2024! Peace Out!

It is New Year's Eve, at 8:54pm.

I have soaked in a hot bath and have on clean pajamas. Ready for whatever the night brings, which will probably be a good night's sleep. There will be no Blowout Celebration here; no Champagne; no Fireworks; no gunfire at midnight. And not because there is nothing to celebrate, that's just not how we do things around here. That said, I'm here to tell you that 2024 was a year to celebrate! Maybe, just maybe, one of the best years of my life!

Exactly one year ago tonight, my husband and I sat at dinner, in a cute local restaurant, hosting friends from Chicago. One of them said something like: "So? Everyone tell a bit about the year; what was the best thing about it?" Or something like that. And when it was my turn, I truthfully stated, in the company of folks with whom I felt safe, that I had the worst year of my life; that 2023 was terrible and I was glad to see it go. The 3 of them were not expecting that as my response (although they had shared my life with me all year, so why were they surprised??) When asked to elaborate, I did; "I lost my home; I lost my job; I lost my Church, where I was loved and valued; I lost my friends; and both of my parents died". It was a year of Monumental Change!

We moved out of a home where I had lived with my husband for our entire marriage; a place where I was safe and sane and stable. With that move came a job change, which was horrible from the get-go. Due to the distance, I was forced to find a new Church and a new group of friends who love Jesus like I do. Then my Mother died. And 40 days later my Earthly Father died. Holy Cow! I was bumping up on OVERLOAD! I don't think I could have handled one more thing! So last NYE at the 61 On Main, I was glad to see it go. Like I say: Don't go away mad, just GO! 2023 had to go!

During all the turmoil, I was praying TONS, and sitting for counseling, and seeking the LORD daily. But I was in a "season".

Shortly after the calendar turned to 2024, I found a new job in my Little Town. I was committed to becoming a part of this community, wanted to get to know my neighbors, have a job near my new home, and try to settle in. And that I did. And it is crazy!! Prior to this, I worked in sales and retail, always selling something fancy, expensive, pretty, glittery or high tech. I was on top of the Leader Board, winning contests, hosting celebs, romancing special events and all that fun stuff. But with the move, I began working for a company owned by Tractor Supply. The pay is terrible, but the benefits are great. And now I sell BUGS...live bugs.

I'm not kidding. They are alive, and I have to sell them. I am becoming less sensitive about this, less terrified, but I do let out a Girl Scream every now and again.

Through the job, I have met all kinds of people--people like I have never known before. I am on friendly terms with a homeless gentleman, have shared Jesus with him, prayed with him many times, washed his laundry, eaten with him and fallen in love with My Little Town. I have seen all kinds of things up close that most folks hope to never see--a deep poverty, the prison of addiction, and the effects these things have on a community and its families. To hear it shared like this, it doesn't sound pretty. No glitter here. No celebrity parties here. But the reality of this is...I am so honored, and humbled, and blessed to be walking this path right now.

I started this Ministry/Blog/Website this year. We opened The Sanctuary for worship and prayer this year, and have hosted many Jesus events here in our home. I stepped into the Call to Prayer in a big way by popping up a Prayer Tent at local events. I have been blessed to sit under some of the most Godly women ever, learning how to pour out the Heart of Jesus in ways that have been so precious and life-changing. I have held grown men in my arms in prayer, beside the cricket bin, and prayed for deliverance and healing. I have prayed with strangers, who for whatever reason decided to pour out their fears to me while I was unboxing cat food at the workplace. I have been so rocked by the moves of God; the answered prayers; the opportunities to "praise Him in the storm" (as the song says). Y'all!! He is SO WORTHY!!

The Bible is full of Scripture about "waiting" on the LORD.

Psalm 27:14 says "Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He will strengthen your heart: Wait, I say, on the LORD!

Psalm 37:34 says "For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the Earth".

Psalm 37:34 says "Wait on the LORD, And keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land".

Isaiah 40:31 says "But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint".

A trend: Waiting on the LORD has benefits!!

What does "waiting on the LORD" mean? Does it mean to hang around and do nothing until He makes a move? That is kind of how it sounds. But "to wait" on the LORD means to Trust Him, have Faith in Him, and Submit to His will. It speaks of an expectancy, a hopeful expectation. This type of waiting is an action, rather than inaction.

So as 2024 progressed, without really knowing it, I was waiting on the LORD. I was walking with Him; seeking His Face in prayer; listening for His voice in the rain; worshipping Him every chance I had, choosing obedience to Him, and running after Him in a myriad of ways. And now, as I look back on 2024, I see that He has "strengthened my Heart", given me much inheritance, blessed me that I might run and not grow weary. He is SO GOOD!

I know full well that He LOVES me. He has told me personally many times (that is for another blog), and shows me every day. He is Faithful. And His promises are True. And as I waited, He transformed what was broken, and angry, and hurting into something so very lovely.

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"What is your point?"

"What are you getting at?"

Well.

I would be sorely remiss to end this year without sharing around this Table the testimony of the Best Year Ever! The LORD blesses me, I believe, in part, because He knows that I am going to tell everyone how completely Awesome, Beautiful, Perfect, Cool, Funny, Loving, Kind, and Magnificent He is!! I could not let the night pass without doing that.

I have exceedingly high expectations for 2025! Why shouldn't I? The LORD told me on the morning of my birthday, a few weeks ago: "This is the year of the Supernatural". So I have that going for me. He is going to teach me, through the power of His Holy Spirit, to walk in all the promises He made to me through the New Covenant in His Blood. Dry bones will come to life this year, in Jesus' name. Prodigals will come home this year, in Jesus' name. The chains of addiction will break, in my family and in My Little Town, in Jesus' name. Salvations in the streets, baptisms in the back yard, revival breaking out around here and beyond, in Jesus' name!

I am on the front row! I will keep you posted! OR. You can join me. Like Joshua said to the Chosen People, "...choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15)

I know this to be True: He is raising a Remnant. Y'all coming, or not?

I can't wait to share the coming year with you all! It is going to be AMAZING!

I hope that you will let me pray for you this year. Please submit any prayer requests here on this website. If you leave some contact info, I will reach out directly. If you prefer anonymity, just leave the request and know that I will be praying for your specific need. I pray for you all daily, thanking the LORD for you and calling for His very best blessings on your lives...His Mercy, His Grace, and His Love-Everlasting.

Grace and Peace to you all!

Leslie~