Every Year is a Year of Abundance, Just Look For It

As my husband José and I toasted the new year at a party with old and new friends, the thought of recent news dampened my optimism for a prosperous new year. Last year ended with a somber realization the new year was going to be grim due to receiving some bad financial news. As Krik Franklin’s song “Intercession” says, “Jesus please mention my name, see I got some bad news today…, its got me questioning my faith.” Like Kirk, I was questioning my faith too. When someone at the party exclaimed, “And a prosperous new decade,” I let go of my dashed hopes and embraced the optimism for the coming new decade. Maybe 2020 would be awful, but 2021, 2022... could be good again. But that didn’t remove my grim outlook. Then the following events happened, and I was reminded that my circumstances were not defined by my financial or physical abilities; it was going to be a year of abundance anyway! 

1) My girlfriend’s son and his wife had a healthy baby girl on New Year’s Day, born about a week early. 2) The next day, José and I went shopping for slacks. José lost weight after his cancer treatment and nothing fit anymore. Men’s clothing is more expensive than women’s clothing, especially when you factor in alterations. But when the Men's Wearhouse sales representative rang up our purchases, the $100+ slacks was $17.99. The rep said, “Don’t ask, sometimes these things happen [sales we don’t know about].” José and I rejoiced as we left the store. 3) A few days later, a dear girlfriend offered to gift me a trip to Jamaica when I shared I couldn’t afford our long awaited trip we had dreamed about for 5-years. I tearfully accepted her offer with a promise to reimburse her in installments as soon as my other financial matter was resolved. But then she discovered the trip would be free! She hadn’t realized the number of hotel and airfare reward points she amassed over the years! My blessings were flowing in within the first week of the new year. But they didn't stop there:

 
4) The second week, I received notification my film Brick by Brick was accepted into its first film festival, the San Diego Black Film Festival, the first major film festival of the year. What an affirmation of the quality work I had been doing over the past 5-years and the contributions of my talented cast and crew in telling my father’s story. 5) Next, our daughter and son-in-love called from Japan to announce they were pregnant. Wow! Another grandbaby! Our son and daughter-in-love in Florida had twins in August, and our other daughter’s son in Rochester celebrated his third birthday on Christmas. 6) Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, Brick by Brick was accepted into its second major film festival, the Pan African Film Festival, founded by Danny Glover, Ja ’Net Dubois and Ayuko Baba! Is this a year of scarcity, gloom and strife? No. It’s a year of abundance! 

 

My circumstances are not dependent upon my financial or physical abilities. My year of abundance is a blessing from God, a coming together of all the Universe can offer to achieve everything I need and the desires of my heart. “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” I like the word “added” used for this translation of Jesus’ message found in Matthew 6:33 of the Bible, King James Version, because I think of it as an “addition” to what we have already received to live. However, this scripture follows the recognition that food, clothing and shelter are the desires we seek and they will be added unto us. But what I’m experiencing are not just my basic necessities of life, but the desires of my heart are being added too, the abundant blessings of life too!

It's the year of abundance in spite of my physical, financial, or family circumstances! And your new year can be too. “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10.


From Tina's journal 1/17/2020


Although, these reflections we written in 2020, they are applicable today, to our new near of 2022. The year 2020 became one of our most challenging years, in our battle with the COVID-19 pandemic, but it was still a year of abundance despite our circumstances. We lost love ones, prayed feverishly for others, learned to operate more with less, used time for introspection and reflection, found new ways of doing things, and do without things. We remembered what was most important, people, and we became stronger. Let 2022 become your year of abundance in spite of your physical, financial, or family circumstances. Believe for it!


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