I'm sure many of you are aware of the Chinese traditions of the year of the dragon and the year of the tiger, etc. I don't know anything about the Chinese traditions or what goes into the celebrations of these years and their significance. I do know what goes into the celebration of the Year of the Eli and I do know its significance. Allow me to explain, to enlighten you...
Recently I was listening to a message by Andy Stanley from Northpoint in the ATL. Andy was speaking on the things that we place our hope in or on. He said that we often hope on jobs, education, looks, family and other things like this that really offer the support for our hope that we need because they can all let us down and disappoint because they aren't able to transcend the struggles and pain of our experience in life. As you might imagine, he went on to say that God is the only thing worthy of our hope and the only thing that we can hope in because he is able to transcend our experience.
I feel almost like my life has come full circle in the sense that I am now beginning to see how God has been working in my life over the last 5-6 years preparing me for what he is putting in front of me for the future. The last 10 days have been some of the best in my life for a couple of reasons. I don't want to spill all of the beans just yet, but suffice it to say that things are (finally) looking up for us. This is the year of the Eli because what I have been hoping in/on for years now is coming to fruition. I don't believe that God has a rewardist relationship with us, but I do believe, like Paul, that God works all things to the good of those who trust him. I have trusted him and through all of it (the very hard, difficult and dark times) God has proven to me to be worthy of my hope and trust because hoping in him has not disappointed me.
This is my time to show that I can do all of the things that God, family, friends, and I have expected out of me. I can use my talents and abilities to shine and to make a difference in the lives of people.
This is Year the Eli... watch out world!
