DWELL

Dwell - reflecting on my word of 2023

written by, Jackie Brindle

Dwell.

This word was “my word” for 2023.

Since 2019, I thought about a word that would catapult me into the next year! Usually, it’s a word that inspires, encourages, and challenges me to boldly face the unknown seasons ahead. 

The sound of the word, "dwell", simply melts my heart. As I reflect on 2023, I realize that this word did more transforming within me than outwardly. This almost seems like the opposite of how the world views most resolutions because the focus subtly points to the end result of a physical change.

However, this year I learned to dwell. 

Dwell on His love. 

Dwell on His presence. 

Dwell on His protection. 

Dwell on the truth of God. 

Dwell on the pureness and goodness of God. 

Dwell on His faithfulness despite my lack of it, at times. 

Truthfully, it was coming to a point where I was allowing the world to “spoon feed” more of who God was in my life, instead of knowing who He was for myself. I am not a “new” Christian but I am always learning. This year, I had a deep desire to grow. 

Consistency was key. 

The Lord woke me up every morning at 5:30am. When I say "woke me up", I mean it! I am not a morning person but something was eagerly drawing me to the office each day. I spent sometimes 45 minutes to an hour, praying, reading God's word, or pairing it all with a devotional. Now, there were days I missed my devotion hour, but did I keep going back to it? Yes! Something happened in those morning hours, that I can't explain. I couldn't get enough.

I gave space to fill up journals with prayers, dreams, visions, drawings, and revelations of who God truly is.

I am not perfect. And I don’t pretend to have this perfect faith. These words are not written here to brag or to be self-righteous or to make you feel bad you didn't this year.

The point of telling you what this time meant to me, is to be an encouragement for someone else who is searching too.

To dwell.

"Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable —- if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy— dwell on these things." Philippians 4:8

I saw prayers written down a year ago, in my journal and remembered the pain in my heart, wondering if they would come to pass.

Yet, 

God heard them. 

He turned my hopelessness into hopefulness! Praise God!

As this verse anchored my soul, perhaps it will do the same for you, as well!

Psalm 91 says, “The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.”(CSB)

He is the perfecter of my faith and the perfecter of my story. 

I simply get to dwell in the shadow of the Almighty while He does a work far beyond what I can see, do in my own strength, or imagine.

As I learned to dwell, I can confidently now tell you, He is the Only One who can handle all fears, worries, big dreams, and small details and to care for them deeply. This time made me feel like I was His one and only daughter of the King. He showed up, guided me along a path I have never walked before. In time, I might share more about this but for now I will keep this brief.

If you still need that special word for 2024, choose — dwell! 

I warn you though, it wont’ be easy.

There might be days you open up your Bible and simply sit in the quiet of the morning. You may take the space to simply talk to God or cry out to Him. Sometimes you might read and get nothing from it. There might be days that you wake up and want to dwell on the to do list that creeps in. Or there might be more than you understand ---- and that's okay! Let it take you on new paths that deepen your revelation of that!

Don’t give up! 

Once you start dwelling on the things that please God, His word, His will, His truth, His way, it will become your strength and light in the days that are harder than others! You will live out your faith journey with more meaning and purpose in the day-to-day than ever before!

This year was a year! 

God did something NEW in me!

I grew my relationship with God and leaned in harder than ever before because at the end of the day, I don't want to miss out what God has for me! I don't want to miss out on how I can be a blessing to my family, my friends, and my community because I wasn't listening or learning.

Friend, I needed this space to be humbled, pray, repent, and surrender God's will for my life. Without this time, I don't think I would have been able to take some courageous leaps of faith and pray BIG BOLD prayers in 2023.

Therefore, I will be forever grateful when I choose to dwell on Jesus and know He dwells in me, because it changes everything! 

Now let's bring on 2024!~ Jackie

Written by: Jackie Brindle

December 27, 2023

BONUS:

Books I read and recommend from 2023:

"Win Over Worry" by Keri Eichberger

"Overlooked: Finding your worth when you feel alone" by Whitney Akin

"Her Calling" by Dr. Jamie Morgan

"Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings" by Tony Merida

"Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Isaiah" by Andrew M. Davis

"Rahab: Discovering the God Who Saves Me" by Shadia Hrichi

"SHE READS TRUTH BIBLE" Christian Standard Bible

Email devotional subscriptions that I highly recommend:

Significant Life by Jen Jones also author of "Divinely Different"

Proverbs 31 Women Ministries

PennDel Ministries

Heidi Lee Anderson

Chelsea DeMatteis - author of "More of Him, Less of Me"

Recommended Podcasts

"Back Porch Theology" with host: Lisa Harper

"Havillah's Podcast" with host Havillah Cunnington

"Radical Radiance" with host Rebecca George

"She" Podcast with host Jordan Lee Dooley

"She Reads Truth" with hosts Raechel Myers and Amanda Bible Williams

"The Messy Middle" with host, Anita Anello

"Jesus Over Everything" with host, Lisa Whittle