Most of you have read my previous blog “These Are the Days of Neurosis” and I just wanted to share the coolest thing with you. Well, it’s cool to me anyway.

Several people I know have been sharing this new year about fear and questioning, about encouragement and whatnot. A lot of us have been inventorying 2008, the blessings, the failures, the mistakes, all of it. And several have shared about a knowing need to return to the basics of faith. The simple things really that give us our foundation for encouragement and strength. Daily prayer time, memorizing scripture and whatever else. Not just just one or two people mind you – but like a dozen of people I know have shared this with me over the past week.

I’m excited really to know that I am not the only one who is easily distracted, who tires of projects before they are completed, who steps out and tries something new and meets fear first and answered prayer second. A friend of mine talked about fearless courage as her goal for this year and I thought that was cool – I’m not there – but I’m trying.

I finished the forms that freaked me out and will be mailing them today. In my morning prayers and devotional time I looked for passages on being called and being encouraged, and I found this.

God’s promises are true for all of us – for me and for you. Look at his promises in
2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

We are:

* loved “But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers, loved by the Lord,

* Chosen – because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
* Called – “He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In knowing that. Knowing that we are loved, chosen and called, how can we not stand firm in what we’ve been taught.

* Encouraged and strengthened – So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

In another blog, I read and was reminded that God’s mercies renew each morning, and not just on New Years Day.

It’s a new morning, fear said it’s prayers and is encouraged. You and I get to stand firm and hold on. God will take care of the rest. He is our encouragement, he is our strength.

To Him be the Glory.