So it’s been a few days since I’ve written…

It’s good to be back. 💖☀️

I’m here to wrap up this year. 🥳

As I sat down this morning to reflect on the last few days before the Lord,

I’ve been thinking about the fact that 2022 is just on the other side of the doorway before us.

And I couldn’t help but notice the word “Restoration” highlighted in 3 different places on the page my bible was open to…

Psalm 80, a “Prayer for Israel’s Restoration“

“Restore us, O God;

Cause Your face to shine,

And we shall be saved!”

(Psalm 80:3)

And then further down it repeats again,

“Restore us, O God of hosts;

Cause Your face to shine,

And we shall be saved!”

(v 7)

For some reason, it seems that God likes to get my attention with things that I see, physically.

He knows how to get my attention, and I’m starting to learn and recognize when it’s Him.

When I notice a word like this, I like to dig into the meaning of it, even if I feel like I already understand and know what it means.

restoration

RESTORA’TION, n. L. restauro.

1. The act of replacing in a former state.

2. Renewal; revival; re-establishment;

3. Recovery; renewal of health and soundness;

4. Recovery from a lapse or any bad state.

(You can do some more digging here, if you’d like.)

As I was doing some digging, I love what this says about the biblical meaning of restoration, versus the standard definition of restoration:

“The biblical meaning of the word “restoration” is to receive back more than has been lost to the point where the final state is greater than the original condition. The main point is that someone or something is improved beyond measure.”

It goes on to say…

Unlike the regular dictionary meaning of “restoration,” which is to return something back to its original condition, the biblical definition of the word has greater connotations that go above and beyond the typical everyday usage. Repeatedly throughout the Bible, God blesses people for their faith and hardships by making up for their losses and giving them more than they previously had before.”

Restoration is His heart for us. 💝 ✨

God always builds back, abundantly better.

But it’s what He saw from the beginning. ☀️

I think a lot of us would like to see some restoration take place in our lives,

in our relationships,

in our bodies,

in our nation,

in our world.

We may not understand the things that happen in this world.

We may not understand the things that happen in this life.

We may not have all of the precise answers we’d like to have,

of exactly how God is gonna wrap all of this up.

Even with what the bible shows us, there’s still a lot of unknown.

And yes, there may be a whole lot of opportunities to fear in this life,

but there’s also just as much opportunity to trust God in the midst of fear, and be amazed. 💖 ✨

“I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you. “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame.”—Joel 2:25-26

“Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy.”—Isaiah 61:7

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”—1 Peter 5:10

“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.”—Acts 3:19-21

There is a lot that we can be afraid of as we attempt to LIVE this life,

but we each have a choice…

on whether we fear, or use fear to manipulate or control,

or whether we exercise faith, and we trust God.

We have a choice

of whether we are going to spend this one life…

fearing it?

Or living it.

Am I going to choose to LIVE through the things that are scary to me in this life?

Or am I going to spend “life” in a false sense of “self-preservation” while wasting my life away?

I’m going to keep choosing LIFE.

“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.'”—John 8:12

Yes, there’s a level of risk,

yes, it’s going to be uncomfortable,

yes, there’ll be some loss,

yes, there will be pain…

But can we trust…

that what God says is true?

He says that all that we endure through with Him

will be worth it.

And I believe Him.

“By your endurance you will gain your lives.”—Luke 21:19

By the way, you know… I think God enjoys a good adventure with His kids, and I believe He wants to teach us to enjoy the adventure of LIVING this life with Him. 💝

Thank You, Father. 💝 You never cease to amaze me…these things that I get to see You do, and the peace that I experience, as I place my trust in You.

-Heather 🌺