May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Thank-full, peace-full, and mind-full. Today, let’s add hope-FULL. I know, this may be as challenging as peaceful. Happily, hope is not dependent on world peace or personal health, not on our environment or pressing needs, not on being loved or family dynamics, not on meeting our bills or getting a promotion. Hope is dependent on where we focus.

There are so many truisms I could throw out here, like…

• God works all things out for our blessing.
• There are purposes at work greater than we can see or imagine.
• This world is not our home—Home is waiting for us.

The Bible has 1,189 chapters that hold many more truths to give us hope. And that’s the point—hope is not found in what we see but in what we believe, beginning with God. When we embrace His love, sovereignty, power, watch-care, purposes, generosity, forgiveness… we find hope.

Are you in? Determine to focus up, not out, and watch 2022 fill with hope!

A year full of thanks and peace! That’s part of my desire for 2022. In addition to being thank-full and peace-full, I want to be mindful.

I don’t want to live on auto-pilot, doing what I do by default, neglecting what I’ve previously ignored, unaware of opportunities for growth and service.

I don’t want realization to appear in the rearview mirror—I want to face forward with anticipation.

I want to be watchful, careful of others, attuned to the world around me.

I don’t need to stop and smell the roses, I need to notice the roses so I can stop and appreciate their stunning beauty, the softness of their petals, the intricacy of their design, and, yes, their fragrance.

I invite you to a FULL 2022 by being mind-full of your blessings, your surroundings, your opportunities. How God-like this invitation is! He is mindful of every sparrow and lily. He counts the stars and our strands of hair. He knows when we sit and when we rise. Let’s be like Him, attentive and mindful.

You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

 Psalm 139:2-6

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)

Last week we discussed having a FULL 2022 by filling it with thanks. Today let’s determine to have a peace-FULL new year. I know, it almost sound like an oxymoron when we read about tensions in the Ukraine and North Korea’s ballistic missile launches. And how do we respond to the suffering refugees in Afghanistan and the broadening of abortion rights in New Jersey? Then there’s Covid’s reign of fear, offering no respite from its sober statistics and formidable threats.

During my recent bout with the disease I learned that a friend, younger than me, died from it. I was rattled—and then another woman I knew died. My isolation and lingering symptoms didn’t help my perspective. I had to consciously fight recurring negative thoughts.

Instead of rehashing world disasters and rehearsing sad stories, I set my mind on God’s words:

• “My times are in your hands” (Ps. 31:15).
• “All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful” (Ps. 25:10).
• “You satisfy my desires with good things so that my youth is renewed” (Ps. 103:5).
• “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come” (Pr. 31:25).
• “You are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long” (Ps. 25:5b).

Friends, the only way we’ll have a peace-FULL 2022 is by keeping our minds stayed on God—remaining, dwelling, settled, fixed on Him and His Word.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever. Psalm 107:1

Last week challenged this series for the new year—A Full 2022. Covid hit me and I wasn’t feeling “full,” unless pain and congestion count. Hence my omission of a post last Thursday.

I insisted that despite chills, fever, and aches, I would be true to my goal of a full year. I chose to be thank-FULL. I thanked God for everything I could think of—warm blankets, a patient husband, chicken soup, ibuprofen, a cozy robe, calls from kids, soft tissues, cold water, dry crackers, mail delivery, the first true snowfall in our new house, squeals from neighbors sledding, sunshine and blue skies, deer prints in the snow…

I found the choice was not always easy but what was my option? Should I let disappointment ransack the first week of the year and pillage my heart?

Let’s begin making 2022 a FULL year by being thank-full.