Well, here we are at the beginning of a new Year - 2022. I wonder what significant events, challenges, and opportunities lie ahead for us this year. A number of important things occurred one hundred years ago in 1922:

1922 events:
- the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in Washington DC
- the first issue of Reader's Digest magazine was published
- Canada had the first successful insulin injection for diabetes
- a 20-ton meteorite landed in Blackstone, Virginia
- and for you baseball fans...babe ruth signed a 3-year contract with the New York Yankees

1922 Births:
- Judy Garland (best known for her role as Dorothy on the Wizard of Oz)
- Cyd Charisse (she was the memorable partner to Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly) and was in musicals as Singin in the rain and Brigadoon (oh if I could only dance like Cyd Charisse)
- Betty White (actress known for her Golden Girls show)
- and for you Marvel Comic fans - Stan Lee (American comic book writer best known for his work with Marvel Comics)

My dad did a sermon once entitled "standing on the banks of tomorrow" where he helped us look into Joshua 1:1-9 and the Israelites wondering through the dessert - where someone, indeed a people, were preparing to enter new territory. 

Moses had rescued the Israelites from slavery, and yet they had wondered the desert for 40 years. They had been promised the "promised land filled with milk and honey" - so in other words, provision! Yet their walk of faith grew dim as they gave way to complaining, bickering, self sufficiency - disobedience. Many had passed away, including Moses THE leader - however now Joshua was the one who would be leading the Israelites into this promise land. 

So much new territory:
- new territory of a leader: as Moses had died
- new territory of the land: as they were instructed to get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land God was about to give to them—to the Israelites
- new territory for the people (as only Joshua and Caleb had survived from the Exodus)
- new territory of the assignment (from learning to doing)
- new territory of the challenge (moving from the wilderness to a world of wickedness; the Canaanites religion was characterized by prostitution, infant sacrifice, sorcery, idolatry, etc.)


With so much going on it makes you wonder what Joshua might have been thinking:
- a "been here before" type attitude (from when they first entered the desert) 
- grieving and sadness (with Moses' death, a wasted 40 years in the wilderness)
- the worry and responsibility (this is one reason I don't go camping with just my kids - I worry about protecting us from bears, the responsibility of protecting my children I don't take lightly - - and here Joshua was going into unknown land/territory and was responsible for all these people - that's a lot of pressure!)
- and then even the anticipation and anxiety of it all

Can you identify with any of these feelings as you enter 2022?

There ARE some life lessons we can take from that story of Joshua though and apply to our own lives as we enter this new year:

1) God can speak to us
- Just as He did to Joshua (when he said "The Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them - to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates, all the Hittite country, to the mediterranean sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or the the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you, Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

- Now God can speak to us through many ways - our reading of the Bible, through prayer and meditation, through mature believers counsel, through circumstances, through open/closed doors, through that "still small voice", through miracles, or sometimes even through unbelievers
- so the question here to us is "are we listening"

*perhaps a goal for this year could be do spend more time with Him (we talk about this in Season 2 episode 28 - The Gift of Christmas)

2) The second life lesson we might take in and apply: God has a plan - THE plan for our lives
- just as when He instructed Joshua above to "arise - get up; and cross the river" - so TO GO, He has a plan for us too.
- What do you need to get up from (arise from), and go toward in 2022?

I had the pleasure of leading youth for a decade years ago, and we would talk about getting up and going - you know, doing what we should be doing - not just getting comfy and sitting. We'd have an internal leingo of "goed." Meaning stop talking about getting up and doing it, of going - but get it done - now yes for you English majors this would be the word "went", but "goed" just seemed more applicable. (Ha!) You've probably heard the question - where do you want to be in a year, or five years. Well, what are you doing NOW to get there? Stop thinking about what you need to get up from, stop just planning it out or trying to problem solve it, or dream where you want to be - actually get up and go toward it! Goed!

3) learning that God will supply our need if we will just follow Him
- Notice the Lord's promises to Joshua of "giving them the new territory", continuing presence with them, and victory TOO!
- Wouldn't it take a lot of pressure and anxiety out of facing the unknown if we could just trust that the Lord is sending us there and will provide for us while we are there?

When I became a single mom over 8 years ago, I was scared to death what this looked like - but I knew that above all I wanted to be in the center of God's will today, so I could be in the center of God's will tomorrow. Each day I press into Him, some more than others, and you know what - here all these years later I can tell you - - God has provided for each and every NEED - now notice I didn't say all of our wants, but He will meet our needs and there is NO one who knows our NEEDS more than the Lord. 

I read in a book once about this generous man who was trying to meet the need of a young employee of his with a new car. He gave him a book and basically told him "just open this - it will help you." Well, the young employee didn't open it for years and when he finally did guess what was in the book? A key to a car! Here he had his needs provided for, but he didn't do His part. Oh friend, God can supply, He will supply or provide - but we MUST do OUR part in following.

4) Be strong and courageous - truly occupy that new territory that the Lord has for you. 
- notice the one thing that the Lord repeated to Joshua (3 times!) - Be strong and courageous.
- verses 7-8 provide the key to being able to accomplish this: study and meditate on His "book" and obey the lord
- and the result of it all will be, "then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success" (as in verse 8). The result will be God's blessing!

I'll be honest with you - new years scare me! It was just into the new year when I discovered some things that truly were life shattering. It was THEN that NEXT year just DAYS before the new year that my husband served me with divorce papers. With each new year seemed to bring such pain and suffering - so many trials: my divorce, my mom being accidentally poisoned by tea at a restaurant and ending up in a coma, my dad being diagnosed with incurable blood cancer, my mom being diagnosed with brain cancer, my mom's death, my dad's cancer coming out of remission, financial pains of home repairs (roof, HVAC, major appliances)... but my friends, no matter what you have or will face....be STRONG and COURAGEOUS! As the saying goes, what doesn't kill you can make you stronger - especially stronger in your relationship with the Lord.

So here we are, in January 2022 - and we ARE like Joshua - standing on the banks of tomorrow.

During this time may we remember:
-God can speak to us
-God has a plan
-God will provide

All while:
- We do our part
- and be strong and courageous wherever this year leads

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Now one thing you're going to find a little different this year on Holly's Highlights is an action or challenge at the end of each podcast to encourage, inspire, or equip yourself or others as result of that episode. Basically to go out and do good in the lives of others, that even includes in your own life. Here we are - thousands listening to these episodes (and I am honored, thank you), but what if we used this time to go out and be the change we wish to see in this world? To take what we have heard and make change within ourselves, or to go out and help others, to show love to those around us? Again, the whole purpose of this podcast - to encourage (us and others), to inspire (us and others), to equip (us and others). 

So in the spirit of that - and to kick off this new year - today's take away would be "what will we do with this FRESH page of opportunity? Will we be content to simply attempt to maintain the status quo, or will we strive to move forward? How will you be strong and courageous as you step into a new year - and whatever may come your way?

Here we go my friend - welcome to your tomorrow - welcome to 2022. Happy New Year!