Crossing over into the New Year

January 2, 2022 Valerie Sjodin

Happy New Year!

How are you entering this year?

To be honest, I have had some trepidation about entering this new year, but then on the very first day of the year, while working, I was surprised by glimmers of creativity and hope.

On the evening of January 1st, I wrote the first entry in my new 2022 journal. It was two lines on my ‘I am thankful for …' page. It turned out to be a good beginning after all.

Then the following day, I felt led to an old book of poems on our bookshelf that my husband and I used to read to each other, even before we were married. The book, given to him by his grandfather, was written by Annie Johnson Flint, and printed in the early 1940's. Her poetry is written from the heart, in the midst of suffering and pain. Some of her poems became hymns such as “He Giveth More Grace.”

The first poem in the book resonates with me and I want to share it with you in hope that it will encourage you too.

At the Place of the Sea

"Have you come to the Red Sea* place in your life,
Where, in spite of all you can do,
There is no way out, there is no back,
There is no other way but - through?
Then wait on the Lord with a trust serene
Till the night of your fear is gone;
He will send the wind, He will heap the floods,
When He says to your soul, ‘Go on.’

And His hand will lead you through - clear through -
Ere the watery walls roll down,
No foe can reach you, no wave can touch,
No mightiest sea can drown;
The tossing billows may rear their crests,
Their foam at your feet may break,
But over their bed you shall walk dry shod
In the path that your Lord will make.

In the morning watch, 'neath the lifted cloud,
You shall see but the Lord alone,
When He leads you on from the place of the sea
To land that you have not known;
And your fears shall pass as your foes have passed,
You shall be no more afraid;
You shall sing His praise in a better place,
A place that His hand has made."

~ Annie Johnson Flint

*The Biblical story of the Red Sea is in Exodus chapters 14-15:1-21

I don't think it was an accident that I was led to that poem at this time. These are things I write down in a journal and revisit from time to time. Whether it is writing only or adding imagery, it is worthwhile to keep a record of the life we live. It reminded me of a journal page I made a few years ago when venturing into new territory:

These pages were prompted by personal experience and finding comfort through the Scripture in the passage from Matthew 14:22-36 where Jesus is walking on water.

Whether we need a miracle to cross the sea on dry ground, or to walk on water through the storm, we are not alone and nothing is impossible for our God - our Father, Jesus/Yeshua, Holy Spirit!