I am entering the new year somber and waiting. It does not feel all cheery and rose. I cannot shout Happy New Year for I want something much deeper than that.

The Lord has set up 2013 well for Capturing Courage. An agreement that would have bound us is broken – grieving has taken its place, and for all this I am deeply glad.

I see the working of the Lord on our behalf. It does not feel very nice, but it is oh so good.

And this is the dichotomy of our lives. Where it is not nice it is very good.

Where we come to the end of ourselves God steps in.

Where we can no longer see we gain vision from heaven.

Where our knowledge falls short we draw on his wisdom.

Glory be to God.

The end of ourselves is something for which we are naturally afraid. I run across this time and again as I journey others to freedom via prayer ministry. The cry of our natural heart is, “Who will I be if not with these bonds?”

We are deeply afraid. Every one of us.

The only solution is the presence of God. In God we have nothing to fear. In God we have everything to offer.

In God we can cast ourselves aside. The worries about today or tomorrow, the details of this and that, the upkeep of our lives ad nausea can be ours to carry, or we can offload them onto the Lord. The choice is ours.

The choice is always ours.

We think we must ask God permission. But he gave us all the permission we need at the time of conception. Just by being here you are called into something. By the act of God breathing breath into your frame you are allowed. You are allowed.

But because we are unsure of this, God asks our permission.

“May I bless you today?”

“Might you join me in this work?”

“I’d like to pour my love over you, what do you think?”

“Might you take hold of salvation today?”

And by our actions we either say ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

The decisions we make determine our lives. The agreement with either heaven or hell determines our days.

Agree with hell and you get hell.

Agree with heaven and you get heaven.

God says, “I love you.” What might change in your life if you really believed this?

What shift would you make in 2013?

Give God permission this year to do something amazing in and through you.

Will it be nice, no not always by any means.

Will it be good, yes and always pressed down running over and amen.

Give God the permission.