staircase; on the night Brian proposed to Andrea.  I hadn’t thought of it for many years.  I remembered that night was also Brian’s birthday.  He wanted to heighten the element of surprise for Andrea; knowing she’d be so preoccupied making birthday plans for him, she wouldn’t have time to suspect something else was going on. While she was at work that day, he meticulously, placed a 5 x 7 glossy, photo of different moments shared together, on every stair.  Alongside each of those memories, Brian laid a red and a white, long-stemmed rose. To finalize this romantic gesture, he dressed-up in a black tuxedo and stood, out of sight, at the top of the staircase, anticipating this long-awaited moment. Hearing the front door open that night, I’m sure his heart raced as did Andrea’s when she caught sight of that staircase.  Ecstatic… spontaneous tears… heart swelled with unimaginable joy… dazed with delight… all these words together can’t begin to describe the expanse of emotions pulsing through Andrea’s heart in that moment.  As she climbed those stairs, one-step-at-a-time; savoring every memory shared through the years, she didn’t’ need to see Brian to know he was there, waiting for her at the top of those stairs.  If the handsome groom-to-be wasn’t already down on one knee, I’m sure he dropped down at the sight of the love-of-his-life, running towards him.  After a formal, “Will you marry me?” and an elated “YES!” from his joyful, yet tearful, bride-to-be…Brian slipped the engagement ring onto Andrea’s finger, and love’s journey for them both, began all over again. They were married one year later; and that journey is now approaching the ten-year mark!

No one can deny the beauty that surrounds the moment when one soulmate finds another…when we find ourselves saying “yes” to the love-of-our-life! No regrets…no looking back…just trusting in the promise of love and stepping forward together into an unknown future.  Perhaps stepping into the New Year is somewhat like that.  Every year we are given an opportunity to begin again; to step into our own new beginning.  It’s hard to imagine what things in this next year we will be drawn to saying “yes” to.  But it’s important to remember, our “yeses” are what propel us through our life; one moment…one day….one week…one month…and one year at a time. Even our time, talents, and treasures are driven by them, to one degree or another. Saying “yes” to all the right things is important but, it’s even more crucial who we are saying “yes” to.

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“Saying “yes” to all the right things is important but, it’s even more crucial who we are saying “Yes” to.”

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With that in mind, I think again of the wisdom of my Hallmark quote: “You don’t have to see the whole staircase…to take the first step.”  

And I don’t have to see the whole year ahead of me ….to take my first step, either.  How do I know that for sure?  Because of Who I’m trusting as I step into this new year.  The little slice of Brian and Andrea’s story reflects to the eyes of my heart, the stark reality of an unseen staircase I see stretching from earth towards Heaven. At the top of that stairway stands my Heavenly Groom, Jesus. He longs for the day when I, His bride-to-be, will be called to step into His Gaze and run into His Arms.  Though I can’t see Him now, I sense the reality of His Beautiful Presence.  Every step I climb toward Him is marked by the Fragrance of His Love. As I stop to linger over memories we’ve shared, I think of this. Spans of both laughter and tears…in sickness and in health. Precious prayer and worship times together. I have come to relish the sounds of His Voice in my ear…the Whispers of His Breath, breathing new life down into moments threatening to steel my breath away. When this world’s ways try to crush me, I seek the Lovingkindness, Grace and Healing He offers in His every Touch.  From the joys of mountain-top experiences to the sorrows and heaviness of the valleys; I sense His gentle Heart beating next to mine. Every beat overflows with Sacrificial Love… Love willing to die for me so my heart can know Him fully. To know and to be known in that sense… speaks to my soul’s deepest longing.  The Lover of my soul tells me, “I am Yours and You are mine.”  Without hesitation, my heart responds, “yes;” for it loves and trusts, beyond a shadow of any doubt, the One Who promises His beloved bride, “There is no greater Love than Mine!”

And there is no greater Promise than this to lead us into the unknown future of a new year. I have said “yes” many times to many things, and many people over the course of my life; and no doubt, in the coming year I will do so again. However, I don’t want to be pushed-and-pulled through the new year as merely a consequence of my “yeses.”  Instead, I want my “yeses” to become the steps leading my heart towards new growth and change, a deeper faith, and greater love for others. Above all, my desire is that my highest “yes,” be reserved for my Groom, waiting at the top of that unseen Staircase. He has chosen me, loved me unconditionally, forgiven my sin, and planned a life for me that is filled with good not evil, with a future and a hope. To Him, in this next year, my heart cries out “hineni!” This expression is a word from the Hebrew language, speaking our English “yes” in a much deeper and richer way. It means, “Here I am!”  A word which says, “God, Here I am,” to do whatever You call me to do, whatever the cost or consequence.” 

The beautiful thing about this expression is that God, in order to reflect back to us, the same level of devotion He desires from us, also speaks “Hineni” to our own hearts.  As He does, His Heart is reminding our own frail hearts, “I Hear you… I See you…and I Know you!”

What more could any of us ever ask, or say, or want, as we step into this new year?  There is no greater Love than this!

“Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: “Here am I.”

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PRAYER: Father in Heaven…Your Love truly is the greatest Gift our hearts could ever receive; not for just a season in our life but, for all of Eternity. Knowing a Love this Deep is its own reward. Help us, Lord, to take Your Hand, believe Your Promises, and step into the unknowns of this new year fully trusting that Your plans for our lives come from the inexpressible Goodness of Your Heart. You are for us, not against us. Sustain us. Embolden our hearts. As we offer You our highest “yeses: in the days to come; and as our hearts cry out, “hineni” to You…may we thrill at the Sounds of Your Voice in response, assuring us “I Hear you…I See You…and I Know you!” There is no greater Love than this! In Jesus Precious Name…AMEN