Pirate Ships: Preparing for a New Journey

Ok, who is already taking down their Christmas decor and who is waiting till after the New Year? :) Usually, I am quick to “get the house back in order” but my son and I made so many delightful Christmas crafts this year that are strung throughout our home which will make it much more bittersweet to de-Christmas than usual!

It’s common to have a “word” for the New Year. Most years I have felt a certain word swell within my heart but this year has been a bit different. 

This year, as I was praying, a picture came into my head. The picture was of a boat, one of those old pirate ship types. Think Pirates of the Caribbean! This big wooden ship was empty and still anchored to the shore, but the tide was coming in. I felt the Lord impress on my heart that 2025 is going to be a year of getting into our ship and setting sail on a new journey. I was then prompted to make a list - a list of what a sailor or adventurer would bring on such a voyage. This is what I wrote word for word:

Needed to Set Sail:
+ a light load / we can't bring all of our baggage 
+ provisions / only the essentials / fruits of the Spirit
+ a map & compass / Bible
+ a trusted crew

This vision spoke to me loudly as I have been in a season of pruning old branches within my own heart and throwing out my old baggage. God has been doing a work in me and it’s honestly felt like my metaphorical bones have been breaking and growing back. Through this process, Psalm 23:2 has been my anchor. "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters." Whenever God’s correction has come swiftly into my life, He is always so gentle and peaceful and that’s how I know that it’s Him and not my own condemnation. 

I wanted to share this picture I received for 2025 with you as you are exploring your own vision for the New Year. Maybe you’re in a pirate ship situation like me and you’re being called to let go of the old in order to get the new, all in preperation to set sail on a grand new adventure. Or maybe you're in a different season entirely. I love how the Lord speaks to us all individually and uniquely. It’s truly a gift from above and a sign of His love! 

I'm still searching, but I want to find a small ship from a second hand store to place somewhere in our living room. This would certainly not be a decoration I would have ever sought after to add to the “vibe” of our home, but it would be such a lovely reminder of what the Lord is asking us of us and what He has for us: obedience first, adventure second.

There are two main questions I’ve been asking myself as we head into the New Year: 

+ What do I need to leave behind? 

+ What do I need to bring with? 

These questions are powerful and the more honest and specific you can get with yourself and the Lord, the more a vision will start to form. I pray that in January that we all ask the Lord to do a work in us, helping us prepare for the year that lies ahead.

"Lord, show me how to use my unique gifts to bring glory back to you and shine your light into those whose hearts are dim. Clear my mind from the noise and purify my thoughts, erasing my insecurities and replacing them with the truth of who I am as your daughter. Thank you for my life. In Jesus name, Amen. "

I am so grateful for each of you who read and listen to my writings! I truly love writing to you each week and I am excited to have more to share with you this year. Cheers and blessings to you! 

Blessings,
Hannah
Daughter of God, Wife, Mom, Entrepreneur

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