This year my family and I started a new New Years Eve-Day tradition. We each were to choose a gift and Bible verse that represented what the Lord had done in our life, and/or something the Lord ministered our hearts with. At times I wasn't super committed to my daily devotions and more than once felt stagnant spiritually. I felt that this year was a year that I was just grateful to have persevered in the Faith. My verse was "... let us then persevere in the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1b My gift was a hand weight to signify the perseverance an athlete/runner shows in his exercise and an itunes gift card because who doesn't listen to music while working out.
On Tuesday, New Years Eve, we each drew names and gave our gift to the person we drew up. The second part of our tradition occurred on New Years Day. We were once again given the task to choose a verse and buy a gift, but for what we wanted the new year to represent and/or what we wanted to declare over someone else's life.
I gave a gift with the intention of working on this for my personal life, without even knowing that someone was going to mention it in our church as a word of edification! I chose Galatians 6:7-9 "A man reaps what he sows..." This year I want to work on cultivating my relationships with God, and as a daughter, sister, and friend.
The focus of this tradition is not the gift, but instead serves as a memorial before our family to what the Lord has done in each of us this past year.
There is so much truth in what you've written here Ali! I want Jesus to really be the reason for the season! And this is such a wonderful new family tradition, one that helps us reflect on how good God has been with us this past year!!! I love the idea :)
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