December 31st, 2023, something happened that hadn’t happened in a long time. As a matter of fact I don’t remember the last time it happened. Usually on New Year’s Eve, I’m either sad to see the year end or I’m glad it is over. However, that wasn’t the case. I was happy. I’d lost over 50 lbs. and I felt great. My thoughts and attitude had done a 180. I was looking forward to what came next in my health journey. So, I took the high I was on and used it as my motivation to keep going and level up in 2024.

I realized that most of 2023 was about getting my mind and body healthy, but I didn’t intentionally focus on my spiritual health. Though I had made some improvements spiritually, I knew that needed to be my focus in 2024. The thing about growing spiritually, you have to be willing to walk through some stuff. You have to be prepared for God to reveal some things that you didn’t know existed, past hurt, baggage you are still carrying. You have to get out of your comfort zone, do things you don’t want to do but are good for you. You have to be obedient. You have to be still and listen. Simple right? Listen to the Holy Spirit. Obey God. Easy peasy. Wrong.

I started by joining Women of Faith Group Coaching. I met once a month on zoom with ladies all over the world. It was amazing. I read books like Find Your People by Jennie Allen, among others. I participated in online Bible Studies. Lastly, I attended Joyce’s Meyers women’s conference virtually and heard some wonderful messages from amazing women of God.

My word for the year was “deeper.” I thought that meant deeper relationships. Find Your People taught me to find my fab five. Five people that will take your call in the middle of the night, will show up at your house uninvited and drag you out of bed when you’re having a pity party, and will tell you what you need to hear not what you want to hear. The problem? Those types of relationships mean being honest and vulnerable. You have to let those people see what your house really looks like, not shove everything in the closet so they think you’ve got it together. Mostly you have to let them see those parts of you that are hidden, the parts that show you don’t have it all together. You have to let them see that sometimes you’re a hot mess. You have to be willing to let them witness what you look like without makeup or coffee. You have to let them see you ugly cry. I wanted to find my people but I wasn’t willing to be that vulnerable. Truth is I’m embarrassed of my messy house. I don’t want to go to those secret hidden places. How can I let someone into a place, that I don’t even want to go?

One of the first meetings I participated in with Women of Faith was about preparing to expand your territory. This means clean stuff out, getting rid of what no longer has a place or purpose. It doesn’t mean adding something to what you already have, that only leads to being burned out and overwhelmed. Think about your closet. After a day of shopping, do you cram your new purchases in an already full closet? Probably, I mean you can’t get rid of your favorite outfit from 1999, that is now two sizes too small. It might come back in style. You might lose a few pounds and wear it again someday. Imagine how much nicer your closet would look if you got rid of all the items that are out of style, don’t fit, or are no longer needed. It’s the same thing when God expands your territory. He doesn’t want you to cram a new thing among the things you already do. Let go of what no longer has a purpose and step into the new anointing He has for you.

There are so many other things I learned like Getting off the circle of crazy and moving to the Road of Freedom , Untangling [My] Emotions (by Jennie Allen) and Finding God’s Will for [My] Life (by Joyce Meyer’s) in 2024. The biggest lesson was that I can’t move forward until I deal with those places I have kept secret and hidden. One of the last books I read in 2024 was The True Vine by Andrew Murray. It broke down the story of the vine and the Gardner. Pruning is painful, but it doesn’t have to be. This message made my year come full circle. As I said one of the first messages I heard was about preparing for God to expand your territory. Both of these messages taught me to let go, get rid of, what no longer serves a purpose. The True Vine showed me that in order to bear more fruit I must go through a time of pruning. I need to cut away what is dead inside me. I need to remove the sick and damaged parts, in order to be spiritually healthy. I can either do this voluntarily or God will force me to. Andrew Murray explained that voluntarily cutting away and pruning will no doubt be uncomfortable and hard, but  being forced to do something is so much worse.

I thought 2024 was going to be a year of deeper relationships with friends and family. I thought it would be about a deeper understanding of the Bible. My word of the year deeper wasn’t about relationships, it was about going deeper into myself. It was about cleaning out the hidden places. God was saying it is time to reveal the truth in those secret places so I can heal. God’s plan for me, for you, for everyone is to be free, to bear much fruit, and to live in peace.

In my next post I’ll tell you what’s ahead for me in 2025.

Until another day,

AC