Restoration Year

1. God's Relentless Pursuit of Your Heart

"God is not willing to simply let that be the end of your story. Filled with compassion, our Father God will come like a loving Father, and take you close to his heart."

God's passionate love. The Creator of the universe is not distant or indifferent, but deeply invested in a personal relationship with you. He pursues you with the intensity of a lover, seeking to win your heart and bring you into intimate communion with Him.

Your true identity. God sees you as His beloved child, created in His image and designed for greatness. He longs to restore you to your original glory and purpose, healing the wounds that have distorted your self-perception.

Invitation to intimacy. God invites you into a life-changing journey of discovering His heart for you. This pursuit is not about religious duty, but about experiencing the transformative power of His love and grace in every aspect of your life.

2. The Battle for Your Desire and Identity

"You are desire. It is the essence of the human soul, the secret of your existence. Absolutely nothing of human greatness is ever accomplished without it."

Desire as essence. Your deepest longings and desires are not something to be suppressed or ignored, but are core to your identity and purpose. They reflect the image of God within you and point to the life you were created to live.

Spiritual warfare. There is an ongoing battle for your heart and desires. The enemy seeks to distort or destroy your true identity, while God works to restore and fulfill your deepest longings.

• Areas of battle:
  • Self-perception
  • Relationships
  • Purpose and calling
  • Understanding of God

Reclaiming desire. The journey of faith involves reclaiming your God-given desires and aligning them with His purposes. This process often requires:

• Healing from past wounds
• Breaking free from false beliefs
• Courageously pursuing your true calling

3. Jesus: More Than Just a Religious Figure

"Jesus is beautiful."

Jesus' multifaceted personality. Far from being a one-dimensional religious figure, Jesus embodies a rich tapestry of qualities that make Him deeply relatable and profoundly transformative:

• Playful and joyful
• Fierce and intentional
• Compassionate and merciful
• Wise and cunning

Living example. Jesus' life on earth provides a model for authentic, fully-alive humanity. He demonstrates how to:

• Love deeply and sacrificially
• Stand against injustice
• Embrace adventure and risk
• Live in intimate communion with the Father

Personal relationship. Christianity at its core is about knowing Jesus personally, not just adhering to a set of beliefs or rules. This relationship has the power to heal, transform, and bring abundant life.

4. Healing and Restoration of the Broken Heart

"God promises to heal the brokenhearted. So invite Jesus into your past. Linger with Jesus in prayer there."

Acknowledging brokenness. The first step in healing is recognizing and admitting the areas of woundedness in your life. This often involves revisiting painful memories and emotions.

Inviting Jesus in. Healing comes through allowing Jesus into the broken places of your heart. This process involves:

• Trusting Him with your pain
• Receiving His love and truth
• Allowing Him to reframe your experiences

Holistic restoration. God's healing touches every aspect of your being:

• Emotional healing
• Relational restoration
• Spiritual renewal
• Physical well-being

The goal is not just the absence of pain, but the flourishing of your whole person in alignment with God's original design.

5. Living in God's Story: A Life of Purpose and Adventure

"You are part of an Epic that has already been under way for quite some time. It is a Story of beauty and intimacy and adventure, a Story of danger and loss and heroism and betrayal."

Cosmic drama. Your life is part of a grand narrative that spans eternity. Understanding this bigger picture gives context and meaning to your personal experiences and challenges.

Kingdom perspective. Seeing life through the lens of God's unfolding story changes how you approach:

• Daily decisions
• Relationships
• Career and calling
• Suffering and trials

Heroic living. God invites you to play a significant role in His story, calling you to:

• Courageous faith
• Sacrificial love
• Kingdom-advancing action
• Overcoming evil with good

This perspective infuses even ordinary moments with eternal significance and adventure.

6. The Power of Beauty and Creation in Spiritual Growth

"Nature is not primarily functional. It is primarily beautiful. Stop for a moment and let that sink in."

Beauty as revelation. The beauty of creation is not just a pleasant backdrop, but a powerful way God communicates His character and invites us into relationship with Him.

Restorative power. Engaging with beauty, especially in nature, has a unique ability to:

• Heal emotional wounds
• Awaken dormant parts of the soul
• Inspire creativity and wonder
• Draw us closer to God

Cultivating awareness. Developing a practice of noticing and appreciating beauty can transform your spiritual life:

• Daily moments of awe and gratitude
• Seeing God's handiwork in unexpected places
• Using beauty as a gateway to prayer and worship

7. Hope in the Renewal of All Things

"Nothing is lost."

Ultimate restoration. The Christian hope extends beyond personal salvation to the renewal of all creation. This promise includes:

• Healing of all wounds
• Restoration of broken relationships
• Redemption of lost dreams and opportunities
• Transformation of the physical world

Living with anticipation. This future hope radically changes how we live in the present:

• Courage to face current trials
• Motivation for kingdom work
• Freedom from ultimate despair
• Joyful expectation of what's to come

Participating in renewal. We are invited to be part of God's renewing work now:

• Bringing healing and justice to our spheres of influence
• Caring for creation
• Living as "preview people" of the coming kingdom
• Cultivating beauty and goodness in a broken world

This hope of renewal gives purpose to our present struggles and assures us that our efforts in God's name are never in vain.

Last updated: October 6, 2024