It seems that last year was molded and awareness heightened centering around one word:  O R D I N A R Y

Late last year, I shared what I was learning in coming to terms with the fact that real life is just beautifully ordinary…not necessarily always filled with bigness or stage presence or being involved in big, loud things.  (you can read that blog post here)  I also shared that I was finally able to complete a very ordinary resolution that I had in reading more. (click here to read about those books)  Ironically and unplanned, it seemed like almost every book that I read carried an underlying theme:  ordinary people being marked by ordinary means of faithfulness and obedience–but oh the influence that their lives produced!!  I read books about Corrie Ten Boom, Darlene Diebler Rose, Jennie Allen–every woman seeing their current seasons and situation and displaying simple, yet beautiful, and in hindsight, pretty extraordinary obedience considering circumstances.

This is what I have come to learn and desire to walk boldly and happily into this year:  my own ordinary.  And I believe that it is good and right for us to do that:  “So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.” 1 Corinthians 7:24.  Our obedience and the way we follow Christ will most likely not look extraordinary in the moment.  In both easy and hard times, it will look like treasuring Scripture, taking Christ at His Word and trusting the Holy Spirit to enable you to walk in righteousness, picking you up when you are unfaithful and giving grace in the moments you need it.

I’ve learned that in hindsight, our faith can look quite extraordinary, but banking on every piece of obedience to look grandiose is only elevating ourselves and therefore stealing glory away from Christ–and that is not obedience at all.

I’ve learned that it is okay to say no to extraordinary opportunities in order to be faithful with what we have been given–so we can be good stewards and treasure our lives of quietness and gentleness.

I’ve also learned that in order to sustain any type of ministry, it requires ordinary and private discipline of obedience and repentance.  You have no ministry, you say?  But aren’t we all called to be ministers of reconciliation?

For our faith, ordinariness can be one of the GREATEST assests we have-I can’t always say I’ve personally seen it that way, but I’m beginning to realize the great benefit it is-to be small and ordinary-that we can see the magnitude and strength of our God.  For didn’t He promise He uses the weak things of the world to shame the strong? (1 Corinthians 1:27)  and therefore, when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10).

I do not have to be big, put together, strong, extraordinary for the Lord to be good to me-to be glorified in me-to delight in me…I just have to be, well, me–because I am His.

So here’s to a year to embrace that.  To not make resolutions or goals that center around elevating myself or working to gain validation.  Here’s to embracing the small, unseen faithfulness.  To loving others.  To giving when no one knows.  To fellowship with my Savior–in all the ordinary, mundane moments of my life.