Listen:
And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed” (2 Corinthians 9:8 NASB).
Reflect:
Tomorrow begins 2025. I wonder, what might this next year hold… a new year of fresh opportunities for growth and grace to abound? Am I ready? How might the past year have prepared me to be ready?
In Lifesprings, we encourage our community to do a Year-End Examen: a looking back thru 2024 with the Holy Spirit to reflect, remember, be thankful, repent, forgive, ask for forgiveness, grieve, celebrate, dream… all of which God can use to inform the person we want to be and bring into the coming year.
The examen begins with gratitude. When was I most thankful… One event stands out I will forever treasure in my heart. My oldest daughter Traci and I were blessed to travel and serve together at a retreat held by LSM Uganda alumni in Kachumbala, Uganda. Truly we all experienced God’s grace poured out to overflowing.
I was sick with a virus for the 32 days leading up to the retreat and could only depend on His grace being sufficient as my preparation time became limited. God is faithful and I experienced His grace and provision; my humble preparations were enough for Him to use for His glory.
We received God’s love through the beautiful Ugandan women who greeted us with the kindest of words, “Thank you for coming and thank you for loving us!” To which my heart responded, “Thank you for welcoming and loving us.”
1 Corinthians 13 declares, “…the greatest of these is love”. We often experience His love through one another—His love crosses all boundaries and cultures. I thank God for how He has used and continues to use the Lifesprings community near and far to impact one another with the love of Jesus Christ. May Love be contagious in 2025!
Prayer of Response:
Thank you God for loving me. Thank you for Your grace that overflows to us in abundance. May we look back at the past year with Your grace and light and in the coming year may we be Your vessels of love in the world that so desperately needs it.
Questions to Ponder:
- Which of the 5 steps of examen have been the most significant for you? (Gratitude, Grace, Review, Pray, Hope for the future. See the Year-End Examen document link below.)
- If you are unable to complete a year-end examen, ask the Lord to bring to mind one memory from 2024 that He wants you to pray through to prepare you for 2025.
Breath Prayers:
As a new weekly rhythm, join us in praying breath prayers each day. Here is one based on: 2 Corinthians 12:9: But He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. We invite you to write your own as well.
Inhale (Breathe in): Your grace
Exhale (Breathe out): is sufficient for me
Inhale (Breathe in): Thank you Jesus
Exhale (Breathe out): for loving me
Go to our Personal Year End Examen page for instructions on how to do an Examen.
—Submitted by: Terri La Brie
Terri and her husband Joe live in Southern California. They have four married kids and 13 grandkids. Terri serves on the Lifesprings Executive team, prayer team, and LSM Uganda/Nairobi prayer support team.