February: A Month for Relationships and Restoration?

This time last year, my best friend and I decided to start a journal challenge. You might have heard of it. Or not.

It was called #FreeinFeb.

The movement — for lack of a better word — came from a place of understanding that our vulnerabilities have roots, and will inevitably grow, either choking us or teaching us in the process.

“our vulnerabilities have roots, and will inevitably grow, either choking us or teaching us in the process.”

We saw, that being vulnerable with ourselves and with each other, could actually change our lives because that is exactly where God meets us. There is a verse found in the Bible, in 2 Corinthians 12:9–11, of Paul sharing a mindblowing revelation that God comes through even stronger in our weakness:

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

When I am weak, then I am strong. Because, God is my strength.

In one month, we challenged young women and men to pick up a journal and write their deepest thoughts, every day, according to a different theme each week in February. The themes we were directed on were: surrender, identity, shame, and knowing who God is.

I knew that this act of journaling and allowing God to speak over us as we wrote, would be important and healing, and this was proven by the number of people who shared that they were changed and/or blessed by it!

[If you would like to read posts from last year, type “freeinfeb” (no space) in the search tab at the top of my blog.]

So guess what? Free in Feb is back. This year, I encourage you to journal again with me. #FreeinFeb led on to other months of journal challenges (#Mercy4March, #AspireinApirl, #JoyinJune etc) but February was the month that hit the hardest. And I’ll admit, I’ve come to it this year, tired. I have arrived at this point dragging my feet, feeling the weight of my spirit. But I know you are reading this because God is calling you to join in this year.

“I have arrived at this point dragging my feet, feeling the weight of my spirit.”

Especially because, this time, I feel that the entire month is going to be centered on one theme: relationship.

Relationship:

noun.

the way in which two or more people or things are connected, or the state of being connected.

“If we are connected to nothing, our lives mean nothing.”

Life is meaningless without connection. If we are connected to nothing, our lives mean nothing. Inherently, we were made to connect and have relationship not just among ourselves, but with God first and foremost.

And here’s the best part, a relationship with God is the best thing for us! Psalm 16:11 tells us of some of the benefits found by being in His presence:

1. We can gain understanding and clarity on our life’s process, direction and purpose. + we are filled with joy and so much more in His presence:

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

2. We can be sure to find rest in His presence. (Exodus 33:14)

And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.

3. We will find His love in all its fullness. (John 15:9)

Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.

4. He will be with us in all things, wherever we go. (Psalm 139:7)

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?

So, connection and relationship are important not only to us but to God, also. And there are different types of relationship. Here is how we are going to focus on this personally this month — are you up for the challenge?:

WEEK 1: The Relationship with Others

This week, we are going to journal about failed relationships with others.

The ones that count.

Parents you harbor bitterness towards/words that have been said by them to you that have hurt you. Siblings that you just have not been able to connect with for whatever reason or argument. Friendships that have deteriorated because of miscommunication.

This week, write about them.

Tell God everything in your writing, about how and why you feel the way you do. Question, where it started. Open up, on how the failure of these relationships has caused you to view yourself negatively and wrongly. Seek God for restoration, but beyond this, ask Him for strength. For healing. For a heart big enough to love those people and to be the bigger person. And for hope. Because, My God, it is a hard thing to hold on to hope with these things. It can all look so bleak and never-ending, especially within families. Hurt can pass on from generation to generation, but I continue to cling on to my belief in a God who delivers and transforms.

This week, pray ardently for your relationship with your family and your loved ones. I believe, that as you journal, God will reveal things to you. You will see just how much your view of your existence has been based on the things said by those who should have propelled you but didn’t. The actions made by those who should have protected you but didn’t. And it is going to be painful, this week. But by the end of it, I am believing that God will have opened you up to — at the very least — the possibility of forgiveness. He truly can make all things come together as they should, and He knows best of all how to teach a heart to forgive. And this week, you will find that there can be a beginning to peace in your situation.

Because we are already a week into February, there are 3 themes this month instead of 4. I’ll let you know now what the themes for week 2 and 3 are so you have an idea of what’s to come, although at the start of those weeks there’ll be a lenghtier post to intro them, like this one. Don’t worry if info on the themes isn’t announced exactly a week between; if I feel strongly that one week needs to run for longer, then I’ll obey that and give it a few more days.

WEEK 2: The Relationship with Self

This week is going to be mind blowing. That’s all I know for sure right now.

WEEK 3: The Relationship with God

Again, all I know for sure is that this is going to be a week of hard hitting truths and conviction, but also one of hearts turning and people feeling God’s love more powerfully than they ever have before!

So what are you waiting for?