Our theme for our third year was Be Still and Know that I am God. At first I had resisted the theme. I mean seriously, it didn’t seem like a sensible option for an organisation, because, quite obviously, our very existence is about doing something. And yet, we chose Be Still, and I believe that God honored that choice. We actually moved faster than ever. I traveled a stunning 300 days in 2017. The TCT program grew at an unimaginable speed. And yet we found many moments to be still. And despite that speed, and despite that growth, peace and God’s favor rested on us. I’m not sure we would have stayed sane without the many many moments that we took to be still.
This year we chose the theme of ‘Delight in the Lord.’ And so we started another journey. As stretching as being still was while my to-do list expanded, delighting seems like it’s another type of stretching. Now, I have always largely considered myself a joyful type. In fact, I thought the theme would be good for everyone else (stop chuckling everyone). But as the weeks have gone past and I have meditated on the word delight, I have started to realise that I have much to learn. The word is like a gift, a cool drink on a hot day (or for those of you lost in winter right now – a hot drink near a roaring fireplace.) In the midst of what could be craziness, I can’t even think the word without being filled with joy. What a gift—an invitation that we will find the desires of our heart as we delight in the Lord.
As you move towards Christmas and all that busyness, I invite you to join us in this journey. Here are a few simple ideas our team dreamed up that you might incorporate in the next couple of weeks to help you find delight in the Lord:
- Pause to enjoy the beauty of a sunset.
- Set a daily timer on your phone as a reminder to pause and express gratitude. Praise God for whatever comes to mind in that moment.
- As you delight in all the richness of food this season, remember that God created all the variety of flavours and scents, and gave us the ability to experience them. He could have made nourishment bland and boring, but He loves to give us pleasure.
May you experience the gift of delighting in the Lord! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Thank you so much Anna, for your inspiration and challenge to be absolutley real – constantly. I love the news letters and the blogs – they are some of my ‘essentail reading’. The first 2 modules of the TCT training that have been put out are excellent. They have helped me change my thinking regarding serving poorer or vulnerable communities – even here in NZ. The lies people hold abut themselves and others are what is keeping them stuck – keeping us all stuck. Thank you for your honesty regarding your journey and the insights you share that are pearls.
We continue to pray for God’s favour to rest upon you and all the teams and that this year will be one of delighting in God & His world.